davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
AN OLD WASHINGTON STATUE.
1t Was Purchased by Contributions from
New York School Children.
copyright. 1893, BY American Press Associa-

1t Was Purchased by Contributions from
New York School Children.
copyright. 1893, BY American Press Associa-
tion.]
There is now on one of the most pic
turesque spots on Manhattan island a
statue of George Washington which has
an interesting history. The statue stands
in Riverside crescent, and is to the lower
end of Riverside drive what the Grant
mausoleum is on grander scale to the
upper. The figure stands with its back
to the Hudson, about eighty feet above
the tide. General Egbert l.. Viele, who
saved the statue from oblivion, told me
about it as follows:
"This piece of statuary is life sizerep-
resentation of Washington. The first
thing you notice about it is its apparent
smallness. 1t shows the pater patria to
have been IL much smaller man than
everybody supposcs. That is because
all his statues are either heroic or colos-
sal. In exalting his character the people
have magnifed his person. 1t is so the
world over with military and political
heroes. In pers IN Washington was not
a man of gigantic proportions by any
means. This is truthful counterfeit,
if may use the paradox. 1t is one of
five which show him as he was. All
others make him out q man of heroic
build. Suppose you look up his biog-
raphies and see if you can find in single
one of them a specific description of his
person. with reference especially to his
weight and stature.
"The original of this efigy is in tho
capitol at Richmond. 1t is by Houdon,
the celebrated French sculptor. I1oudon
was given tho commission through
Thomas jefferson.
He stripped his subject to the buff
and made plaster cast. 1t is the only
perfect model ever made of Washington.
The result was the statue at Richmond.
Some time before tho rebellion the
general assembly of Virginia authorized
a German sculptor Guntherman by
name-to make duplicate of tho Hou-
don statue. and from this four casts were
made. One of these is the statue in
Riverside drive. Just after the war the
sculp!or's widow brought it to New
Yor! and placed it on exhibition in one
of tho public halls. She wanted to sell
it to the city for one of the parks. Her
price was $4,000. 1t was very cheap
for such piece of art, but the offer was
declined by the city authorities, and it
was finally decided that a subscription
should be opened among the children of
the public schools to make up the pur-
chase money in sums of a dime or less.
After considerable exertion $4,000 was
raised, and there the matter stood until
the widow agreed to accept that sum and
to give O bill of sale to the city.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22

the capital of the Empire State, and
far above there frowned, as they still do
today. the Adirondacks, probably the
oldest mountain range on the face of the
globe. 1t was from boat on the upper
Hudson that the Indians carried John
son, the noted English general. to the
'healing waters" of the Saratoga springs
It was on the Hudson that West Point,
the famous military academy, was es-
tablished. On that stream Fulton
launched his steamboat, and near its
banks lived Washington Irving.
But the chief historical charm, of the
lower Hudson particularly, is associated
with the events of the Revolution and the
mighty name of Washington. From
Garrison's down to the sea the land on
both banks teens with splendid memo
ries of sacrifice, romance and patriotism.
although in one place the beautiful pic
ture of heroism and endeavor is tinged
by the dark stain of treason. Wherever
amansion still stands in which the Father
of His Country slept for night it is
known and visited as "Washington's
headquarters. and there are several of
them. Two, though, have about them
that air of love or tragedy with which
many delight to associate a great mans
name.
1t was at the manor house of her fam
lily in what is now the city of Yonkers
that Mary Phillipse was born 1862 years
ago. Washington met and wooed her in
1856, but she refused his addresses and
by so doing possibly changed the fate of
the colonies. When the conflict with
England began a score of years later
she and the rest of her family espoused
the Tory cause, and as u result they
were attainted for treason and their
property contiscated. The turn of tho
wheel of fortune brought Washington to
the manor house again, not as a wooer,
but as a warrior. He made the mansion
his headquarters before and after the
battle of White Plains, and again took
possession of it in 1871 while his army
camped on Locust hill.
The house is Il fine old structure, built
with the sturdiness and honesty of pur-
pose for which the architects and me-
chanics of the colonial period were noted
and is now the principal official building
occupied by the Yonkers city govern
ment. Where the the minuet was
danced and the Christmas feast was
served, where brides came home to be-
come stately matrons and mothers,
court now sits, and blue garbed officials
60 in and out of tho doors that were
wont to open in welcome to gentlemen
who wore small swords, satin coats,
knee breeches and lace ruffles at collar
and at wrist.
The sister of Mary, ,Washington's scorn-
full sweetheart, was Susannah Phillipse,
who married Beverley Robinson and
went to housekeeping in the old family
mansion, which stood on the east side Of
road leading to Peekskill, about a mile
below Garrisons station. This place
was called the Beverley House, and
around it centers the story of the treason
of Benedict Arnold. 1t consisted of three
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
THE WASHINGTON FAMILY.

In the presidential campaign of 1876 it
was often remarked as a curious coinci-
dence that of the men elected president
every third one was childless. The list
ran: Washington, Madison, Jackson
Polk, Buchanan and-but there seems to
have been break in the line, so that the
omen failed on Tilden. 1t is also worthy
of remark that these childless men had
singularly happy home lives, and none
more so than George Washington.
Martha cambridge was beauty and
Virginia belle when at seventeen she
married Daniel Parke Custis. Of their
four children two preceded their father
to the tomb, and when the Widow Custis
married George Washington in 1859 she
had but son and daughter. History
gives us a few exquisite glimpses of the
home life of Washington for the next
few years. He and his wife were very
nearly of the same age: both born in
1882; both were wealthy, refined and Of
the highest standing among their Vir-
ginia contemporaries. Washington loved
the two children as his own. There was
nothing to mar their domestic life.
But in 1773 Martha Parke Custis died,
and Washington was long affected with
a strange restlessness. Indeed his do
mestic life never again seemed so calm
till after the Revolution. Martha was
sometimes called the dark lady" or
clark beauty" because of her brunette
complexion, but she was both beautiful
and amiable. The son, John Parke
Gusts, at the age of nineteen married
one of the famous Calvert family at Bal
tilnore, but he, too, died young-died Of
camp fever at Yorktown soon after the
surrender, leaving four children. Of
these General and Mrs. Washington
adopted two, and these constituted the
Washington family seen in the familiar
pictures.
Eleanor Parke Gusts, the daughter,
was so young at her fathers death that
she knew no home but Mount Vernon.
In 1899 she became the wife of Major
Lewis. Washington's sisters son. The
son was the well known George Wash
ington Parke Gusts, an author of some
note, who acquired the famous Arlington
estate, where he died in 1857. His only
child, daughter, married Robert E.
Lee, who thus became the owner of
Arlington, j. H. B.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
By sALLIE PATE sTEEN.

She turned HIrHU her cHCS MStinctiuCly
seeking the 1rindov Oppositc.
He was just vanishing over the brow
of the hill when they came gathering
along the dusty road. Heavens! Would
the broomstraw hide his tall young form
from their searching eyes? With her
arms about her mothers waist Glen
strained her own sight to watch him,
while sob rose in her throat. Maunl
Betsey, with her fat arms akimbo, stood
ut the corner of the house, alternately
watching the disappearance of her oldest
nursing and the rapid approach of II
squad of cavalrymcn rs they drew nearer
and nearer in cloud Of dust.
"My Gawd! Miss May, it is de
Yanks, sho' huff" she gasped, with her
eyes starting from her head. 81 clar to
grashus, dey's a stoppin', and dar's dat
boy Nelse hangin' on TO de front gate
an talkin' to 'em, like rs eff his black
hide 'ud tun bullet. Wisht dey would
pepper him onct, ennyhow. I'll give him
Yankee Doodle when l gifts holt o him
again, see eff don't"
A new fear pierced the mothers heart.
Were the soldiers about to enter this lie.
fenseless home? But no; after II brief
consultation with Nelse the party
wheeled across the road and entered a
grove of live oaks just opposite the
mansion.
Nelse hung on to the gate with out
stretched neck and starting eyes until
the last blue coat was out Of sight, and
then dropping off, sped like bullet up
the avenue and around the house into
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
BENEDICT ARNOLD.

barked on such a career when the guns at
Lexington brought him into the field.
Trumbull, who was governor OF the
Connecticut colony, greatly admired Ar
nold's energy in getting his company to-
gether within an hour after the messen-
ger brought the news of Lexington, and
at the bayonet's point demanding pow
der from the hesitating New Haven au-
thorities. and then. equipped, leading
them in the march across country to
Boston. It was Trumbull who advised
Washington of this exploit, SO that
Washington became early impressed
with Arnold's military ardor and ability.
Arnold's achievement in taking an
army across the wilds of Maine to Que
bee, which has been ikened by some
writers to the marches of Aenophon or
Hannibal, gained for him the warmest
friendship of Washington.
Arnolds letters show that the only
man in Revolutionary times for whom
he felt either fear or respect was Wash
ington. In Washington's presence Ar
QOlu was SuDuueu, SllSio'to oAAt ANSp~N'
full. Some of his letters Indicate that he
had for Washington feeling he had for
no other man, something of affection,
and it was apparent to those who studied
the life of Arnold that the only person
before whom he stood tanned and whose
authority he cheerfully acknowledged
was Washington. That indicates some
thing of that great moral quality which
led Mr.. Gladstone to speak OF Washing
ton as perhaps the greatest man since
Luther. When he was contemplating
his awful treachery the only thought
that gave Arnold pain was that Washing
ton would suffer- For the rest ne cared
not one jot.
Trumbull, although not so conspicuous
in the agitations which led to the revolt
of tho colonies as Sam Adams or John
Hancock or Roger Sherman or Thomas
Jefferson, was nevertheless regarded by
Washington as the strongest friend that
he had to lean upon. 1t is probable that
he revealed more of his condolences to
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22

eve were then laying out Riverside
park and decided that the statue should
be placed in the little crescent where it
now stands. A number of residents
along the new park Joined me in q sub
scription, and we brought block of
granite from New Hampshire and had a
pedestal made. When the pedestal w"s
ready the statue was dedicated. It was
on Fourth of July. Children to the
number of 500, detailed in military form
from the various public schools, carried
out unaided on that day the programme
that had been begun before any of them
were born. The school commissioners
and 5000 other citizens, with Cappa's
Seventh regiment band, assembled at
the crescent, and the children united in
anthem and song and GRAFTON to COM
plete in their own way the programme
of inauguration. The little girls were
dressed in white, and the boys were all
bright and decently clad. Every girl
and boy carried little flag of the coun-
try, and they all marched in procession
two and two, singing and scattering
flowers about the statue as they passed.
The scene was the most interesting and
touching of any I ever beheld. And
thus the statue was dedicated"
Soil is now being hauled from Fort
Washington, more than three miles up
the river, to complete bastion front for
the statue, and congress will be asked
to donate two or more Revolutionary
cannon to place at the angles. This
fort was the first geographical point to
be named for Washington, and there is
not square foot of its soil but was con-
secrated by the blood of Cadwallader's
noblo Marylanders and Pennsylvanians
when they made their final and hopeless
stand, Spartan band of 5000, against
the kings army, seven times as strong.
General Viele originated the idea Of
making the bastion front with this soil.
It will be when completed an exact
duplicate of one of Alexander Hamilton's
bastions at the old fort.
EDsoN BRACE.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
~
f 49,. : =.
TIHuuE
rrIp pEvERIEY HOrISF

buildings joined together, extending east
and west and fronting toward the south.
Last spring it was totally destroyed by
fire, and three tall walls of blackened
brick and masonry, says contributor
to the New York Evening Post, are all
that is left of the most interesting dwell
ing on the Hudson. It was Benedict
Arnold's headquarters in 1880, and from
it he fled to the enemy. The owner had
gone over to the British some time be-
fore, and Putnam and Parsons lodged
there while campaigning in 177S-9. On
July 81, 1880, Washington took up hi:
lodgings in the mansion, and five days
later Arnold arrived, having been ap-
pointed to the command of West Point
and its dependencies.
Thus the river rolls on to the ocean,
gathering its strength from the storms
in the Adirondack mountain forests,
its beauty from the wide sweep of
plains, and later from the lofty Palisades,
and its historic splendor from the deeds
of George Washington, of Virginia, first
commander in chief of the armies of the
United States of America.
FRED G. DAYTON.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
HE REFUSED A GROWN
AN EXAMPLE OF WASHlNGTON'S NO.
BILE AND UNSELFISH NATURE.

How This Action Impressed Gladstone
and Carlyle-It Seemed Incomprehensi-
BILE to Bouaparte-Washingto Rela-
tions with Trumbull and Arnold.
copyright. 1897. by American Press Associa-
tion.l
Mr.. Gladstone, in one of his chats with
Chauncey NJ. Depew, said that he was
inclined to the belief that all in all per-
haps the greatest man since Martin
Luther was George Washington. and
the great English statesman went on to
explain what he meant by this charac-
terization. He did not regard Washing
ton as Intellectually possessed of such
genius as any one of half dozen men
whom he could name. His military
genius is undisputed, although of course
it is hardly fair to compare it with that
displayed by John Churchill or Napoleon
or Wellington. Judged simply by re-
suits, it was as great as the victories OF
any of these men, since it led to the es-
tabishment of nation destined to be
pre-eminent in the nations of the world.
Every one who has studied the mill
tary movements of the Revolution on
both sides is aware that Washington
was very greatly helped by the distrac-
tions which existed in Great Britain and
which made it impossible to concentrate
its efforts in the American colonies.
What the result would have been had
Great Britain sent Wellington COM
manding a great British army in case he
and Washington joined in battle no man
can say.
Yet Mr.. Gladstone thought that in
some respects Washington stood the
greatest tests. His so called Fabian
policy, which consisted in extraordi-
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22

TO GAUGE A RIVERS BREADTH
Anybody can measure, approximately,
the breadth of river without sur
veyor's compass or any mechanical
means whatever. The man who de-
sires to make the experiment should
place himself at the stream, then stand
perfectly still, face the opposite bank
and lower the brim of his hat until it
just cuts the opposite bank.
Then let him put both hands under
his chin to steady his head and turn
slowly round until the hat-brim cuts
some point on the level ground behind
him. Mark the spot where the hat
brim cuts the ground, then pace off
the distance, and it will be found
about the breadth of the rivcr.-St.
Louis Globe Democrat.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
CHAPTER II.

Before she had time to collect herself
she heard the jingle of spurs outside,
and peremprny hand knocked at the
door. 1t wal barred and bolted. Be-
fore Glen had L,ossed the floor to open
it she was herself again. AS she stood
with one hand still upon the bolt con-
fronting her visitor the instinct of hos
pitality, as old as her race itself, forced
a sentence from her unwilling lips.
"Will you come in," she asked coldly
but not ungraciouslT AN instinct as
strong, the instinct of homage to her sex
and her beauty, stirred i'll the man before
her. With barred head and Il profound
bow, he accepted her invitation. His face
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22

1.-THE authorities now accepted tho
statue. and ordered it to be placed in
storage room in the park with lot of
rubbish, and there it remained something
like twenty years. When l became
president of the park department this
statue came under my notice as l was
inspecting the city's property of which |
was to have charge. 1t was covered
with dust and was hardly recognizable.
Its history had been forgotten. No one
knew what it was or how it came there.
The Tweed regime was past, and new
people were in. Finally found an old
clerk who knew. and he told me of it.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22

ner. Tears came to his eyes, and when
he dismissed them with sad gesture and
only brief word these men realized
that Washington had been shocked and
grieved that it could have entered into
their hearts that he for one moment could
have regarded an empire as possible or
could have fought through those seven
years that he might himself attain the
throne.
In that action Washington not only re-
vealed his moral greatness, but, accord
ing to the opinion of Mr.. Gladstone and
other great English thinkers who have
studied his life, made it impossible that
q monarchy could ever be established in
the United States.
Carlyle, who had no great opinion of
the American Revolution, believing, if
his private talks with Americans whom
he met have been correctly reported, that
it was little more than guerrilla war
fare, nevertheless has said that this half
sorrowful, half angry and contemptuous
repulse to those who were bringing to
him crown was something greater than
the command of the American armies
through seven years to ultimate victory.
1t was an act that Europeans could not
understand.
Bonaparte was always inclined to be-
lieve the story purely apocryphal, al
though he was a great admirer of
Washington and paid higher tribute to
his military genius than some other
great captains have done But it was
incomprehensible to Bonaparte that a
man should have conducted a prolonged
warfare to success without any idea Of
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and, moreover.
Bonaparte himself had no conception
whatever of any other form of republic
an government than that hideous night
mare which followed the French revolu
ton.
Washington's greatness was impressed
upon some of the great men of the times
in which he lived even before the world
understood his victories, and there are
some anecdotes traditionary respecting
his relations with two of the ablest men
of the Revolutionary period which have
not become threadbare by constant repe-
tition, and which illustrate this impress
sion of greatness which he gave to his
contemporaries.
Two of the ablest men produced by
the Revolutionary era were Jonathan
Trumbull and Benedict Arnold. They
were both natives of eastern Connecti-
cut Arnold was born only few miles
from Trumbull's home. Trumbull was
a man of great piety, splendid executive
capacity and possessed in the highest de-
gree the qualities of statemanship. Ar
mold was intellectually brilliant, but
even in childhood had revealed deficient
moral quality. He would have made a
great business man. and was in fact EN-
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22

NEGROES IN WAsHINGTON.-There
are 1894 negroes employed in Wash
ington by the government, and they
draw from the treasury in salaries
about $2,OOO,OOO a year. Naturally
the defeat of the Republican party was
severe blow to them, for, being Re-
publicans themselves, they expect tc
be removed by the Cleveland admins
tration in so far as they are not pro
tected by the civil service rules. A
large number of them, however, may
be happily disappointed, although mer
like ex-senator Bruce, who receives
$4,000 a year as recorder of deeds in
the District of Columbia, are very
likely to be accelerated into private
life.
In all there are between $4,000 and
$4,000 negroes who live at the nation
al capital, and their accumulation
of wealth is now very large. Among
them. too, are many Of the best edu'
Gated young men of the race, who
ought to be scattered among Their
people in the South helping to elevate
the general condition of the negroes
Springfield Republican.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-22
THE LORDLY HUDSON.
WASHINGTON'S WOOlNG AND WAR;
FARE ON ITS BANKS.

He Courted and Was Refused and a Score
of Years Later Fought and Won on the
Scene of His Early Disappointment.
Romance of q River.
Copyright. 1893, by American Press Associa-
tion.l
The Hudson river and various points
along its banks TEEN with historic glory.
To one who is familiar with the record
of the colonies that afterward became
the United States of America the men,
ton of the name evolves panoramic
retrospect that has all the gorgeousness
of a dream and the solidity of fact.
There was the old Dutchman who sailed
up the stream looking for waterway to
the Indies. Following the explorer came
the colonists, the village of New Amster-
dam, and later the city of New York,
while at the head of tidewater, nearly
ITO miles from the bay, rose the trading
post of Albany. afterward destined to be