The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-04-17
NELLIE GUSTS AND LAWRENCE I EVILS
An Incident in the Home Life of the First
President

As may be supposed. Nellie had a
great many suitors and among them
some of the most brilliant men OF the
day. 1t was very natural that Wash
ip9ton should desire TO bind the dear
child. on whom he dotted, by still closer
ties. Accordingly. we find that when
Young Lawrence Lewis. his favorite
nephew. the son of his beloved sister
Elizabeth. came TO reside at Mount Yer
non rs his private secretary, Washing
ton favored the young mans suit Tor
the hand of his foster-laughter. Nellie
was beautiful gay had the world be-
fore her where to choose, and was. per-
haps, like all bellies. little caprlclous.
'Grandmamma" had some other plans
for her; but no restraint was brought
to bear upon the young girl. There Is
a long letter. preserved by her brother
George, written to her by General
Washington when she was only sixteen
wears of age. on the event OF her first
ball. 1t was full OF wise and gentle adj
vice to her on the matter OF love and
marriage, and he gives her a number
OF hints about avoiding eoquctry.
to which, perhaps, Nellie WAS u
little inclined. He begs her not 10 let
her impulses run away with her; but to
be as reasonable III the matter OF love
as She WAS in everything else. lie was
evidently afraid that some OF the gay
wits Of the day might deprive his dear
Lawrence of the We he intended for
linn.
Be that rs it may, a singular oc-
cuirence. related to me by one OF
NeiIe's grcat-nieces. precipitated the
matter. Nellie" she said. had 4
great fancy for enacting the nurse
When there was anything the matter
with the health Of her friends" She
was very fond of giving powders,
prescribing lotions. and doing all she
could, in the exceeding kindness Of her
heart, to restore them; for it will be re-
membcrcd that. in those more primi-
tive DAYS. women were better domestic
doctors than they are now, when every
ache and pain has its professional
specialist.
1t so happened, one day, that the
handsome young Lawrence, 10 whose
persistent addresses she had never
given as yet very earnest attention,
fell ILL., He was living at Mount Vernon,
an inmate, with Nellie, Of the family.
What was more natural than that
she should bring her medical skill to
bear upon him? She accordingly pre-
pared powder. which was duly adj
ministerial What was her horror, and
that of the family, 10 find, after it had
been taken, that a mistake had been
made, and that the drug given was j
poison, OF course Ncllic's agony was
intense, aud she probably discovered
then. for the first time, how necessary
this life had become to hers. In hel
remorse and grief, she vowed that il
Lawrence recovered she would marry
him. Lawrence did recover, and i'll due
time she became his wife.
The marriage was Il very brilliant
one. All the great people of the
reighborhood, distinguished officers o.
the army, celebrities from abroad, anC
the Government officers of the new
capital were present to grace the
festivities. which took place on the 22C
Of February Was hington's birthday, a
Mount Vernon. There was not negro
on the plantation that day who did no
share in the JOY OF Little Missy's we'd
ulng.
The young married pair lived, for :
while, with the President, but finall,
took mp their abode on an estate, be
longing to the Lewis family, calleC
Nv oodlawn, which lay between
Mount Vernon and Arlington. Thi
was the home where most of Nelli,
Custis's long and happy life was passed
She devoted herself with noble assidu
ity. and with all Virginia matron:
unseltishness, just rs she had seen hel
grandmother do before, to the burden
some duties of plantation people,
with a large number of servants, Il
whom she was the best of mistresses, Il
the exercise of vast hospitality, a;
we'll as to the education of her severa
children.--Nargdret j. Preston, IN ST
Nicholas.