The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1866-12-14
Arlington and itg Proprietorg.

ington Parke Custice, and his son-in-law,
Robert Edmund Lee. Here the adopted
son of Washington resided for more than
half century, cultivating his broad and
luxuriant acres, and passing his time in the
simple duties Of a country gentleman, varied
by passion for painting and literature. in
neither of which was he more than an anna
teur.
Mr. Custis inherited the estate, containing
more than twelve hundred acres, from Geo.
Washington. His father, John Park Gus
tis, was a son of Mrs. Washington by for
mer marriage, and while acting as aid-de-
camp to Washington, at the seige Of York
town, contracted camp fever, of which be.
died at Ethan, Maryland. in 1881. Wash
ington fastened TO his step-son, and arrived
just in time to see him die. He was deep
ly affected. and, weeping, said to the
mother:
81 adopt the two younger children as my
own
These were Eleanor, then two years old,
and George Washington Parke. six months
old. General Washington took unwearied
pains in the training of his son, but pereeiy-
ing his want of success, said thar he co1.Id
command an army better than he could con-
troll his WayBard boy.
Custis was placed at the college of New
Jersey; but being averse to study, he re-
turned, without completing the curriculum,
to Mount Vernon, where he resided till the
death of his grandmother, in 1902.
AS the Mount Vernon estate then passed
to Bushrod Washington. young Custis built
the Arlington mansion, and having married
Mary Lee Fitzhugh, of Chatham, Virginia,
resided there till his decease in 1857. Mrs.
Custis died in 1853, and was buried in a
sequestered grove near the house, having
requested that her body might not be car
ried to Mount Vernon. It was the de-
sire of EIr. Custis, and he had SO expressed
it in his will, that they both should be bu-
ried there; but the idea Of being carried SO
far was not pleasant to her, and her wish
was respected. When Mr.. Cushs died, his
body was placed by her side; a large num-
Der of persons testified by their presence
their respect and reverence for the deceased.
Four daughters were born to them, all of
whom died in infancy, except Mary, now
the wife of Robert E. Lee.
By her fathers viii life-interest in the
estate only was given her, and, after her
death, TO her chileren, SO that her husband
had no claim to the property.
When Robert E. Lee, young and singu-
larly handsome soldier, just from West
Point with the second honors of his class,
was paying his addresses to Miss Custis, it
was his custom to ride out to the gardens of
Mr.. Pierce, well-known florist in Wash
ington, for flowers for his sweetheart.
1t happened that she had two young la
dies visiting her at the time, and Lee being
naturally gallant, as well as desirous of
pleasing the whole family. never failed to
procure three boquets AS he had nothing
except his pay as a second lieutenant, this
vas rather expensive; but he bore it with
great philosophy, only saying, in a joking
way, that it was hard to court three girls
for one wife.
Months passed on, when one bright after
noon he rode up pale and breathless, and
cried out as he. approached:
''Pieroe, old boy, make me six boquets.
and don't spare pains or expense. It's the
last you viii get out of me, for am going
to be married on Thursday night and then
the girls may gather wild flowers"
Robert E. Lee. the son of Gen. Henry
Lee, Of revolutionary memory, whose
mother, the beautiful Miss Grimes, was
Waahington's first love, and whom he cele
brated as the 'sLowland beauty Henry
Lee was member of Congress when Wash
ington died, and was appointed to pronounce
the funeral grafton. In the peroration o.
his address he spoke the well-known sen
tence, 'First in war. first in peace, and frs
in the hearts of his countrymen.''
After the thunder of the cannon at For
Sumter had aroused the nation, Colonel Lee
deliberately resigned his Office under The
/ United States Government and espouseC
the cause of the Confederates.
Five days before the Federals crossed
Long Bridge, Mrs. Lee, obeying the sum
mons of her husband, rode away from be
home, accompanied by her daughters, Ag
nes and Annie, and Oldest son Gusts. Th
farewell scenes are represented as exceed
ipgly painful. Weeping bitterly. she wen
from room to room, and as the recollection
Of the beautiful poem came to her mind, o
her happy childhood home, Of the pIac
whers her children were born, and be
motherand father died and were buried, sh
could not restrain her grief. and bursting
into open lamentation, declared that it wa
hard, thatshe, the only grandchild of Wash
ington, should be compelled to leave he