Morning journal and courier., 1890-03-17
A STORY OF NELLIE OUsTIs.
Her Marriage With Lawrence Lewi
 - Brought About by Accident.


 7 Brought About by Accident.
 As may be supposed, Nellie had great many suitors, and among them some of the most brilliant men of the day, writes Mar garet J. Preston in the St. -Nicholos. It was very natural that Washington should desire to bind the dear child, on whom he dotted, by still closer ties. Accordingly we find that when young Lawrence Lewis, his favor. ite nephew, the son of his beloved sister Elizabeth, came to reside at Mount Vernon ss his private secretary, Washington favored foster daughter. Nellie was beautiful, gay, had tho world before her where to choose, and was, perhaps, like all bellies, little ea- pricious. "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 ehe was only sixteen years of age, on the event of her first ball. It was full of wise and gentle advice to her on the matter of love and marriage, and he gives her a num- Der of hints about avoiding coquetry, to which, perhaps, Nellie was little inclined. Be begs her not to let her impulses run away with her; but to be as reasonable in the matter of love as she was in everything else. He was evidently afraid that some of the gay wits of the day might deprive his dear Lawrence of the wife he intended for him.
 Be that as it may, 8 singular occurrence related to me by one of Nellie's great nisces, precipitated the matter. "Nellie," she said, s'had 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 "lo- tions," and doing all she could in the ex- ceeding kindness of her heart to restore IA .-SI1 1,H otHno hat those more primitive days, women were bet- ter domestic doctors than they are now, when every ache and pain has its profession al specialist.
 It SO happened one day that tho handsome young Lawrence, to whose persistent ads dresses she had never given as yet a very earnest attention. fell i'll. He was living al Mount Vernon, an inmate, with Nellie, of the family. What was more natural than that she should bring her medical skill to bear upon hint She accordingly prepared g powder, which was duly administered. What was her horror, and that of the fami- ly. to find, after it had been taken, that a mistake had been made, and that the drug given was poison! Of course Nellis's ago. ny was intense. and she probably discovered then for the first time how necessary this life had become to hers. In her remorse and grief she vowed that if Lawrence recovered HQ6 WOUlu AAkAs A0WASA.So NA~N eSSS' CT and in due time she became his wife.
 The marriage WAS 8 very brilliant one. All the great people of the neighborhood, distinguished officers of the army, celebri- ties from abroad, and the government oficera of the new capital were present to grace the festivities, which took place on the 22d of February, Washington's birthday, at Mount Vernon. There was not a negro on the plantation that day who did not share in the joy of "Little Missy's wedding"
 The young married pair lived for while with the president, but finally took up their abode on an estate belonging to the Lewis family, called "Woodlawn." which lay be- tween Mount Vernon and Arlington. This was the home where most of Nellie Custis long and happy life was passed. She devo ted herself with noble assiduity, and witt all Virginia matron's unsel6shness, just ai she had seen her grandmother do before her to the burdensome duties of plantation peopled with large number of servants, te whom she was the best of mistresses; to tht exercise of a vast hospitality, as well as tt the education of her several children.