Throughout his life Washington had a very tender spot in his heart for women.  At sixteen, he writes with all a youth’s solemnity of “a hurt of the heart uncurable.”  And from that time forward there is ever some “Faire Mayde” to be seen in the shadow.  In fact, Washington got along with women much better than with men; with men he was often diffident and awkward, illy concealing his uneasiness behind a forced dignity; but he knew that women admired him, and with them he was at ease.  When he made that first Western trip, carrying a message to the French, he turns aside to call on the Indian princess, Aliguippa.  In his journal, he says, “presented her a Blanket and a Bottle of Rum, which latter was thought the much best Present of the 2.”

In his expense-account we find items like these:  “Treating the ladys 2 shillings.”  “Present for Polly 5 shillings.”  “My share for Music at the Dance 3 shillings.”  “Lost at Loo 5 shillings.”  In fact, like most Episcopalians, Washington danced and played cards.  His favorite game seems to have been “Loo”; and he generally played for small stakes, and when playing with “the Ladys” usually lost, whether purposely or because otherwise absorbed, we know not.

In Seventeen Hundred Fifty-six, he made a horseback journey on military business to Boston, stopping a week going and on the way back at New York.  He spent the time at the house of a former Virginian, Beverly Robinson, who had married Susannah Philipse, daughter of Frederick Philipse, one of the rich men of Manhattan.  In the household was a young woman, Mary Philipse, sister of the hostess.  She was older than Washington, educated, and had seen much more of polite life than he.  The tall, young Virginian, fresh from the frontier, where he had had horses shot under him, excited the interest of Mary Philipse, and Washington, innocent but ardent, mistook this natural curiosity for a softer sentiment and proposed on the spot.  As soon as the lady got her breath he was let down very gently.

Two years afterwards Mary Philipse married Colonel Roger Morris, in the king’s service, and cards were duly sent to Mount Vernon.  But the whirligig of time equalizes all things, and, in Seventeen Hundred Seventy-six, General Washington, Commander of the Continental Army, occupied the mansion of Colonel Morris, the Colonel and his lady being fugitive Tories.  In his diary, Washington records this significant item:  “Dined at the house lately Colonel Roger Morris confiscated and the occupation of a common Farmer.”

Washington always attributed his defeat at the hands of Mary Philipse to being too precipitate and “not waiting until ye ladye was in ye mood.”  But two years later we find him being even more hasty and this time with success, which proves that all signs fail in dry weather, and some things are possible as well as others.  He was on his way to Williamsburg to consult physicians and stopped at the residence of Mrs. Daniel Parke Custis to make a short call—­was pressed to remain to tea, did so, proposed marriage, and was graciously accepted.  We have a beautiful steel engraving that immortalizes this visit, showing Washington’s horse impatiently waiting at the door.