The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-06-28

WINS atE tho War.
Mr.. Willis writes his first letter from the
seat of war to the Home Journal this week.
We copy his description OF visit to Ar
lington House:
Our approach to Arlington House was
like the entrance to the park of an English
duke, the smooth greensward stretching
away into undulating distance, being CAL
lonaded with majestic trees which had
quite the air of peerage at the court of
Nature ennobled. The strangers eye saw
at once that the oaks and hickories, the
elms and chestnuts, had been distributed by
the incest art, and that the glimpses of the
landscapes beyond had been exquisitely con-
trived. And, really, from the front lawn
of the mansion house the view is wholly un-
surpassed. Washington, just across the
Potomac, looks fairly sitting for its picture,
the Capitol sits on its high hill as if on pur,
pose to please eyes at Arlington. The
middle ground it is pl obable, is much more
artistically picturesque than usual, for the
park lawn, stretching from where we stood
to the river, was studded with the white
| tents of the invader the red shirts of the
soldiers of duty Frightening among the
trees, and cavalry horses, with their mill
tary equipments, grouped upon the sward-
Paradise embellished with war trappings
but it must at all times have been spot
most endearingly beautiful And to think
that the heir and owner of such ian Eden
| General .Lce) should now be advancing
| ~ &ho 20
or next day (for hear that the pickets of
the two forces are but mile apart) to do
battle on his own lawn for the mastery !!
Thus, sometimes, are the poems we see lived
more touching than any that could be
written.
The old mansion house, with its spacious
portico, was all open, doors and windows,
and groups of officers stood around, waiting
for orders. The General (McDowelD vel.
coined our cavalry friends, but feeling lit
tie fearful myself, lventuring too far with a
stray imagining of the possibility of an
lakewood thus deserted,) I strolled off to
the garden during their military interview,
to pluck flower that l might take home
and remember. Opening the wicket gate,
came upon an old white-headed negro, a
left behind relic of the family, who sat
upon his low, wooden stool, wedding straw
berries-my friend, Captain Magruder,
joining me as entered into conversation
with him, and being himself slave State
man, IA Marylander,) knowing the way to
talk to him better than 1. Among other
things he asked him, "Well, uncle, what do
you think of the warp SWELL" said the
old man, in deprecating tone, after hesita-
ting moment, "t's all about things we've
been so long putin up with p and with
this pithy answer he fell diligently to work
on his strawberry bed. Further question.
ing informed US that "uncle was seventy
years old, and that be belonged originally
to the Mount Vernon estate. AS he had a
weed on his rusty black hat, 1 asked him
who be was in mourning for. swell,
massa," said he, "de hat was gub to me
just go, and didn't feel at liberty to take
off de mournin'." By this time others of
our party had joined us, and making up a
contribution for the sensible old negro, we
went out of the garden, followed by his
blessings.
"Reminded by a remark of General Nc
DowelPs, of the proper privacy of the
house, THAT be had slept and lived in his
tent upon the grounds, not taking the lib
erty to turn the apartments into military
quarters), had intended not to cross the
threshold, but proposal to get better
view of the encampments from the roof OF
the building led me to follow party Of
officers and visitors to the upper story. The
doors OF the rooms were all open, and we
saw that, in the sudden desertion, only the
bed clothes had been taken away-the old
fashioned and clumsy furniture of the last
century all remainipg--even the looking.
glasses at which so many beautiful women
had made their toiets-and the pillows and
feather beds still there. The very antique
portraits of the ladies and soldiers of the
family still hung upon the chamber walls,
though from the the panels of the different
entries the more valuable pictures had been
removed, leaving the cumbersome frames
looking mounfuily vacant. 1t will be re-
membered that Mr.. Parke Curtis, the for
mer proprietor, was an amateur artist; and
his huge historical paintings still decorated
the back entries"