The National tribune., 1882-03-25
Romance of a Century Ago


Romance of a Century Ago
On the Odd of December, 1888, the floor of
the Senate Chamber at Annapolis was filled
to overfowing by stately danes and gentle
maidens who had flocked to the capitol as
if the weight of state questions had been for
this one hour intrusted to their wise delibera-
tions. Washington, the mighty yet unam-
bilious hero of the time, while still the idol
of the public heart, was on this day to lay
down his laurels by resigning to Congress
his commission of commander-in-chief of the
brave little army whose triumphs he had
directed and whose sufferings he had shared.
Accompanied by his aides Colonel Benja-
min Walker and Colonel David Humphreys,
the officers appointed as escort, Washington
entered the hall where the assembled Con-
gress awaited him, every manly voice among
the spectators cheering, and every feminine
kerchief waving an enthusiasm of approval
and welcome: but the cheers we're hushed
into breathless silence by the first words Of
the great heros dignifed address, TO which
General Miflin, as President of the Senate,
made an elosuent and appropriate reply.
On Washington's left stood the valiant
soldier Colonel John Eager Howard, OF
Maryland, and facing Colonel Howard, con-
sricuous among the foremost group of Sena-
tors, was General Read, of South Carolina,
the hero Of this short legend of by-gone
love. How little did either Of these young
men. strangers to one another, dream Of the
DAY 70 come when a son and the daughter of
each were to become husband and wife to
the daughter and son Of the other!
Many were the men whose names were al
ready distinguished, or to become historic,
no were present, either as members of
Congress or spectators of the impressive
saeae Madison. Jefferson, Monroe; Lee
cf Virginia. Osgood Of Massachusetts, Nor
,is of Pennsylvania, McComb of Delaware,
and General Oth0 Williams, Generals Smith
and Swan. of Maryland. The well-known
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was accompanied
bv his two daughters, one of whom was
afterwards, as Mrs. Cation, the mother to the
celebrated trio of American beauties who
became respectively Lady Stafford, the Mar
chioness of Wellesley, and the Dutchess of
Leeds.
But absorbing as was the attention given
to Washington by the august assemblage of
heroes and patriots, who recognized in him
the greatest hero and patriot of any, the
young CaroIinian's eyes wandered upto the
gallery above, where Mrs. Washington, with
her young grandchildren at her knee, was
seated in all the dignity and legitimate
pride of the wife who crowns herself with
her husbands glory.
Grouped around her chair were the three
Calvert sisters Maryland's blood royal, the
family of Lord Baltimore; and never was
the fame of Maryland beauty better main
tained than by the contrasting loveliness of
the youngest, Miss Ariana Calvert, with the
more brilliant charms Of her eldest sisters,
who had been espoused during all the perils
ofthe war, both on the same evening, the one
by Washington's step-son, Parke Custis, and
the other by Mr.. George Stuart, of Mary
land.
It is told of these gentlemen that each re-
ceived the announcement of the birth Of
son-born on the same day, year after the
marriages-while on the battlefield.
But it was not the rich bloom or dark
eyes of the beautiful young matrons which
so riveted the attention of the young South
erner that even the sublime presence of
Washington was for time forgotten. To
his eyes the youngest sister was much the
fairest; and he gazed up at the unconscious
young girl until the friend at his elbow, Mr..
James Monroe-too thorough Virginian
not to recognize the phenomena of n love at
first sight-whispered her name in his ear,
and the offer to present him before the lady
quilted AnnapOiis town for her home in the
country. The offer was gratefully accepted,
and ere the winter WIS half over Miss Cal
vert was afianced to her eager and enrap-
tured young lover; but not, alas! with the
entire consent and appreciation of her fam
lily and friends, and thence rose the cloud
which darkened the horizon of this love
legend.
AS usual, the passion youth defes, age
coldly ignored. The Carolinian was
wealthy Of prominent position and good
birth, and of distinguished education; but
the lady was threatened with decline She
vas also Inc youngest DARING OF the mousse
hold; her sisters had married so well, yet
remained in their midst; and her family
rev more and more reluctant that this
imperative stranger should bear away their
.-aG,r and fragile flower to his far-off South
nsn home to pine away, and die perhaps,
cat of sight and hearing Of those who had
loved her frosa her cradle; and the angered
lover saw the feeble health of his lady-love
give way under the conflict of duty with
feeling, until she became indeed seriously
i'll
But the passionate Southerner was not to
have the woman Of his heart granted to his
wishes. The sensibility which could doom
the gentle Ariana Calvert to an early death
could not permit her to sacrifice family af-
fection to her own and her lovers happi-