at the same time the most polite and accomplished of all butlers, observed that a ham, yes, a very fine ham, had been prepared, agreeably to the Madam's orders, but lo and behold! who should come into the kitchen, while the savory ham was smoking in its dish, but old Vulcan the hound, and without more ado fastened his fangs into it; and although they of the kitchen had stood to such arms as they could get, and had fought the old spoiler desperately, yet Vulcan had finally triumphed, and bore off the prize, aye, 'cleanly, under the keeper's nose.' The lady by no means relished the loss of a dish which formed the pride of her table, and uttered some remarks by no means favorable to old Vulcan, or indeed to dogs in general; while the Chief, having heard the story, communicated it to his guests, and, with them, laughed heartily at the exploit of the stag-hound."

Almost simultaneously with the arrival of the French hounds, came a magnificent present from Samuel Vaughan, a wealthy resident of London, who had conceived a passionate admiration for the character of Washington. The object presented was a very beautiful chimney-piece, wrought in Italy, from the finest white and Sienite marbles, for Mr. Vaughan's own use. At the time of its arrival in England that gentleman was informed of the improvements in the mansion then in progress at Mount Vernon, and, without unpacking it, he sent it directly to Washington. It is exquisitely wrought in every part. Upon three tablets of the frieze, under the highly ornamented mantel, are sculptured, in very high relief, in white marble, pleasant domestic scenes in agricultural life. Upon the centre tablet, which is the largest, is an evening scene. A husbandman, with his wife and little child, is returning from the

fields, driving a cow and a flock of sheep. Many of the latter are seen going into a fold for the night, and beyond the enclosure is seen the setting sun. On the left of the central tablet is represented a boy, harnessing a span of horses, to be attached to a plough. On the right is a cottage. The housewife, having just drawn a bucket of water from the well, is pouring it into a tub for the cleansing of vegetables, which are seen lying by the side of it. Her little girl has her apron full,

and is eating a turnip, while a pig is coming out of a rickety sty near by.

The fireplace is an enormous iron grate, capable of containing several bushels of coal; and the hearth is of white marble, inlaid with ornaments of polished maroon-colored marble, or encaustic tile. Upon the shelf are two small dark-blue vases, covered with flowers, delicately painted; and between these are two bronze candelabra. The whole present a most pleasing picture to the eye; and the interest is increased by the associations which cluster around these objects, for they were there sixty years ago, when Washington received his guests in the spacious drawing-room, of which that chimney-piece is the greatest ornament.

With the elegant chimney-piece Mr. Vaughan sent three larger and more beautiful porcelain vases, than those which now stand

upon the shelf. They were made in India, and ornamented in London. The ground is a dark blue, with delicate gilt scroll and leaf ornaments, with landscapes painted upon one side and animals upon the other. These are now at Arlington House.

Washington appears to have received other presents from Mr. Vaughan. On the 30th of November, 1785, he wrote to his London friend, saying: "I have lately received a letter from Mr. Vaughan (your son), of Jamaica, accompanied by a puncheon of rum, which he informs me was sent by your order as a present for me. Indeed, my dear sir, you overwhelm me with your favors, and lay me under too many obligations to leave a hope remaining of discharging them." He had attempted to do so in a degree, for in the same letter, he says:

Hearing of the distress in which that island, with others in the West Indies, is involved by the late hurricane, I have taken the liberty of requesting Mr. Vaughan's acceptance, for his own use, of a few barrels of superfine flour of my own manufacturing."

Two or three months later than the date of this letter, another present for Washington reached Mount Vernon, of more intrinsic value than all that he had received since his retirement from the army. It consisted of three asses, a jack and two jennies, selected from the royal stud at Madrid, and sent to him as a compliment from the king of Spain. His "Catholic Majesty" having been informed that Washington was endeavoring to procure these animals of the best breed in Europe, for the purpose of rearing mules on his estates, made him this present, and sent over with them a person acquainted with the mode of treating them, who arrived at Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, and journeyed to Mount Vernon by land.