Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-03-14
A LADY'S PLUCK,

We turned aside, writes a gentleman, un-
der the title of Notes of Travel in Virginia,
from our path for space, to visit an object
of some curiosity, which is one of the " lions"
of &c the Eastern Shore" This is an ancient
vault, belonging to a member Of the " Gus
tbs" family, branch of the same stock with
which Washington intermarried. 1t lies upon
a fine old farmstesd, looking out upon " the
Bay" and occupies the centre of large field,
the only prominent object, sheltered by some
old trees This vault is of white marble,
elaborately carved in London, in a state of
partial dilapidation. The curious feature
about it consists in its inscription, which runs
thus -
Under this marble tomb lies the body of
the Hon. JOHN CUsTIs, Esq, of the city of
Williamsburgh, and Parish Of Burton; formerly
Of Hungars Parish, the Eastern Shore Of
Virginia, and county of Northampton, aged II
years. and net tlued but SeUcn gears, iChich ICGS
the space of time he kept BACHELORS HOME at
Arlington, on the Eastern Shore Of Virginia"
This inscription, we are told by another,
on the opposite side, was put on the tomb by
his own positive orders. The gist Of it, as
our lady readers will be pleased to perceive,
consists in the lines we have italicised; the
force of which will be better felt and under
stood from the additional fact, which does
not appear, that this bachelor, who lived on
ly in his bachelor condition, was married
three times. His experience, if we are to
believe his epitaph, was greatly adverse TO
the idea of any happiness in the marriage
state; yet how strange that he should have
ventured thrice upon it The natural con-
clusion is, that Hon. John Custis was sin
gularly Just and conscientious man, who,
unwilling TO do the sex any wrong by pre-
mature Judgment, gave them full and fair
trial, at the expense of his own happiness,
and pronounced Judgment only after his re-
peated experiments Tradition has preserv-
ed some anecdotes of the sort of experience
which he enjoyed in the marriage state, one
of which Twill relate. 1t appears that he
was driving out in his ancient coach with
one of his wives-and to do him justice we
must assure the reader that he had but one
at time-and in the neighborhood of the
very spot to which we ourselves are tending
Cape Charles A matrimonial discussion
ensued between the pair, which warmed as
they proceeded The lord grew angry and
the lady vociferous.
ssIt was the diamond" said one-and 81
insist" quoth the other, " that it was the
club"
"You will drive me mad p cried John Gus
tis
81 should call that admirable driving p
retorted the wife.
'sIf you say another word, will drive
down into the sea.
They were even then upon the beach.
"Another word !" screamed the lady
"Drive where you please !" she added
''Into the seal can 90 as deep as you dare
go, any day
He became furious, took her at her word
and drove the horses and chariot into th'
ocean They began to swim. He held in
looked into her face, and she laughed in his
''Why do you stop ?" she demanded, ex
ultingly, not a whit alarmed.
''You are an imp" he exclaimed, Hingin
the horses about, and making for the shor
with all expedition.
"Pooh pooh p laughed his tormentor.-
''Learn from that there is no place wher
you dare to 60, where dare not accompan
you"
She had conquered He never drove q
Cape Charles again, but groaned with tn
recollection Of the seven years bachelor III
at Arlington