Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1882 — KISSED BY WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

KISSED BY WASHINGTON.

Jlb Are 4 St. Louisian’s Reminisc%eek St’if ihor,u,er f! George Washington’s birthday is celebrated by a great many people In St. Louis, but by not one with mor*feeling than Mr. Charles Jones, who is Honojred abpve all .other* St.. Louis-' ians from the fact that he was personally acquainted with George Washington. He spoke to him and held his hand, wnile (he father of 'his country hissed him on the-cheek* and blessed him. Mr. Jones, in the epippany of his aged wife, and his affectionate daughter, Mrs Eugenia Cuthbert, wore seen at the residence of the latter, Np. 2,8£4 Olive street, yesterday, afternoon. The old gentleman, with his long white hair and beard, sat at a desk pear a comfortable fire examining his papers, while near at hand, in an easy chair, sat his wife, with waving white locks rolling down her temples from beneath a laced and frilled white cap. With her gold-rim-med spectacles over her note she Bat and sewed. Thus they were when the visitor was introduced by Mrs. Guthbert. He. though 90 years old, is still hearty and hale and smiling; his wife at the age of 85 as spry almost as her daughter. Immediately upon entering the room the old gentleman arose and shook hands with the writer and handed him a chair. Being questioned with regard to his acquaintance with Washington, Mr. Jones said: “I did not know him intimately, but he was a firm friend of my father,who Jived in New York in those days. When Washington came to town he invariably sought out my father, Dr. Jones, and went about the city in his company. I was attending school in 1790, at Dr. Steenhack’s school, when Gen. Washington, in company with my father, visited the school. I went up to both of them, when my father, speaking to the distinguished looking gentleman, said: ‘This is my son, sir,’ and to me, “Charles, this is General Washington.” I held out my hand, and the General grasped it heartily. My father and Gen. Washington then departed, but before going the General placed his hand upon my head and kissed me, after which he gave me his blessing. I had, of course, heard of Geu. Washington at time, but did not fully appreciate, until long years afterward, the honor conferred upon me.” In a small frame there hung upon the wall a letter which Mrs. Cuthbert took down and handed to the genial old gentleman, who hsnded it to the reporter, saying, “That’s a genuine autogragh letter ol Gen. Washington’s.” The paper is yellow and the creases still remain marked as it was folded by the General when delivered to the [ ostboy. On two pieces of paper there are two separate pieces of writing; one the superscription thus: “Doctor Jones;” and the invitation, thus: “Gen. Washington presents his compliments to Dr. Jones, and requests the favor of his company at dinner this sth May.”" There is but one blot or blur upon the letter, and that is over the word “Dr.the ink is still very black, and the invaluable relic is still well preserved. Mr. Jones went injo many other reminiscences. showing the reporter a copy of the New York Times containing an account of the tearing down of the house in which lived his greatgrandfather : “On the corner of Wall and Nassau streets, New York, where now stands the United States Assay Office, stood the court bouse, two stories high, from the second story of which Gen. Washington delivered'his first inaugural address, while the people, thronged the street for squares around.” Here the old gentlemen took from a drawer two pictures done in oil upbn ivory. One he handed to the reporter, saying, “That’s a picture of my father; it is just 146 years old.” The painting is excellent, and Dr. Jones, from the picture, appears, to have been much of the same kind of a mad as George Washington. “The other picture is one of my sister, who was one of the most remarkable women, as she retained her early beauty all her life. An amusing incident occurred one day as I was walking along Broadway, New York, with her. She was, 60 years old at the time, and one of'the many gentlemen who passed remarked loud enough for me to over.hear him: ‘lsn’t that a pretty girl witjjti.that old gentleman?’ Indeed, she must have been a rare beauty, judging from the picture, which, Mr. Jane* remarked ratber lightly, wAs oftly;7o years old. ‘I have known or all the,great, men of my country—Washington, Adams, Jester son, Madison. I knew all, the , Presidents down to Millard Fillmore, and rl am honored in having Jived, uncer every President so f..r.”