sent wine and other luxuries for the use of such guests.
When he was at home friends, relatives, diplomats, delegations of
Indians to visit the Great White Father swarmed thither in shoals. In
1797 young Lafayette and his tutor, Monsieur Frestel, whom Washington
thought a very sensible man, made the place, by invitation, their home
for several months. In the summer of that year Washington wrote to his
old secretary, Tobias Lear: "I am alone at _present_, and shall be glad
to see you this evening. Unless some one pops in unexpectedly--Mrs.
Washington and myself will do what I believe has not been done within
the last twenty Years by us,--that is to set down to dinner by
ourselves."

Washington was the soul of hospitality. He enjoyed having people in his
house and eating at his board, but there is evidence that toward the
last he grew somewhat weary of the stream of strangers. But neither then
nor at any other time in his life did he show his impatience to a
visitor or turn any man from his door. His patience, was sorely tried at
times. For example, we find in his diary under date of September 7,
1785: "At Night, a Man of the name of Purdie, came to offer himself to
me as a Housekeeper or Household Steward--he had some testimonials
respecting his character--but being intoxicated, and in other respects
appearing in an unfavorable light I informed him that he would not
answer my purpose, but that he might stay all night."

No matter how many visitors came the Farmer proceeded about his business
as usual, particularly in the morning, devoting dinner time and certain
hours of the afternoon and evening to those who were sojourning with
him. He was obliged, in self-defense, to adopt some such course. He
wrote: "My manner of living is plain, and I do not mean to be put out by
it. A glass of wine and a bit of mutton are always ready, and such as
will be content to partake of them are always welcome. Those who expect
more will be disappointed."

After his retirement from the presidency he induced his nephew Lawrence
Lewis to come to Mount Vernon and take over some of the duties of
entertaining guests, particularly in the evening, as Washington had
reached an age when he was averse to staying up late. Lewis not only
performed the task satisfactorily, but found incidental diversion that
led to matrimony.

Every visitor records that the Farmer was a kind and considerate host.
Elkanah Watson relates that one bitter winter night at