grimages to Washington, the army of relatives
on either side of the family and finally the
neighbors who in summer weather drove over
from their adjacent plantations to spend the
day, arriving in the middle of the morning in
order to give time for additional preparations
for the midday dinner, and remaining till
the coolness of the afternoon rendered the re-
turn drive pleasant.

It was a principle at Montpellier that every
guest must be feasted, -- " if a stranger, because
strangers ought to be made to pass their time
as agreeably as possible; if a friend, because
nothing can be too good for one's friends."
A contemporary truly observed that where
such a domestic policy prevailed there would
seldom be a lack of guests. "Indeed," he
says, "the condition is one hard to avoid, and
so pleasant withal that we have known persons
of wit and breeding to adopt it as their sole
profession, and benevolently pass their lives
in guarding their friends, one after another,
from the distresses of a guestless mansion."

The dining-room of Montpellier was a rather
large, square room in the new wing opposite
the apartments of Madison's mother; but large
as it was, its capacity was often taxed by the
number of those who came to share its bounty;
and on special occasions, such as the Fourth

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