thought of doing, she must not buy anything of his negroes.  He seems to have allowed her a little wood, flour and meat at killing time and in 1796 instructed Pearce that if she and her family were really in distress, as reported, to afford them some relief, “but in my opinion it had better be in anything than money, for I very strongly suspect that all that has, and perhaps all that will be given to her in that article, is applied more in rigging herself, than in the purchase of real and useful necessaries for her family.”

By his will Washington left Sally Green and Ann Walker, daughter of John Alton, each one hundred dollars in “consideration of the attachment of their father[s] to me.”

Alton entered Washington’s service even before Bishop, accompanying him as a body servant on the Braddock campaign and suffering a serious illness.  He subsequently was promoted to the management of a plantation and enjoyed Washington’s confidence and esteem.  It was with a sad heart that Washington penned in his diary for 1785:  “Last night Jno.  Alton an Overseer of mine in the Neck—­an old & faithful Servant who has lived with me 30 odd years died—­and this evening the wife of Thos.  Bishop, another old Servant who had lived with me an equal number of years also died.”

The adoption of Mrs. Washington’s two youngest grandchildren, Nelly Custis and George Washington Custis, made necessary the employment of a tutor.  One applicant was Noah Webster, who visited Mount Vernon in 1785, but for some reason did not engage.  A certain William Shaw had charge for almost a year and then in 1786 Tobias Lear, a native of New Hampshire and a graduate of Harvard, was employed.  It is supposed that some of the lessons were taught in the small circular building in the garden; Washington himself refers to it as “the house in the Upper Garden called the School house.”

Lear’s duties were by no means all pedagogical and ultimately he became Washington’s private secretary.  In Philadelphia he and his family lived in the presidential mansion.  Washington had for him “a particular friendship,” an almost fatherly affection.  His interest in Lear’s little son Lincoln was almost as great as he would have bestowed upon his own grandson.  Apropos of the recovery of the child from a serious illness he wrote in 1793:  “It gave Mrs. Washington, myself, and all who knew him sincere pleasure to hear that our little favourite had arrived safe and was in good health at Portsmouth—­we sincerely wish him a long continuance of the latter—­that he may be always as charming and promising as he now is—­that he may live to be a comfort and blessing to you—­and an ornament to his Country.  As a token of my affection for him I send him a ticket in the lottery that’s now drawing in the Federal City; if it should be his fortune to draw the Hotel, it will add to the pleasure I feel in giving it.”