Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-30

RnvenswOrth Stable.
in this wing. These are all furnished with
the substantial mahogany of long ago, and
some beautiful things there are among
the many bedsteads, bureaus, tables and
chairs There IS wonderful. high. square
writing desk in dark mahogany. with brass
handles and innumerable little drawers and
pigeon holes. that would delight the heart
of connoisseur of the antique. But among
the most striking of the old pieces are
set of heavy sGuare-backed chairs, with
white covers deliberately and exquisitely
embroidered. the work of the maids of the
lady OF the manor of long ago. In all of
these rooms hang more of the old English
engravings. some again by Hogarth. and an
oil painting by J. Reynolds, which repre-
sents His Royal Highness William Au-
gustus. Duke of Cumberland" on the
walls Of these rooms are some fine and rare
portraits of Gen. Washington.
An Antique Dining Room.
The next room. and the last we visit, is
the most interesting OF all-the dining room
Around its walls hang the family por-
traits, and here stands the family silver
The room is today in its general aspect
much as 1t was 100 years ago. Some of the
old furniture remains-a colonial mahogany
table with brass feet. some huge, square,
upholstered chairs. the fine old brass and
irons in the wide-open fireplace. with the
little pair of English bellows hanging near
but for the most part the furniture is of
more modern date. though dark, heavy
and substantial. and in perfect harmony
with the older furnishings
The room is of fine proportions, being
twenty-seven feet long by twenty-five feet
wide. with a high ceiling. 1t has four win
dows. two on the north and two on the
south side, is wainscoted all around to the
height of about three feet and the floor Is
of richly polished walnut. A glass door
opposite to the one by which we entered
@r.Nr, Ian
left. which, in winter when filled with flow
ers. must lend a grateful tone of bright
ness to the heavy surroundings.
On the south wall of the dining room one
recognizes the we'll known face of Gen.
Robert F. Lee. This IS a life size paint
ing by Elder of Richmond, who has done
several OF the best known of the Gen. Lee
portraits. one of them hanging in the SEN
ate at Richmond, another in the University
of Virginia and still another in the coun-
Gil chamber of the city of Savannah.
Near Gen Lees portrait hangs that of
his wife. by like. 1t shows a face of great
refinement and strong intellectual power
opposite to his father hangs oil paint
Ing of Gen. William Henry Fitzhugh Lee,
very lifelike portrait. and on either side
Of him his ancestors. William Henry Fftz-
hugh and his wife. The latter's picture is
that OF young woman of great beauty
OF figure and sweetness of countenance
On the west wall hang two good specimens
of Saint Memin's portraiture profles on
pink paper of William Fitzhugh and of
Col George Washington Parke Custis Be-
side the latter is an oil painting Of his
wife. Beneath these are life size comics in
oil paintings of General and Mrs Wash
ington in their younger days by Rem
brandt Peale who was the artist of so
many of the Washington portraits
On the wall opposite to this hang the an
cestors of Mrs. William Henry Fitzhugh
Lee. the present mistress of Ravensworth,
who was one of the Bollines of Virginia.
Among them are the portraits of her grand
father and grandmother. The latter was a
Miss Stith of King George county, and
she married Mr.. George Boiling Of Paters
burg. Va. descendant of Pocahontas
when he was sixty and she seventeen and
was his fourth wife. She was considered
a great beauty in her day.
The Family silver.
On the sideboard and in a glass cupboa-d
near it stands the family silver. Most of it
has descended from their ancestors to its
present possessors, and to much Of it there
is some interesting history attached. There
is the remnant of a large silver service a
n salver. both marked with he Parke coat
of arms. which was presented by Queen
Anne to Col Parke for gallantiy shown at
the battle of Blenheim. when he acted as
aid-de-camp to the Duke OF Marlborough
The story given to by Miss Lee is
that when Queen Anne requested him to
name some favor or present she conld Re
stow on him in recognition of his services
pleased was she with this act of chivalry
to herself that she at once gave him an
exquisite miniature of herself set in dia-
monds, and afterwards sent him the mag
nifcent service Of which the pieces spoken
of are q part.
Near these stands a massive silver stirrup
cup. which. when full. must have required
stalwart arms to pass up to the riders ere
they started on their journeys. for il takes
both hands TO hold it empty. This was once
the property of the Carriers of Virginia
who were related to the Lees. Beside this
there are beer mugs. salvers and several
handsome services. some of them of mod
ern date, but most of them handed down
from the Lees Fitzhughs, Custises and Boil
lings of times past In corner of the
room stands another cupboard Of glass;
containing some remnants of ancestral
china, much OF it being portions of sets
which came across seas. some from Eng
land and some from India. Before taking
leave of the hospitable mansion the visitor
should step out to look at the large brick
stable. designed by Col. Gusts. who was
rather a local celebrity in stable architec-
ture in his day. he was the originator OF
the plans of many of those In the neichbor