Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-05-30
Mrs. Arthnr'a Grave.

Knowing that Mrs. Morgan was able
to speak from long and intimate knowl-
edge of General and Mrs. Arthur, /
asked her many questions about the lat
ter, by whose grave in the rural ccmc-
terry at Albany ] had stood few days
previous. The sarcophagus that covers
the grave is of the finest Italian marble,
and around its edge, like running
vine, are carved in relief, in antique
lettering, her name, Ellen 1lerndon
Arthur, the date and place Of her birth,
Culpeper, Va. August 80, 1887, and of
her death, New York, January II, 1880.
The inscription begins at the lower left
hand corner, bringing the husbands
name, Chester A. Arthur, across the
head of the sarcophagus. The father
and mother of tho President, and Jane,
one of his five sisters, who died at Is,
lie on the same lot; also Mrs. Herndon,
the mother of Mrs. Arthur, and William
Herndon Arthur, their eldest child.
1t is very unpretentious sepulchcr
for the household of the head of the ma
ton, and it is not easily found, living
well to the rear of the handsome old
cemetery, of which it forms part; but
the grass of the burial plot has been
worn nearly bare by the feet of many
pilgrims, and the myrtle vine, which
grows thrifty around the edge of the
marble block that covers Mrs. Arthur 5
grave, is reverently despoiled of in
Vulnerable slips to be pressed within
the leaves of feminine bibles and al
buns as memorial of her whose pa
thetic fate 1t was to fade suddenly out
of life just when that life had reached
its full-orbed matronly prime and was
nearing the zenith of the proudest
American woman's ambition. Mrs.
Arthur has left vivid and pleasing
memory in the circles of New York and
Albany in which She moved. She was
a singing, spirit, going winsomely
through life. Mrs. Morgan speaks OF
the moro than ordinary attachment be-
tween the husband AMI wife, and of his
accompanying her into society more
than most men SO cngro@>ed in official
life. Her death, of pneumonia, was
occasioned by Il cold contracted one
rainy Friday at a dinner party, from
which she went to n concert, and it oc-
Cured the following Monday evening.
Gen. Arthur was away on business,
and, to his unspcakablc grief. did not
reach home until she had lost the power
of recognition.
There is place called Three-mile
Point, which every traveller remembers
who has journeyed by carriage from
Richfield Springs to Cooperstown,
through the beautiful country lyme on
the borders of Ostego lake. At this
point. three miles from Cooperstown, a
New England man named Thaycr has
vcranda-bordered cottage, which en-
joys great reputation for its dinners,
and there parties from Richfcld and
Cooperstown come all through the
pleasure season to dine by special ar
rangement, late in September, and Mr..
Thayer told us that Cen and Mrs Ar
thur and the children came there annu-
ally the last six years of her life, ON the
30th of August, to eat dinner'in honor
of her birthday.
He said the household, even to the
servants, We're always delighted with
her coming, and when she good-naturel l.
" sat down to sing at the piano, rs She
always did, they would open the kitch-
en- doors to listen. and She had smile
and kind word for all, remembering
their names from one year TO another,
and saying something bright and merry
to each. He came to Washington last
winter and went to the White House to
see his old patron, who expressed pleas
ure at meeting him, and sat down and
talked over the old days with him for
an hour or more. All that | hear of
Mrs. Arthur in the state which became
hers by adoption fills me with sincere
regret that the White House should
have lost by her death so accomplished
and admirable a N. stress. 1t was >ad
to stand ut her tomb and see. instead Of
the high and brilliant usefulness that
might now be hers, only the solemn
marble pressing heavily ON her voice
los breNst -COr. PhlluilLnhiu PreSS