The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-06-02
HOaTS With Men and Women O1
the Revolution.
wAsHNGToN's LAST SURVIVING bond
WOMAN


Copyrighte6, 1888, by Funk & Wdgaalls
On the 4th of March, 1858, stood for
nearly two hours in the open area at the
eastern front of the Capitol at Washington,
with thousands of my fellow citizens, ,pelted
with sharp sleet driven by keen north
east wind, to witness the Inauguration of
the fourteenth president of the United
States. had no "frends at court to Sc
cure shelter for me under the superb and
spacious portico of the Capitol, where the
great officers of State, os the Judiciary, of
the Army, of the Navy, and foreign minis
ters were congregated.
For the purpose of this quadrennia coro-
nation of Chief Magistrate of the Repub-
lie, a rude platform of rough boards had
been erected oyer the entrance steps Of the
Capitol. The whole ceremony was severe
ly simple. The recipient of the exalted
dignity about to be conferred was clad in a
plain suit of black cloth. A small mahog-
any table covered with red cloth, of the
value of fiye dollars, and bearing a bible, a
brown stone pitcher full of cold water and
a tenpenny tumbler, constituted the entire
paraphernalia. With his head barred to the
pelting storm, and his right hand lifted to-
ward heaven before the Chief Justice of
the United States, the new president
pledged his fidelity to the Constitution by
affirmation Then turning to the multi
| t,,Ia INF of q th.Nla
er which he represented, he enunciated the
| fundamental principles which should gov
ern his actions. The multitude shouted
prolonged plaudits. The president bowed
and retired, and that was the end of the
matter.
How little-how exceedingly Insignificant
TO the eye of the true philosopher and hope
full apostle of freedom-would any ruler by
the grace of bayonets and gunpowder have
appeared upon that rough platform of New
Hampshire pine, with all his gaudy trap
pings and pomp of manner, by the side of
Franklin Pierce, the chosen servant of
State of a mighty people, who stood there
in all the dignity of true sovereign, but
undistinguished in form and bearing from
the humble citizen, by ribbon or cross, by
star or garter, by scepter or crown.
Among those who sat under the shelter
of the grand portico of the Capitol on that
occasion was George Washington Parke
Curtis, the adopted son of the "Father OF
his Country" the first president of the ma
ton, and the only survivor of the execu
tors of the great patriots will. He was
present when his foster-father took the
oath of office administered by Chancellor
Livingston, in the street gallery of the ole
City Hall at New York, sixty-four year
before. He had witnessed the inaugura
tion of every president from Washington
to Pierce Unmindful of the wind ant
sleet, he had crossed the Potomac from
a Arlington House in an open boat, to assis
n at the august ceremonial. | accepted hi
cordial inYitation to spend few days a
Arlington House, where had been q. CUES
few times. / crossed the ferry at George
r town on the first bright morning thereafter
and found Mr.. Custis in his studio giYin
some touches to his picture of "The Sun
J, render at Yorktown
The mansion tyet standing) occupies
commanding site, over three hundred fee
above tide water, overlooking the cities c
Washington and Georgetown, with th
Potomac flowing between. The buildin
is is of brick, and presents a front, includin
the two wings, of one hundred and fort
feet. The grand poItico, having eigf
A. massive Dorlc columns, occupies an are
of sixty feet front and twenty-five feet
- depth. A park of two hundred acres, de
ted with groves of oak and chestnut trees
and cu.tiya.ed on the river bank, slope
eastward from the front; aud behind III
mansion was an old forest abOunding wit
patriarchal trees centuries old, and cove
ing hills and dales oyer eight hundred acre
A portion Of this forest has since disal
peared, and the soil is occupied by the r.
mains of thousands of Union soldiers WI
perished in the great Civil War of 1876
On the verge OF the cemetery stands chas
marble monument erected TO the memol
of Mr.. Custis. Near the norther end
ii the QlanSlOn SlOOu NchciaDlc MScpih
u willow, the offspring of a twig plucked
a young British olllcer from the famol
willow planted by Pope at TwickenhaI
}, and presented TO the father OF Mr.. Gust
by that officer at Cambridge in lT75. Tn
twig, which the elder Gusts planted
Arlington, became the pIogenitcr of all q
weeping-willows in the United States.
ts. Arlington House was plethoric with N
cious mementoes OF the Washington al
Cuslis families, consisting of some ra
n works of art, plate, china. furniture, orn
!, ments and a large quantity Of valual
manuscripts. On the wall hungsa kit-k
portrait, life size of Colonel Daniel Parl
- the ancestor of Mr.. Gusts, who carried
Queen Anne the news of Marlborough
- victory at Blenheim. II was painted
. Sir Godfrey Knellar. Near il hung ?