rtook of those preparations of the cook which specially
please the appetite. He was very abstemious, and never indulged to
excess in eating or drinking. His breakfast-hour was seven o'clock in
summer, and eight in winter. He usually made a frugal meal of Indian
cakes, honey, and tea or coffee, then mounted his horse and visited
every part of his estate, where the current operations seemed to require
his presence, leaving his guests to enjoy themselves with books and
papers, or otherwise, according to their choice. He rode upon his farms
entirely unattended, opening the gates, pulling down and putting up the
"bars," and inspecting with careful eye every agricultural operation.
Sometimes the tour of his farms in the course of the morning might
average, in distance, twelve or fifteen miles. The late Mr. Custis has
left on record a description of his appearance on one of these
occasions, in the latter years of his life, which he gave to a gentleman
who was out in search of Washington. "You will meet, sir" said young
Custis to the inquirer, "with an old gentleman riding alone, in plain
drab clothes, a broad-brimmed white hat, a hickory switch in his hand,
and carrying an umbrella with a long staff, which is attached to his
saddle-bow--that person, sir, is General Washington."

He dined at three o'clock, when he always ate heartily, but of simple
food. His usual beverage was small-beer and cider, and Madeira wine. Of
the latter he often drank several small glasses at a sitting. He took
tea and toast, or a little well-baked bread, early in the evening;
conversed with or read to his family when there were no guests; and
usually, whether there was company or not, retired for the night at
about nine o'clock. He was an early riser, and might be found in his
library from one to two hours before daylight in winter, and at dawn in
summer. His toilet, plain and simple, was soon made. A single servant
prepared his clothes, and laid them in a proper place at night, for use
in the morning. He always dressed and shaved himself, and a servant
combed and tied his hair. Always neat in his dress and appearance, yet
he never wasted precious moments upon his toilet; for he regarded time,
not as a gift, but a loan, for which he must account to the Great
Master.

The economy practised at Mount Vernon was always exercised by Washington
while in public office. He had engaged Samuel Fraunces, the noted
innkeeper in New York, as the steward of his h