New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-02
RELICS OF WASHINGTON.
AN OLD HOME FULL OF MEMORIES.

IFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TRIBUNE
"AUDLEYn Clarke Co.. Va, July 2S.-ln
the lower part Of the Valley Of Virginia, IN one OF
the ioveliest farming regions in America, and among
scenes less interesting from the many events which
took place there the late than they attractive
from their great natural beauties, stands Audley"
the OF the Lewises family closely connected
than any other, by ties both of blood and friendship,
with Washington. Throughout this war-ridden region
much has changed OF late years old places long the
OF the generous hospitality for which Virginia
30 famous have rack and ruin, their owners
either dead or impoverished by the war; and many Of
them have changed hands, into possession Of
strangers But with Audley it is not The quaint old
house, only story in height with Its fine ball and
spacious chambers for years favorite resort OF the
best OF the old country families tue noble trees one OF
the glones OF the place, the smiling meadows; all are
as they were when the home OF her who was for
so many years the light OF the family at Mount Vernon
and the favorite OF its master.
Colonel Fielding Lewis, whose name Is well known to
all who familiar with the earlier life OF washington,
married Mistress Betty Washington, Wasbngtons only
sister Their son IL was Lawrence Lewis Washingtons
favore nephew, who married the lovely Nellie Custs
the granddaughter OF Mrs. Washington, at Mount
Vernon on February 90 1899. the birthday of Wash
ingon ana the last that he TO For some years
the young couple lived Woodlawn in Fairfax County,
a place which was given them by General Washington,
then removed to Audey, where Mrs Lewis dled on
July 49, 1852 at the age OF seyentythree years. aier
life full OF good works. and rich in honor and respect
The long residence Of closely related TO
Washington brought up his adopted daughter and so
fondly and endery loved by him. would OF itself serve
10 give the place the interesting associations, but
there Is something more than this; II Is the
remarkable collection which was preserved there OF
relies Of Washington, the largest probablyassuredy
the mostnteresngtha has been in any one house
in this country on the death Of Mrs Washington much
OF the furniture many OF the pictures, quantities OF
china glass and articles OF all rem Mount Vernon,
came into the possession OF Mrs Lewis, and were
brought Audley; and there they remained unt few
days ago, when they sent to the Capital, having
been sold TO the Government.
It's one thing to see the collection OF relics Of Wash
ncton which is in the Patent oncc regards them
with a sort OF respectful attention, not unmingled
with curiosity; looks at them carefully; wonders II
! Washington really did wear such eurious-iooking
clothes and whether the campbell hot and uncom-
Portable what kind OF liquors he kept IN his camp
chest-and then goes or and strsightway forgets all
about them. But the feeling which those had who knew
Audley when the Washington relies were still there was
wholly different Here all these things were In daily use
The visitor slept bed from Mount Vernon sat fam
larry In the easychaIr which In WashIngton's own
room and IN which he sat only q few minutes before
| he died; was served from his plate stood on the
piazza and looked the hazy Blue Ridge through the
Generals own feld-glass. which he used all
through the Revolution; sat In rooms hung
with pictures from Mount Vernon. To one
brought up with the admiration, the almost super
stitious reverence for Washington, which most OF us
have the effect OF all this awe-insprng, at fret
almost oppressive. Surrounded by all these things.
which had been part OF his daily lifeobieets fam
lar TO him as our own drawing-rooms 20 us-the
writer seemed 10 be brought almost into personal con-
tact with him; feel his presence continually; and was
almost prepared to him, with MS stately dignihed
tread come walking In al the door No wonder that the
Tar.an saaTa .tFa1
the gentefok that they felt at first almost as
one does in church-almOst afraid 10 speak aloud and
as n anything nosy bosterous utterly out Of
places.
shall not attempt TO give full account OF the relies;
there were many OF them. But some Of them are OF
such interest that they deserve some mention Among
them was fine old rosewood Dedstead, four-poster
which has an interesting history attached II given
10 Lawrence Washington. our Washngtons older
brother who built Mount Vernon by hts friend Admiral
Vernon OF the British Navy. from whom the place was
named. On Lawrence Washngtons death he left Mount
Vernon TO his brother George and there the old bedsead
remained until after Mrs. Martha washlngton's death,
when Il came to Audley with the other things from
Mount Vernon In tue same az Andley an old
essychar which used 10 stand In Washngtons room at
Mount Vernon; much too straight In the back
was Il for our modern and moro eTeminate no.
tons but those the days OF straightforward chairs
II Is scarcely ess interesting than any OF the other rel
0a.f
bed only few minutes before his death. In another
room was the old double candestck Of brasshls Office
candlestck by the light OF which he wrote his farewell
address There too was the held-gass which he used
throughout the war, and which he himself presented TO
Colonel Fielding Lewis as Ia atesed by an inscription
on its case written In his own hand Another relic, OF
st earlier date Is the rooe In wchhe chrstened;
| n sort Of shawl Of white brocade silk about a yard
square lined with cherry-eolored silk. For many
years this robe was the central feature OF collection OF
interesting Revolutionary relics In Washington Lodge IN
| Alexandria, OF which Washington was the Master AT
| the dedication OF the Washington Monument In Rich
mond this exhibited, and after the Grafton
was passed around among the crowd for closer nspec
ton On IT'S return the stand IL was discovered that
the too-patrotic yrgnians present had cut away In
small pieces nearly the whole OF the lining, TO be pre-
served "A relies 80 that only small piece IN one
corner remains Another remarkably interesting thing
IA portrait OF Washington In his later years by French
artist whose name IL unknown but portrait which
Mira Lewis, than whom there could have been
| no better fudge, pronounced the best picture
Of him that she had ever seen. 1t Is about
| n thrce-ouarter view OF the face the cOlorng Ia
strong the drawing good aud has that quality which
all good portraits possess- carries WITH 1t the conyc
ton that It was truthful likeness, though the subject
may be quite unknown TO one Besides tins portrait
there are miniatures By Trumbull Of General Washington
ana Martha washngton-ihe latter handsome. stately
old lady with powdered hair and there number OF
pictures-landsoapes and marine ylews-wheh used to
hang In the paros Of Mount Vernon besides several mir
rors one Of whsh was washingron's house IN Phila
| delphia when Congress sat there after the war
But by far the most interesting, aud, because IL gives
one an insight into his daily life the most valuable OF
all these articles is sort OF combined day-boOk and
ledger which Washington kept and in which arc set
down even the mnutest expenditures and receipts 1t
Is large quaro volume, bound IN yellum, and marked
Ledger b." The account opens with January l. 1772
and runs down January o. 1875. much Of IL kept In
washingtOns own hand. From January, 1770, the ac-
count with Washington ceases and from this date on