JANUARY 11th
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“I shall therefore distinguish this Ball by the Stile and title of the Bread and Butter Ball.”
THE DIARIES OF GEORGE WASHINGTON
1760
JANUARY
Tuesday. 1. Visited my Plantations and receiv’d an Instance of Mr. French’s great love of Money in disappointing me of some Pork, because the price had risen to 22/6, after he had engaged to let me have it at 20/.
Calld at Mr. Possey’s* in my way home and desir’d him to engage me 100 Bar’ls. of Corn upon the best terms he coud in Maryland.
And found Mrs. Washington upon my arrival broke out with the Meazles.
Wednesday, 2d. Mrs. Barnes who came to visit Mrs. Washington yesterday returnd home in my Chariot, the weather being too bad to travel in an open Carriage, which, together with Mrs. Washington’s Indisposition, confind me to the House and gave me an opportunity of Posting my Books and putting them in good order.
Fearing a disappointment elsewhere in Pork, I was fain to take Mr. French’s upon his own terms & engagd them to be deliv’d at my House on Monday next.
Thursday, 3d. The Weather continuing Bad & ye same causes subsisting I confind myself to the House. Morris** who went to work yesterday caught cold, and was laid up bad again, and several of the Family were taken with the Measles, but no bad Symptoms seemd to attend any of them.
Hauled the Sein and got some fish, but was near being disappointd Of my Boat by means of an Oyster Man who had lain at my Landing and plagud me a good deal by his disorderly behaviour.
. . .
Sunday, 6th The Chariot not returng. time enough from Colo. Fairfax’s we were prevented from Church.
Mrs. Washington was a good deal better today but the Oyster Man still continuing his Disorderly behavior at my Landing, I was obligd in the most preemptory manner to order him and his compy. away which he did not incline to obey till next morning.
The Republican Court
Artist: Daniel Huntington. Brooklyn Museum
FEBRUARY
Friday, 15th. A Small fine Rain from No. Et. wet the Top of my Hay that had been landed last Night. It was all carted up however to the Barn and the wet and dry seperated.
Went to a Ball at Alexandria, where Musick and Dancing was the chief Entertainment. However in a convenient Room detached for the purpose abounded great plenty of Bread and Butter, some Biscuits, with Tea and Coffee, which the Drinkers of coud not Distinguish from hot water sweetned. Be it remembered that pocket handkerchiefs servd the purposes of Table Cloths & Napkins and that no Apologies were made for either.
The Proprietors of this Ball were Messrs. Carlyle, Laurie and Robt. Wilson, but the Doctr. not getting it conducted agreeable to his own taste would claim no share of the merit of it.
I shall therefore distinguish this Ball by the Stile and title of the Bread and Butter Ball.
We lodged at Colo. Carlyles.
* “Capt. John Posey owned land and lived just below Mount Vernon. A ferry ran from his place to that of Thomas Marshall, in Maryland, now known as Marshall Hall. Washington acquired Posey’s land in 1769, and this part of the Mount Vernon estate was afterwards referred to as the Ferry farm.” — Fitzpatrick, et al., WGW
** Israel Morris, overseer at the Dogue Run farm. — Fitzpatrick, et al., WGW
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