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XIX. THE WIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON IN HER WORK- ROOM AT MOUNT VERNON. THERE are fine ladies, it is said, at present, who dis- dain the homely, honorable duties of housekeeping, thinking it beneath them to attend to the comfort, happi- ness, and dignity of their families. If any such there are, I should like to invite them to look into the work- room of Mrs. Washington, at Mount Vernon, the apart- ment in which the first lady of Virginia, in Virginia's palmy days, used to spend her mornings at work, sur- rounded by busy servants. Every great house in Virginia had such a room in old times, and ladies plumed them- selves upon excelling in the household arts practiced therein. This particular work-room at Mount Vernon is described in old letters of the period, copied and given to the world some years ago, by the late Bishop Meade, of Virginia. It was a plain, good sized apartment, arranged and fur- nished with a view to facilitating work. A_t one end there was a large table for cutting out clothes upon. At that time every garment worn by the slaves had to be cut out and sewed, either by the ladies of the mansion-house, or under their superintendence. The greater part of General Washington's slaves worked on plantations sev- eral miles distant from his home, and were provided for by their several overseers ; but there were a great number of household servants at Mount Vernon, besides grooms, gardeners, fishermen, and others, for whom the (256)