When Billy was at Mount Vernon he worked as a shoemaker.  He kept careful note of visitors to the place and if one arrived who had served in the Revolution he invariably received a summons to visit the old negro and as invariably complied.  Then would ensue a talk of war experiences which both would enjoy, for between those who had experienced the cold at Valley Forge and the warmth of Monmouth there were ties that reached beyond the narrow confines of caste and color.  And upon departure the visitor would leave a coin in Billy’s not unwilling palm.

As later noted in detail, Washington made special provision for Billy in his will, and for years the old negro lived upon his annuity.  He was much addicted to drink and now and then, alas, had attacks in which he saw things that were not.  On such occasions it was customary to send for another mulatto named Westford, who would relieve him by letting a little blood.  There came a day when Westford arrived and proceeded to perform his customary office, but the blood refused to flow.  Billy was dead.

Washington’s kindness to Billy was more or less paralleled by his treatment of other servants.  Even when President he would write letters for his slaves to their wives and “Tel Bosos” and would inclose them with his own letters to Mount Vernon.  He appreciated the fact that slaves were capable of human feelings like other men and in 1787, when trying to purchase a mason, he instructed his agent not to buy if by so doing he would “hurt the man’s feelings” by breaking family ties.  Even when dying, noting black Cristopher by his bed, he directed him to sit down and rest.  It was a little thing, but kindness is largely made up of little things.

The course taken by him in training a personal servant is indicated by some passages from his correspondence.  Writing from the Capital to Pearce, December, 1795, regarding a young negro, Washington says: 

“If Cyrus continues to give evidence of such qualities as would fit him for a waiting man, encourage him to persevere in them; and if they should appear to be sincere and permanent, I will receive him in that character when I retire from public life if not sooner.—­To be sober, attentive to his duty, honest, obliging and cleanly, are the qualifications necessary to fit him for my purposes.—­If he possess these, or can acquire them—­he might become useful to me, at the same time that he would exalt, and benefit himself.”

“I would have you again stir up the pride of Cyrus,” he wrote the next May, “that he may be the fitter for my purposes against I come home; sometime before which (that is as soon as I shall be able to fix on time) I will direct him to be taken into the house, and clothes to be made for him.—­In the meanwhile, get him a strong horn comb and direct him to keep his head well combed, that the hair, or wool may grow long.”