The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-06-23

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age of twenty-seven years. He had mar
riod at nineteen years of age, Eleanor CAL
VERT of Mount Airy, Md, descendant of
the second Lord Baltimore, when but fif-
teen years of age, and at twenty-three she
was thus made widow with four chill
dren General Washington fastened to
Ethan, Md, where the husband was
sick, only to see him in his dying mo-
ments,. This was the only surviving child
of Mrs. Washington, the daughter having
died some years before. lie was deeply
affected, and, weeping, said to the moth
er: 81 adopt the two younger children as
my OWL" These were Eleanor GUSTS,
then two and half years of age, who died
at seventeen, of consumption, and George
Washington Parke Gusts, then six months
old. General Washington took unwea-
ried pains in training this son of adoption,
desiring to give him solid and liberal ed.
ucation but his efforts failed. The son
was averse to study, though possessed of
good abilities, and at twenty-three years
of age married, and devoted his life and
very large fortune, inherited from his
father and mother, to agriculture and lit
erary pursuits. He was possessed of much
natural eloquence, and wrote with a ready
and cultivated pen, as the columns of the
htclHgencer, to which he often contribu.
ted, bear testimony.
lie was one of the first persons in this
country to embark in the raising of Me-
rino sheep. He inauguratcd AN annual
convention for the promotion of agricul-
ture and domestic manufacture, known
over the country as the Arlington Sheep
Shearing. These gatherings were at Ar
lington spring, beneath the shade of
venerable oak near the banks of the Pc.
tomac. For many years, on the 30th of
April, the annual shearing took place, a
large concourse gathering to see the cere-
monies. Prizes, provided at the expense
of Mrs. Gusts, were awarded to those
presenting the best specimens of Sleeps
wool and domestic manufactures. He
had at one time large and splendid flock
of sheep of the choicest breeds; which,
however, were plundered by thieves and
dogs, till at last two only remained; and
these for several years held solitary sway
in the domain. Mr.. GUSTS took great de-
light in paintings; but the six paintings
now hanging in the hall of the Arlington
mansion, representing battles and revolu-
tionary incidents, painted by him, evince
rather sorry capacity in the author in
that direction. The walls of this mansion
were, however, adorned with some fine
specimens of the art. Among them were
several splendid original portraits of
Westinghouse by the elder Peale,
another by Steuart; and there was also
beautiful portrait of his mother, by the
latter named artist All these family
pictures were taken away by the Ice
family when they went into the rebellion.
The mansion is now occupied by the
officer in command of the post and his
subordinates. The dining hall is used as
an office. La this room are three old fash
Toned book cases, containing some four
hundred volumes, principally old books
broken sets, and Of very small Value
The parlor adjoining the hall is not occu-
pied, the only article in it being ma.
hogany sideboard, which came from Mount
Vernon. In the parlor beyond are two
sofas and six stuffed mahogany chairs,
covered with scarlet velvet two marble
top tables, sideboard, and piano stool,
matching the chairs. On the walls are
several coarse large portraits, and one or
two fine oil paintings. There are also
two old engravings, of a classical, mytho.
logical character, hanging with the rest.
The room in the southerly wing, and used
by Gen. Lee for his office, is now used as
a bed room, and the upper part of the
mansion is used for like purpose. The
building is not injured. The flower gar
den has been enclosed by new fence,
and is laid out and tastefully adorned
this spring.
The grave of each soldier is neatly
marked by wooden slab, at the head and
tho foot painted white, inscribed with the
name of the soldier and his company and
regiment, and at little distance these
slabs have the appearance of marble
The mounds are to be neatly covered with
sod.
General Robert Edmund Lee is the son
of General Henry Lee, of Revolutionary
memory, and known as "Light Horse Har-
ry," whose mother was the beautiful Miss
Grimes, General Washington's first love,
and whom he celebrated as "rhe lowland
beauty" Gen. Harry Lee was twice
married. BY the first marriage he had
two children Henry Gan officer in the war
of 1879 aud Lucy. By the second wife
a Miss Carter, of Shirly-he had five chill.
dlen, two daughters, Anne and Mildred,
and three sons. Tho sons were Charles
Garter, Robert Edmund, (the General,)
and Sidney Smith, the last named an Of
fcer in our navy, and now in the rebel
army.
General Robert Il. Lee was born in
1908, and is consequently, ffty-seven
years Of age. He graduated second in his
class, in 1929, [Judge Charles Mason, of
this city, and formerly Commissioner of