Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-02

| -e9,tS-1M eept from her grave
'fwT TN and dgnifed mother.
| Wv The winsome and mis-
chevous child was full Of merry pranks and
| humorous jokes. These sometimes TOOK
practical, though harmless, turn and gave in
| finite amusement to those Of her friends
who knew her best and loved her Joyous
nature. So Betty" was the pretty diminutive
| which always chung to her. and in Virginia.
even a matron, she was always known ana
| spoken of as Betty Lewis" She was born at
| .'Wakefeld." the old Washington homestead,
| on the Potomac. She lived in girlhood ana
| early womanhood in a substantial unpretend-
| ing house on the opposite side Of the Kappa
| hammock river overlooking the dreamy town
| of Fredericksburg This old burg naturally is
| full of the real and traditional life
Of the Washingtons. Bettys very strlk-
| ing resemblance to her brother George
an escapade, while her perfect imitation OF
| his voice and manner deceived, 0 occasions,
her most intimate friends.
INITIATING HER DISTINGUISHED BROTHER.
| She would don her brothers large beaver
hat with its curling black ostrich plumes. and
| his long circular cloak, then the fashion,
able wear for well-to-do gentlemen.
| In this disguise and favored still more by the
approaching twilight she delighted to assume
the bearing and walk OF the popular young Of
| ficer Marching along the street with military
| stride she would doff her beaver in dignl6ed
salute to her many acquaintance, winning
thereby. from her girl friends especially, many
| a wreathed smile surely intended for the
brother whom she SO skillfully represent
| ing. One Of her victims used to relate in
after years, with loving memory, how
in the early gloom of sunset Betty
had once seized her in the open street and be-
| slowed upon her a resounding kiss. And when
| she turned with deprecatory gestures and the
indignant exclamation. How dare you, sir ~
she had met only the laughing eyes and inno-
| cent gaze Of Betty Washington. In the long,
low rooms. when candles, sometimes of wax.
| but more often tallow dips. nodded by the skill
| full hands Of the thrifty Old-time housewife and
| shed dim. delusiye light. Betty
| found many chance to indulge her
| pet pastime. To mount the steps and lift the
| great knocker OF the house door. sending there
| from such noisy demand for admittance as
reverberated to the remotest corners of the
| house and startling all its inmates, and then to
| be announced to his friends as Lieutenant
Washington" was to fill her heart with
g!ee and satisfaction. Holding in her
| hand his cane and beaver. her womans
dress quite concealed by his long cloak, no
| suspicion of her real identity was aroused.
Talking in her brothers voice. initiating his
expressions and never exaggerating his per-
sonalities, she would spend half an hour in
| trayed her, and startled the unsuspecting COM
pany into ordinations of wondermert at the
| remarkable likeness she bore to her brother
George and her still more wonderful powers of
| successful imitation OF him.
SHE MARRIED THE MAYOR OF FREDERIcKsBURa.
Betty, with her winning ways and her bright,
| laughing eyes, was one Of the acknowledged
bellies Of the little colonial town. Many suitors
came to pay homage to her, but it was Fielding
Il.
the owner of the shops that forged the cannons
| for the colonial war, to whom she gave her glad
young life. In loving pride he planned
| and built for her. soldly and beautifully her
to Kenmore House." The bricks were
imported from England at great expense, for
| they came in slow-sailing vessels, bat they were
| used without stint as if to endure throughout
| all ages, and every course composed of alter
nate headers and stretchers, the floor lines
indicated on the outside by projecting
| band of bricks. The easement walls
| are thickened and the outside finished at the
| first floor by q nodded course of bricks The
| window heads are segment brick. The mortar
joints are heavy, the window frames nodded
and thick, with deep seats, inviting ease and
comfort and sociability. The roof slate, the
| Hastings and cutters lead. The main doorway
is reached by solid stone steps and it is
| enriched with pilasters, while the heavy oak
| door is ornamented with polished brass
latches and rings and brass lion knocker, with
transom in heavy lead work. There is also
covered side entrance, in which are windows.
The hall is large and square. lighted
by window. in which "a rib OF tin
curious stained glass is puttied. The
Jennings are concealed by lead ornaments of
endless variety. 1t opens Oh the first landing
of the broad stairway, which leads to rooms
actively alive with memories and mementoes
of the past century. In this hall facing
the door Is a clock with heavy brass hinges that
belonged to Mary Washington. Both of the
parlors at the back of this hall. The sum
mer parlor' Is long wide room, has u mantei
| at one end and on each side of it deep recesses
| in which are solid and beautiful carved
mahogany bookcases, filled with rare books,
| the property Of revolutionary general
and inherited from him by the present owner
whose grandson he is. This parlor has deeply
door opening into porch on the other side,
which overlooks the terraced garden below.
XsTATELY INTERIOR.
On the piano still stands the high glass affairs
used then 20 put over the candles to prevent
the fame from flaring. On the opposiss side
from the stairway and facing 1t is the dining
room, with its oak door and brass knobs and
hinges and rings Here are corner cupboards
and tall quaint jars and oaben cabinets, heavy
open fireplace, with brass fender and
fire dogs, about which SO many
| generations have gathered. Here it 10 possible
/ to dream Of a veritable Santa Claus. His de-
scent into the room, with his pack on his back
and his reindeer awaiting his return at the top
| OF the house, are impossible MUD pictures in
| our modern, furnace heated houses. No ex-
pense was spared to make comfortable and ele-
giant this home. Stateliness and repose were
attained by the symmetrical distribution of the
panels and the ornaments in doorways and over
| the windows. But the exceeding beauty and
old-time spiendor Of the house came not, how
/ ever, from its walls OF brick aud colonial
| architectural structure or Its delightful
location, but from the rare charm of its interior
decorations. Tradition ascribes the beginning
Of the TART craze" in America to those prison.
ers Of war ON parole during the revolution, and
more than one house in Virginia gives weight
TO this testimony. for all through the old
portion Of the state are evidences In stucco.
In colors, in brick and stone, of the talent
and Of the good and beautiful work done.
''Kenmore House" points directly 70 Gen.
Warrington, for over the long, low mantel 10 8
combination Of Esop's Fables designed BY
Gen. Washington TO sdorn this, the house he
1 loved almost better than Mount Vernon Col