his practical economy and abhorrence of waste and extravagance, an
anecdote is told of the time he was President and living in
Philadelphia. It happened that a single shad had been caught in the
Delaware, and brought to the city market. His steward, Sam Fraunces,
pounced upon the fish with the speed of an osprey, delighted that he
had secured a delicacy agreeable to the palate of his chief, and
careless of the expense, for which the President had often rebuked him.

When the fish was served, Washington suspected the steward had forgotten
his order about expenditure for the table, and said to Fraunces, who
stood at his post at the sideboard, "What fish is this?" "A shad, sir, a
very fine shad," the steward answered. "I know Your Excellency is
particularly fond of this kind of fish, and was so fortunate as to
procure this one--the only one in market, sir, the first of the season."
"The price, sir, the price?" asked Washington sternly. "Three--three
dollars," stammered the conscience-stricken steward. "Take it away,"
thundered the chief, "take it away, sir! It shall never be said that my
table set such an example of luxury and extravagance." Poor Fraunces
tremblingly did as he was told, and the first shad of the season was
carried away untouched, to be speedily discussed in the servants'
dining-room.

Although the Farmer of Mount Vernon was much retired from the business
world, he was by no means inattentive to the progress of public affairs.
When the post-bag arrived, he would select his letters and lay them
aside for reading in the seclusion of his library. The newspapers he
would peruse while taking his single cup of tea (his only supper) and
read aloud passages of peculiar interest, remarking the matter as he
went along. He read with distinctness and precision. These evenings with
his family always ended at precisely nine o'clock, when he bade