is a roller under the centre of each basket, by which the coaster is more easily sent around the table. A specimen of each of these articles is seen in the engraving upon the next page.

Washington took his family plate with him when he went to New York in 1789, and there had it made over into more elegant and massive forms. Several pieces were also added to it, and this service graced his table and sideboard in Philadelphia. Several pieces of this plate are now in use at Arlington House. The engraving shows five of them, namely, a round salver, an elliptical tray, a coffee-pot, teapot, and sugar-bowl. All of these have Washington's crest neatly engraven upon them. The tray with handles, all of massive silver, is plain, except a beaded rim. It is twenty-two inches in length, and seventeen and a half inches in breadth. This,

with the waiter, was used at all the levees and drawing-rooms of the President and Mrs. Washington, during the eight years of their public life in New York and Philadelphia, and served

the purposes of hospitality afterward, at Mount Vernon. How many eyes, beaming with the light of noble souls, have looked upon the glittering planes of that tray and salver! How many hands that once wielded mighty swords, and mightier pens, in the holy cause of universal freedom, long since mouldered into native earth, have taken from them the sparkling glass, while health and long life were invoked for Washington!

Mr. Custis once related to me a pleasing circumstance connected with the use of that tray. Gushing from a rocky bank beneath the trunk of a huge oak-tree-a genuine Anak of the primeval forest-near the bank of the Potomac, on his estate, is a copious spring, and around it stands a beautiful grove,

wherein parties from Alexandria, Washington city and Georgetown, have picnics in the summer months. For the accommodation of these, Mr. Custis generously erected, near the spring, a kitchen and dancing-hall; and he frequently attended the joyous gatherings, and lent servants to wait upon the ladies.

On one occasion, a party of military, accompanied by ladies, went over to Arlington spring, from Washington city, for a day's recreation. Mr. Custis sent his favorite servant, Charles, to wait upon the company at table. He also sent down the precious silver tray for their use. Placing a dozen glasses of ice cream upon it, Charles carried it to the visitors, and said, "Ladies, this waiter once belonged to General Washington, and from it all the great ladies of the Revolution took wine." The young ladies, as if actuated by one impulse, immediately arose, crowded around Charles, and each in turn, kissed the cold rim of the salver, before touching the cream.

The session of 1790-91, was the third of the first Congress,

drawn by six horses, accompanied by Mr. Jefferson and General Knox (two of the heads of departments), who escorted them as far as Delaware. Major Jackson was also of the party. He accompanied Washington to Mount Vernon, and

throughout an extensive tour through the Southern states, which the President commenced a few days afterward.

That tour had occupied Washington's thoughts from time to time, for several months. Many leading men of the South invited him to visit their respective states. He had made a tour eastward, and it was deemed expedient that the Southern states should be honored by his presence. Their invitations generally expressed a desire, that the President, in the event of his making such tour, should honor the writers by a resi dence with them, while he remained in their respective neighborhoods. Among others who proffered the hospitalities of his house was Colonel William Washington, the heroic cavalry officer in the southern campaigns under Greene, who was then residing in Charleston. But his invitation, like all others of the same kind, was declined for reasons which Washington frankly stated:

"I cannot," he said, "comply with your invitation, without involving myself in inconsistency; as I have determined to pursue the same plan in my Southern as I did in my Eastern visit, which was, not to incommode any private family by taking up my quarters with them during my journey. It leaves me unincumbered by engagements, and by a uniform adherence to it, I shall avoid giving umbrage to any, by declining all such invitations."

Washington remained at Mount Vernon only a week, making preparations for his Southern tour. On the 4th of April he wrote to the several heads of departments-Jefferson, Hamilton and Knox-giving them information concerning the time when he expected to be at certain places on his route. This information was given because the public service might require communication to be made to him.

"My journey to Savannah," he said, "unless retarded by unforeseen interruptions, will be regulated, including days of halt, in the following manner: I shall be, on the 8th of April at Fredericksburg, the 11th at Richmond, the 14th at Petersburg, the 16th at Halifax, the 18th at Tarborough, the 20th at Newbern, the 25th at Wilmington, the 29th at Georgetown, South Carolina; on the 2d of May at Charleston, halting there five days; on the 11th at Savannah, halting there two days. Thence leaving the line of mail, I shall proceed to Augusta; and according to the information which I may receive there, my return by an upper road will be regulated."

It is a singular fact that Washington was at these various places on the very days contemplated. He wrote to Jefferson from Richmond on the 13th of April, to Hamilton frora Charleston on the 7th of May, and to Mr. Seagrove, collector of the port of St. Mary, Georgia, from Savannah on the 20th. He was everywhere received with demonstrations of the highest respect and veneration. At Wilmington he was met by a military and civic escort, entertained at a public dinner, and in the evening attended a ball given in his honor. At Newbern he received like homage; and when, on Monday, the 2d day of May, he arrived at Haddrell's Point, a short distance from Charleston, beyond the mouth of the Cooper River, a twelveoared barge, manned by thirteen captains of American ships, was in readiness to receive him, and convey him to the city. The barge contained a band of vocal and instrumental performers, and was followed by a flotilla of richly decked boats, of every kind, filled with gentlemen and ladies. At the wharf he was received by Governor Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and conducted to his lodgings by a military and civic escort.