CHAPTER XXVI.

MARTHA WASHINGTON.*

MRS. WASHINGTON'S LINEAGE - HER EARLY LIFE-HER MARRIAGE TO DANIEL PARKE CUSTIS HIS FATHER'S AMBITIOUS VIEWS - DEATH OF MR. CUSTIS- - ANECDOTEA MONEYLENDER IN WANT OF A CUSTOMER-FIRST INTERVIEW BEtween WashinGTON AND MRS. CUSTIS VIRGINIA HOSPITALITY—WASHINGTON IN LOVE-THE MARRIAGE OF WASHINGTON AND MRS. CUSTIS-DATE of the MARRIAGE-MRS. WASHINGTON IN CAMP-HER ESCORT- DEATH OF HER SON-THE HOME At Mount VERNON-WASHINGTON MADE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES- MRS. WASHINGTON AT THE HEAD OF THE PRESIDENTIAL MANSION-FAMILY HABITS THERE-SCENES ON THE NATIONAL ANNIVERSARIES-ATTENDANCE UPON DIVINE SERVICE-OLD SOLDIERS AT THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE- RETIREMENT TO MOUNT VERNON-VISITERS THERE MRS. WASHINGTON'S DOMESTIC HABITS-WASHINGTON'S DEATH -DISPOSITION OF HIS REMAINS-MOUNT VERNON AFTER HIS DEATH-SICKNESS AND DEATH OF MRS. WASHINGTON.

MARTHA DANDRIDGE was descended from an ancient family, which first migrated to the colony of Virginia, in the person of the Reverend Orlando Jones, a clergyman of Wales. She was born in the county of New Kent, colony of Virginia, in May, 1732. The education of females in the early days of the colonial settlements, was almost exclusively of a domestic character, and by instructors who were entertained in the principal families, that were too few and too "far between" to admit of the establishment of public schools.

Of the early life of Miss Dandridge, we are only able to record, that the young lady excelled in personal charms, which, with pleasing manners, and a general amiability of demeanor, caused her to be distinguished

*This was first written for, and published in, the American Portrait Gallery.

say, "I delight to see the general ride, and make it a point to fall in with him when I hear that he is abroad on horseback-his seat is so firm, his management so easy and graceful, that I, who am a professor of horsemanship, would go to him and learn to ride."

Bred in the vigorous school of the frontier warfare, "the earth his bed, his canopy the heavens," he excelled the hunter and woodsman in their athletic habits, and in those trials of manhood which distinguished the hardy days of his early life. He was amazingly swift of foot, and could climb the mountain steep, and "not a sob confess his toil.".

So long ago as the days of the vice-regal court at Williamsburg, in the time of Lord Botetourt, Colonel Washington was remarkable for his splendid person. The air with which he wore a small sword, and his peculiar walk, that had the light elastic tread acquired by his long service on the frontier, and a matter of much observation, especially to foreigners.

While Colonel Washington was on a visit to New York, in 1773, it was boasted at the table of the British governor that a regiment, just landed from England, contained among its officers some of the finest specimens of martial elegance in his Majesty's service-in fact, the most superb looking fellows ever landed upon the shores of the New World. "I wager your excellency a pair of gloves," said Mrs. Morris, an American lady, "that I will show you a finer man in the procession to-morrow, than your excellency can select

*Washington visited New York, on that occasion, for the purpose of placing Mrs. Washington's son, John Parke Curtis, in King's (now Columbia) college. He arrived there on the thirty-first of May, and remained until after the king's birthday, the fourth of June.

from your famous regiment?"-"Done, madam!" replied the governor. The morrow came (the fourth of June), and the procession, in honor of the birthday of the king, advanced through Broadway to the strains of military music. As the troops defiled before the governor, he pointed out to the lady several officers by name, claiming her admiration for their superior persons and brilliant equipments. In rear of the troops came a band of officers not on duty-colonial officers-and strangers of distinction. Immediately, on their approach, the attention of the governor was seen to be directed toward a tall and martial figure, that marched with grave and measured tread, apparently indifferent to the scene around him. The lady now archly observed, "I perceive that your excellency's eyes are turned to the right object; what say you to your wager now, sir?” "Lost, madam," replied the gallant governor; "when I laid my wager, I was not aware that Colonel Washington was in New York."*

*The following interesting sketch of the personal appearance of Washington is from an anonymous hand :

"I saw this remarkable man four times. It was in the month of November, 1798, I first beheld the Father of his Country. It was very cold, the northwest wind blowing hard down the Potomac, at Georgetown, D. C. A troop of light-horse from Alexandria escorted him to the western bank of the river. The waves ran high, and the boat which brought him over seemed to labor considerably. Several thousand people greeted his arrival with swelling hearts and joyful countenances; the military were drawn up in a long line to receive him; the officers, dressed in regimentals, did him homage. I was so fortunate as to walk by his side, and had a full view of him. Although only about ten years of age, the impression his person and manner then made on me is now perfectly revived. He was six feet and one inch high, broad and athletic, with very large limbs, entirely erect, and without the slightest tendency to stooping; his hair was white, and tied with a silk string, his countenance lofty, masculine, and contemplative; his eye light gray. He was dressed in the clothes of a citizen, and over these a blue surtout of the finest cloth. His weight must have been two hundred and thirty pounds, with no superfluous flesh, all was bone and sinew, and he walked like a soldier. Whoever has seen, in

In person, Washington, as we have said, was unique. He looked like no one else. To a stature lofty and the patent-office at Washington, the dress he wore when resigning his commission as commander-in-chief, in December, 1783, at once perceives how large and magnificent was his frame. During the parade, something at a distance suddenly attracted his attention; his eye was instantaneously lighted up as with the lightning's flash. At this moment I see its marvellous animation, its glowing fire, exhibiting strong passion, controlled by deliberate reason.

"In the summer of 1799 I again saw the chief. He rode a purely white horse, seventeen hands high, well proportioned, of high spirit: he almost seemed conscious that he bore on his back the Father of his Country. He reminded me of the war-horse whose neck is clothed with thunder. I have seen some highly-accomplished riders, but not one of them approached Washington; he was perfect in this respect. Behind him, at the distance of perhaps forty yards, came Billy Lee, his body-servant, who had perilled his life in many a field, beginning on the heights of Boston, in 1775, and ending in 1781, when Cornwallis surrendered, and the captive army, with unexpressible chagrin, laid down their arms at Yorktown. Billy rode a cream-colored horse, of the finest form, and his old Revolutionary cocked hat indicated that its owner had often heard the roar of cannon and small arms, and had encountered many trying scenes. Billy was a dark mulatto. His master speaks highly of him in his will, and provides for his support.

"Sometime during this year, perhaps, I saw him at Seeme's tavern, in Georgetown; the steps, porch, and street, were crowded with persons desirous of beholding the man.

"I viewed him through a window. The most venerable, dignified, and wealthy men of the town were there, some conversing with him. Washington seemed almost a different being from any of them, and, indeed, from any other person ever reared in this country. His countenance was not so animated as when I first saw him, for then his complexion was as ruddy as if he were only twenty years old.

"A few months before his death, I beheld this extraordinary man for the last time. He stopped at the tavern opposite the Presbyterian church, in Bridge street, Georgetown. At that time, a regiment of soldiers was stationed in their tents, on the banks of Rock creek, and frequently attended Dr. Balch's church, dressed in their costume, and powdered after the Revolutionary fashion. I attended their parade almost every day, and, on one of these occasions, I recognised Washington riding on horseback, unaccompanied by any one. He was going out to see his houses on Capitol hill, as I supposed. They were burnt by the British, in 1814. My youthful eye was riveted on him until he disappeared, and that for ever. I was surprised, that he did not once look at the parade; so far as I could discover, on the contrary, he appeared indifferent to the whole scene.

"It has been my privilege to see the best likenesses of the chief. The one of all others most resembling him, is that prefixed to the first volume of 'Irving's Life of Washington.' All the rest wanted the animation which I perceived in his fea

tures.