Nellie and Little Washington
George Washington loved children, and, as he had none of his own, he adopted two of his wife’s grandchildren, Nellie Custis and George Washington Parke Custis.
The little boy was known as “Washington.” Nellie was a beautiful child with smiling black eyes and thick curly brown hair; while her brother was of very light complexion.
They had good times together at Mount Vernon. There was a delightfully fearsome pack of hounds in the kennel; French dogs, the gift of Lafayette, “fierce, big-mouthed, savage.” And there were litters of beautiful puppies.
The stables were full of horses, fine creatures for pets and playfellows. Nellie liked to be with the horses, and was constantly alarming her grandmother as she flashed by the windows or down the lanes, mounted upon some half-broken colt.
The children loved old Nelson, Washington’s war horse. They used to climb upon the fence to pat his forehead, as he came racing up to greet his master.
There were many other animals—gifts to Washington of friends and admirers.
Among them were Spanish jackasses, Chinese pigs, and Chinese geese.
There was always something going on to interest the children. They might run down to the river-landing to see what strange fish “Daddy Jack” had caught; day in and day out, “Daddy Jack” was always fishing there in his canoe. Or they might go to meet the hunter “carrying his gun and pouch, his body wrapped with strings of game, his dogs at heel.” They liked to look at the game, and smooth the thick feathers or soft fur. There were birds, squirrels, wild turkeys, molly cotton-tails, wily ’possums, and canvas-back ducks.
Coaches of company, too, were coming and going. State dinners were cooked and served to nobles and dignitaries.
And when the children ran about the gardens, they saw rare things growing—“fig-trees, raisins, limes, oranges, large English mulberries, artichokes.”
Then there were the mills to visit, the smithy, the shops, the fields, and the negro-quarters, all in company with their dear adopted father, Washington himself.
But the children and indeed every one looked forward to the evening, when Washington sat with them. This was the children’s hour, when by the uncertain twinkle of the home-made candles, they danced and sang their little songs.
The curled darling of the house was “Master Washington”—George Washington Parke Custis. Many years later, when Lafayette visited Master Washington, then grown up, he told how he had first seen him on the portico of Mount Vernon, a little boy, a very little gentleman, with a feather in his hat, holding fast to one finger of Washington’s hand, which finger was so large that the little boy could hardly hold on to it.
As for Nellie, she wanted to romp and play from morning till night. She did not like to have her hair dressed with feathers and ribbons. She did not enjoy her books and music. And she used to cry for hours together, while her determined grandmother stood guard over her, keeping her at practice on the beautiful harpsichord, which Washington had given her.
As for Washington, he tried to lighten little Nellie’s tasks, and used to carry her off for a gallop or brisk outdoor walk.
He was always extremely fond of little girls. He liked other little girls beside Nellie. He had with him her pretty sister, Elizabeth, when he sat for one of his portraits. And in the most critical week of his Presidency, Washington went to the house of one of his cabinet officers, and played with his little daughters.
Harriet Taylor Upton (Retold)
Many of the stories in this book are from the Life of Washington, by his adopted son, George Washington Parke Custis.