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4
HUISTMAS at Mount Vernon In the
peaceful days which followed tho Revo
lution was always exceedingly merry.
Tho Virginians of those days, being
cavaliers, mnde tho most of tho holiday
which tho grim Puritans of Now Eng
land Ignored.
It was a season of profuse hospitality,
nut In all tho northern nock of Vir
ginia no hpuso wns tho bcciio of more
joyous dolngB than that of George
Washington. Often mere strangers,
bearing letters of Introduction, camo and went at
wilt, sometimes staying for wcoks, or even months.
Though stern, Washington could unbend consider
ably on such an occasion.
Ho was getting to he an
old man, and his adopted
son, George Custls, de
scribes him as wearing
habitually at that period
plain drab clothes, with a
broad-brimmod white hnt,
and. carrying an umbrella
with a long otaff attached
to his saddle-bow when he
rode to shelter him from
tho sun, his skin being
tender and burning easily.
While yot a young man
ho had Inherited the
Mount Vornon estate from
his half-brother. Tho
house was much smaller
than It is today, being
what was then called a
"four-room cottago" that
Is to say, with only that
many rooms on the ground
floor. It had been built in
1743 by Lawrence Wash
ington by the labor of
transported convicts from
WA5fK?ro ArTGwynzyMfoff
England, the main timbers being cut from the
nearby forest, while tho outer sheathing of North
Carolina pine was hewn into blocks to resemble
Btone.
There were about a dozen bedrooms, all of
them rimall, and doubtless they were rather
crowded at Christmas time some of tho people,
very likely, "doubling up." All of the rooms had
low ceilings; there was no paper on the walls;
water pipes of all kinds were conspicuous by
their absence; no furnace heated the mansion
(there were no stoves, Indeed), and the only Il
lumination In the evening was furnished by can
dles. Tet, as things went In those days, this was
a luxurious establishment.
The Christmas dinner was at 3 o'clock In the
"banquet hall," and probably twenty-five or thirty
people sat down to the repast The table was
covered with a snowy damask cloth, and there
were fine linen napkins both being luxuries rath
er exceptional In those days. But this was by no
means all. There was a handsome service of
pure silver, most of which had belonged to the
widow Custls when she married Mr. Washington,
and also there was a big display of cut glass even
more precious. Most remarkable of all, however,
there were real silver forks a rarity Indeed!
Ladles and gentlemen ate with their knives In
those days In a way that would now be consid
ered shocking. It was a matter almost of neces
sity, Inasmuch as the forks they used, which had
only three tines, did not serve very well for some
purposes, Such as the carrying of peas to the
mouth, for example. It Is painful to think of the
Father of His Country at his Christmas dinner
putting his knife Into the mouth, but there Is no
doubt that he did so. Another oddity, as now
adays It would be considered, was the arrange
ment of tho table, upon which all the dishes to
bo served. Including even tho puddings and pics,
were placed nt onco. No wonder that In those
times a festive hoard wns jaid to "groan" beneath
the weight of the viands!
As a matter of course, at the ChrlBtmas dinner
(as on other occasions) the table was waited upon
by slaves, who did duty as house servants. Two
were allotted to each guest, so that quite a num
ber were required. All of the eatables had to bo
fetched a considerable distance, the kitchen being
detached from the mansion, with which it was
connected by a covered way.
At the houses of the great Virginia families at
that period It was customary for the alavesto wait
on the table In their ordinary plantation garb.
But at Mount Vernon many things were on a
scale of exceptional luxury, and the negroes who
performed such service were clad In Washing
ton's own livery of red, white and gold, which
was handsome and striking.
One may suppose, then, that the conversation at
the Christmas dinner was more than ordinarily
entertaining. As a matter of course, everybody
was hungry; for, according to the custom of
those days, there were only two meals breakfast,
which was early, and dinner. The necessity for
supper was removed by a great prolongation of
the dinner, at which each person was expected to
eat all that he or she possibly could. In fact, It
was the duty of the hostess gently to persuade
her guests to gorge themselves to repletion, while
the host made It his business to press wlno and
other drinkables upon the men to an extent which
In these times would be considered most Im
prudent. , The ladles, however, drank little or nothing
So far as thoy wore concerned, the prohibition of
stimulants was much mora strict than It Is today
a rather curious thing, when It Is considered
how copiously the men imbibed. As for tho lat
ter, If on occasions a gontlcman took too much,
the matter was politely Ignored such an acci
dent, it was considered, being more or less likely
to happen to anybody. But It should be under
stood that the really hard drinking was done,
not whllo tho ladies were present, but after their
departure from the table.
Ono may view the scene In Imagination, as, tin
momont having arrived for nn Important act ol
ceremony, Washington rises to his feet from his
place at tho table, holding a glass of Madeira In
his hand. Ho Is a vory tall man, two Inches
abovo six feet In height and largo of frame. Ills
nose is slightly aqulllno, Mb mouth broad, his
chin square, his check bones high, and hla com
plexion rather ilorld. Ho Ib dressed in a suit ol
costly blnck velvet, with knee breeches, black
silk stockings, and silver buckles on hlB bIioob. At
hlB wrlBtB nro flno laco ruffles, nnd his hair ia
drawn back and dono up behind in queue
"Gentlemen," ho says, bowing right and left,
"I drink to my guests!" ... , .
Tho natural rcsponso, at tho Instnnco of tlie
most distinguished guest present, Is a health
drunk to Lady Washington. This is followed,
perhaps, by five or ten minutes of general conver
satlon after which Mrs. Wuflhlngton gives the
signal' by pushing back her chair, nnd tho women
rise to tako their dopnrture. Tho Gcnernl lilmsell
walks to tho door, throwing It wido open, and
each of tho ladloB courtesies dcoply ns sho goes
out, In response to tho bowB of tho host and the
othor men. .... , n
If when tho tlmo comes to rejoin tho Indies,
two'or throo of tho gucstB find thomficlvcB hnrdly
In a condition to do so, they nro handed over to
tho care of tho African mnjor domo, who sees
that they are put to bed. Such things are bound
to happen occasionally, and It Is not llkoly that
any ot tho women will have the bnd tact to ask
what has become of them.
There -Is a good long evening, which, appropri
ately to ChrlHtmas, Is given up to a romp. Such
old-foBhlnned games ob blind man's buff nnd hunl
the slipper furnish incidental opportunities foi
much Incidental flirtation and love-making. Per
haps thero may even be a kissing game or two;
and a spray of mUtletoe fastened over a doorway
gives excuse for some oBculatlon and a grent deal
of merriment It Is all very delightful. Christ
mas gifts are exhibited, and Nellie Custls, It li
likely, plays a bit on her harpsichord.
A negro fiddler, ono of the slaves on the estate,
In picturesque plantation garb, starts some merry
muBic, while the young people choose partners
for the dance. But tho older ladles and gentle
men prefer cards, and sit about llttlo tables,
shuffling and dealing. The host himself plays,
for small stakes only, gambling for money to
considerable amounts being one of the vices he
moBt abhofs. As for Mrs. Washington, she talks
to a neighbor and knits. When not otherwise
busily occupied she always has knitting in hei
handB, having acquired the habit In camp durlna
tho Revolution, when she made stockings for des
titute soldiers.
Fortunatoly, the frame, or setting, as It mlghl
bo called, of the ChrlBtmas festivities here de
scribed in such crude outline is still preserved
Intact, thanks to the efforts or a few patriotic
women who have made this their loving task.
The United States government has never paid
one cent to keep the homo of Washington from
destruction. Many years ago congress refused to
give the money to buy it. But In tho hands ot
tho Mount Vornon Association tho historic man
sion nurt Its Immediate snrroundlngB nro kept In
such excellent repair that Mount Vernon today
Is practically as It was moro than a century ago,
when Georgo and his wife, Martha, kept open
house nnd offerod a genorous hospitality, not only
at ChrlBtmnstldo but at all othor seasons of the
year.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Chrlstmns brings the remombrnnce
of n gift so great and wonderful that
all who realize what It meant to tho
woild foel the desire to give some
thing in return though It may be
nothing more than the expression of
a wish for a merry ChrlBtmas. .No one
was anxious to receive the gift at
first. People do not always know the
value of what Is given them. The
only door opened to receive It, led
Into n cattle stable! But now, whose
door does not fly open at Christmas
to send out some blessing, somo word
of good will?
The old enrol, sung to a few shep
herds, huB gone around the world
now, and the message of peace and
good will has been carried every
where Somehow, when you lay a
new-born bnbe in a man's arras, you
are pretty suro to bring a Brail to his
face, and a softening to his heart ns
well. An infant Is a great peace
brlngcr. What has touched and soft
ened tho heart of this grim world
more than anything else, Is the re
membrance that Christmas brought a
blcBsed child down to earth and laid
him confidingly In the arms of hu
manity, brought him from home, and
left him outcast, that the opportunity
might be given to every man to take
him In and give him the love and
'enderness which Is every child's
birthright
This it Ib, which moves us to strive
to make children happy at Christmas.
They may be like those who float
along with tho rlvor, knowing nothing
of Its lovely source high up In the
everlasting hills. But even If they do
not know why, most ot us do want to
make It a merry time for children
It Is emphatically the children's fes
tival. No ono over regretB It who goes
out of the way to help some llttlo
ones to bo happy at Christmas. They
are the special friends of the Christ
mas child, and It is well to be able to
entertain (he king's friends, If not the
king himself.
It does the world good to open Its
heart arid take la the season's greet
ing. Business goes on all the happier,
because thero is a warm charitable
feeling In a mnn's soul towards his
employers, or employes, or acquaint
ances., Wo are all so busy, wo are
apt to forget to bo considerate, forgiv
ing, and kind. It Is well to tet the
brain rest, and allow tho heart torule
sometimes, or men may lose the facul
ty of loving and being charitable.
Centuries of experience have prov
ed that It Is well also to make a
clearing house or the season, to square
accounts by wiping off all tho old
grudgeB and settling old quarrels, and
listen onco again to the message of
peaco and good will. Anger and mal
ice nevor gave a roan happiness;
nothing but forgiveness and charity
can do that. .
Picking a
Present
fe Platt
EyrDouGUsMAUOCH
HKN Harry PIntt and
that girl friend of tho
Greens (I forget hor
nnmo) wero married,
It was ono of tlioco
my-goodnoBn gracious-juRt-thlnk-of-that
af
fairs, with no ono in
on tho Bccrct except tho suburban
minister who tied tho knot, tho cab
pnnn who drlvo them out thero and tho
girl from tho minister's kitchen, who
was n witness, and left a thumb-print
of groaso on tho ccrtlflcato (sho was
frying doughnuta nt tho tlmo) nnd the
minister's wlfo (at least tho namo was
tho sumo), tat's sco, whoro was IT
Oh, yes, when tho Platts wero mar
ried, It being that kind of a wedding,
thero was no chance to send them a
wedding gift as I would hnvo liked to
do, or to havo done, (whlchovor Is
proper, or grammatical, though I'm
suro I can novor tell which).
But Mr Platt Is ono of tho nicest men
In tho ofllco, that Is, ho was before
this happened. So I felt wo ought to
do something for htm, Just to show
our good will nnd, anyhow, wo've
dug down for others we thought much
Iobb of, bo why shouldn't wo for hlmT
But tho wedding was over, without In
vitations, or ovon a reception, and
thoy wero housekeeping before we
knew It. So what could wo do?
Well, just then
ChrlstmaB camo
along not Just then
but two months
after tho wedding.
Thoy wero mnn
rled October 29,
so it wasn't quite
two months, but
that's o 1 o a e
enough. When
Christmas came
along, that Is,
Just before It
came along, I sug
gested that we
make up a purse
and glvo them a
sort ot delayed
wedding present,
Just to show our
good will. Every
body thought It
was a splendid
idea, thnt Is, of courso, except Mr.
Platt, whom, of course, I didn't con
cult. So I got up a subscription paper
and went to everybody in tho ofllco
(except Mr. Platt, of courso). I got
$26.60, Including ten cents from the
Janitor, who wasn't expected to give
anything but wanted to glvo some
thing, which shows Just how popular
Mr. Platt was with overyono in the
building, when a Janitor even would
chip in.
Christmas shopping Is hard enough,
goodness knows, when you do it for.
yourself; but when you do it for a
stock company capitalized at $26.60,
with 28 stockholders, with 28 different
kinds of ideas and tastes, then Chrlst
maB shopping rises abovo a moro an
noyance to the dignity of a real trou
ble. And that's what I was up against
I thought it would be nice to get an
expression of opinion. So I went
around ono morning and asked' for
ideas. But I couldn't get a word. No
body could think of anything. I
couldn't myself. At noon I went
out and looked. I walked miles.
I priced, then I went back to
the office. Tou should have seen
my desk. Honest, you would have
thought some one had turned in a gen
eral alarm. They couldn't wait for me
to get back. There they were 28 of
them, (that Is, 27, or 28 with me).
They all had suggestions, and they
were all different
The head book
keeper thought
an arm chair
would be nice.
(He stands up all
day). The collec
tor thought a rain
coat would be
best, while Miss
Jones suggested a
dress pattern.
They all said, of
course, that they
left it enUrely to
me; and then each
went away sadly,
as much as to say
that he hoped I
wouldn't be so
foolish as to buy
any of those other
things that the
others had proposed,
The next day I looked again. But
either a thing was too expensive or I
would have money left. It is remark
able how few things there are in the
world you can buy for $26.60, no
more, no less.
And then I saw it It was in a de
partment store, and marked down
from $60 to $26.60! There it was, to
a cent! A great, big, glittering, mag
nificent Punch Bowl! Nobody bad
thought of that!
But to make sure, I sent tho sales
ticket with it and told the Platts they
could exchange the punch bowl, it
they wished, for something they liked
better.
And what do you suppose those
Platts did?
In January tbey traded In that mag
nlflcent punch bowl for three tons o
coal!
I (O0!riitkt,uu) t
iUDGED BY THEIR CLOTHES
8mart Cigar Store Clerk Ready With
Apology That by No Means
Mended Situation.
Herman Kolinor tells this Btory onj
htmseir, according to tho Now York
correspondent or tho Cincinnati Times
Star. Ho was In Wnnhlngton on busl-j
ness recently and mot thrco or four,
friends on tho street. After a mo-j
nicnt's chut ho beckoned them toj
como with him. "I'm oK tho Btuff.'j
snlrt ho, "but I want to buy you eachj
ft cigar."
They happened to bo In front of a
combination cigar and nows stand at
tho moment. Led by Mr. Follnor, thoyj
nil trooped In. The clerk hurried to
tho clgnr cbbo to wnit upon thorn. Bej
foro Mr. Fclluer could indlcato his
wlahcH tho clerk had slapped a box
on tho glnBH enso. "Hero y' are," Bald
ho. "Host dlmo smokor In town."
Mr. Follnor Is sort or fUBsy about
his BtnokcB. Ho looked at tho cigar
then shoved tho box away. "Have,
you no othor prlco?" ho aHkcd.
Tho clerk shoved tho box In tho
cauo. "Suro thing," said ho. "My mlB
tako and your treat."
Having pulled off this time-worn
wltticlBtn, ho addressed Mr. Follnor
confidentially. "Your clotho's sort ot
rooted mo," said ho. "You fellers are
u pretty well-dressed lot, you know."
Then ho put nnothor box on the count
or. "Hero," snld ho, "Ib tho beBt
nickel smoker In tho village."
ECZEMA DISFIGURED BABY
"Our llttlo boy Gilbert was troubled
with eczema when but a fow weeka
old. HIb llttlo faco was covered with
sores even to back of his cars. Tho
poor llttlo fellow Buffered very much.
Tho sores began as pimples, his little
faco was disfigured vory mudh. Wo
hardly know what ho looked like. The
fuco looked llko raw meat. Wo tied
llttlo bags or cloth over his hands to.
prevent htm from scratching. Ho was!
very restless at night, his little face
Itched.
"Wo consulted two doctors at Chi
cago, where we resided at that tlmo.
After trying nil tho medicine of the
two doctors without any result, we'
rend or tho Cutlcura Remedies, andi
nt onco bought Cutlcura Soap andj
Ointment. Following tho directions
carefully and promptly wo saw tho
result, nnd after four weeks, tho dear
child's fnco wub as flno and clean as
any llttlo baby's faco. Every ono who
snw Gilbert after UBlng tho Cutlcura
Remedies was surprised. Ho has a
head of hair which is a prido for any
boy of his age, thrco years. Wo can
only recommend tho Cutlcura Rcme
dies to everybody." (Signed) Mrs. H.
Albrccht, Box 883, West Point, Neb.,
Oct. 2C, 1010. Although Cutlcura Soap
and Ointment are nold by druggists
nnd dealers everywhoro, a sample of
each, with 32-page book, will bo moiled
frco on application to "Cutlcura,"
Dcpt. 14 L, Boston.
Just Like Bennett.
"Arnold Dennett, tho latest visitor
to theso BhoreB," said a Now York
editor, "Is said to bo tho greatest liv
ing English novelist. I plump for
Wells or Conrad myself. Howovor "
Tho editor smiled.
"A critic at tho club tho other day
was listening to an execrable young
novelist. The young man boasted onj
Interminably, but at laBt I heard the.
:rlttc got In the words:
'"Do you know, you remind me of
rnold Bennett?' I
"'Really?' Tho novelist blushed
ind laughed for pleasure. 'Really?:
"ome now, do you really think ' '
'"Yes; you stuttor so,' said the
:rltlc."
He Knew Her Well.
"Now, old man, make yourself com
fortable, and let's talk over the good,
old times. We haven't seen each oth
er slnco we were boys together. I
told you I was married, didn't I? By
the way, did you ever live In Palnes
rllle?" "Yes, I lived there three years."
"Ever meet Miss Katlsh?"
"Ha! ha! Why, I was engaged to
her! But that's nothing all the fel
lows In my crowd were engaged to
her at one time or another. I see
you've lived in Palnesville. Why did
you ask about her, in particular
Come confess?"
"Why, I er I married her."
Not Uncommon Fallacy.
"Why do you Insist on Investing
your money away from your home
town?"
"Well," replied Farmer Corntossel,
"I've got a good deal of local pflde,
I have, and I regard the people in this
hero township as beln' so smart that
nono of 'em la goin' to let any real
bargains git away from him."
Important to Mothers .
Examine carefully every bottle ol
CASTORIA. a safe and sure remedy fot
Infants and children, and seo that it
Tlnn.n ,1.n
Signature of uSLVSfe
In Uso For Over 30 Years.
Children. Cry for Flctchcr'a Castoria
Awful. -
"The cry of Potts when he found
the stato of his boot was harrowing."
"Why so?"
"Because It was the cry of a lost
sole."
Both Sides.
She Just look at the troubU
monoy can get you Into.
He Yes, but look at the trouble II
can get you out of.
Pericles wore his hair pretty close
to his eyes but nobody ever called
him a low-brow!
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