Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-30

" DlbuOp mehue pIOnOuHSeu HeI MARY
Cary, who married Edward Amber; Los
sing declared her Mary Bland. Others
have said Lucy Grimes, who married
Henry Lee, and became the mother of
Lighthouse Harry" (of whom Washing
ton was so fond), and grandmother of Cen
eral Robert f Lee. Some have surmised
Miss EIlbeck, beauty of Charles county,
Maryland, who married George Mason;
others Annie Daniel, one of his Stafford
cousins. Of late years tie opinion has
gained that the lady was Sally Gary, who
became the wife of George William Fair
fax, This has been hitherto my own con-
viction, based on certain letters found
among the papers of Mrs. Fairfax at her
death, at Bath, England (1511), at the age
of eighty-One. 1t now appears to me GER
tain That the "LOwland besuty"-Wash-
ington's first love-was Miss Betsy Faunt-
leroy. Under date of Doth May, 1852,
Washington writes to civilian Faunt-
leroy, SRI:
SIR should have been down long
before this, but my business in Frederick
detained me somewhat longer than l ex-
pscted, and Immediately upon my return
from thence | WAS taken with violent
pleurise, which has reduced me very low;
but purpose, as soon as | recover my
strength, to wait ON Miss Betsy, in hopes
Of a revocation of the former cruel SEN
tence, and see If can meet with any al
teratiOn in my favor. | have enclosed
letter to her, which should be much
obliged to You for the delivery OF it. l
have nothing to add but my best respects
to your gOodllady and family"
THE LOwLAND BEAUTY.
AS William FauntlerOy, Seu., had
granddaughter named Eli beth, it is a
fair inference that she WAS the Betsy re-
ferred to- That she was the "Lowland
beauty" may be inferred from the fact
that the letter in which this phrase occurs,
though undated, bears evidence of having
been written about the time which the
probabilities OF such explanation suggest.
The letter is addressed Dear Friend
Robin" possibly Robert Washington of
Chotauk, affectionately remembered in
his willard the material part is as fol-
lows: My place OF residence is at present
at his lOrdship's, where | m ght, vas my
heart disengaged, pass my liue very pleas.
antly as there's a very agreeable young lady
lives in the house Go George Fairfax
wife's sister. But as that's only adding
fuel to fire, 1t makes me the more uneasy,
for by often and unavo daily being in COM
pany with her revlves my former passion
for your Lowland beauty; whereas, was
to live more retired from youDg women, |
might elevate in some measure my sOr-
rows by burying that chaste and
troublesome passion in the grave
of oblivion or e.earnal fOrgetful-
ness, for as l am very well as
sured, that's the only antdOte or remedy
that ! shall ever be relieved by or only re-
cess that can administer any cure or help
TO me, as l am well convinced, was l ever
to attempt anything, l should only get a
denial which would be only adding grief
to uneasiness."
DRIVEN AWAY BY BETSY.
Washington at sixteeil o en. II 6 81 appear
wonderful if il be remembered that he was
surveyor of Culpeper at seventeen and
major in the militia of Virginia at nine
teen. But Washington was only poor
school boy when-prObably at FTedericks-
burg, Va, where Fauntleroys still reside
he fell in love with Betsy. His pru-
dence, precocious as his affections, sealed
his lips. With grief in his heart he
started out on his first survey. He wan
dered among the Indians and rude Dutch
oioneers, whom he describes as equally
ignorant with the savages. In his first
known letter to Dear Richard
lprobablY Corbip) ne says: Since
YOU received my letter in October last, l
have not sleep'd above three nights or four
in bed, but, after walking a good deal
all the day, | lay down before the fire upon
a little hay, straw, fodder, or bear skin,
which ever is to be had, with man, wife,
and chill iren, like a parcel Of dogs and
cats; and happy is be who gets the berth
nearest the fire." 1t was under these cir
cumstanCes that Washington composed
two little poems in which The pain in his
heart was embodied. I annot discover
that they have ever been published, but
surely they merit wide circulation, for
thew cast a tender light o5er the lonely
I'D eating his heart IN the forest. l have
couied them from the originals, and pre-
serve the faults, which supply needful
perspective for the bo,ish poets lays
I.
con Ye Gods why should my Ppr restless Heart
stand to oppose thy might, an Power
I Al last surrender to Cupid's feaherd Dart
And now lays bleeding everyHOur
For her that's Pityless OF my grif and Woes
/ And will not on me Pity take
/ I'll sleep amongst my most lnyeerate h es
And with gladness never wiSAtO wake
In deluding seepings let my EHlids close
/ That i'm an enraptured dream may
In a soft lulling sleep and gentle repOse
Possess those joys denied by Dy.
From your brightsparkling Eyls was undone;
Rays you have more sparklnghan the sun
A midst its glory in the risingDay
None can you equal in your blight array;
Constant in your calm and unp0tted Mind
Equal to all, but will to none Prove kind, =
SO knowing, seldom one so Yang, you'll fnd)
All, woes me that should loie and conceal
Long have wished, but neve dare reveal
Even though severely Loves Pain feel
Xerxes that great, want free fDm Cupid Dart,
And all the greatest Heroes fet the smart
LOVES SWEET BITTERNESS.
It would appear, by the fist sonnet, that
Washington found at the beginning of life
what Voltaire found at its tlose lie bon
heur nest GU I'm reve, el Ia dOleur est
reelle." However, somewhere near his
nineteenth year he made an effort to realize
his dream, and received from B tsy his
"cruel sentence" Then followed his dis
NAL Journey; with his invalid half-brother,
10 the Barbados; the smallpox suffered at
Bermuda, which Betsy might not agree
with Psrson Weems, marked his face
rather agreeably than Otherwise; and
] H. - he v,Ie,Viaty