Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-11

knows. shs II about IL years old: u taller
than me. n very sensible and loving.
Her hair n like unto max. Her eyes
/ are the color OF yours. and her cheeks
are like May blossoms. ! wish you couid
sec her." This II al. for the signature u
lost, and the writer II unknown.
There n but one letter cxtant written
by Mary Ball IN her youth. and II - IN n
fair, round. though somewhat crampeu
hand. She writes therein that we nave
not had Q school-master In our neighpor
hood until now In nearly four years,
but adds: I'VE have now n young min
lister living with us who was educated AT
oxford" who teaches her sister ana her-
self. and that she is learning pretty fast.
The idea has gone out that she was IL
literatc: but this impression has probably
been created more by the quaint, old
fashioned photography Of her composition
In the few letters which survive than
from any other source. 1t must be re-
membercd that when she grew up VIZ
ginia was but a feeble colony on the from
tier OF civilization, with meagre' ana
scattered population OF some two hundred
thousand souls; that II was before the
days OF schools and newspapers and
postal facilities. and that the standards
OF this day cannot be applied TO IL.
The only two letters written In her old
age which are known contain some errors
of expression. but the handwriting Is by
no means deficient. and she was probably
as we'll educated az was customary In her
time. and certainly she exhibited no de-
ficiency in qualifications for her duties In
life.
There Is but a single known portrait of
Mary Ball, It being discovered at the VII
lage Of Cookham, In England, where Au-
gustine Washington and his bride briefly
soiourned before returning to America
after their marriage. One Is almost
startled on beholding II at the resem-
bance OF the features TO those Of the
Father Of His Country. The fine lines OF
the face and form are the expression or
strength and delicacy, grace and beauty
commingled. and wear the ineffable dig
nifty OF noble womanhood.
THE BRIDE OF WAKEFIELD.
The perturbations Of the civil war In
England, 10 which Charles i. lost his
head. led TO many migrations to Virginia.
especially from among the discontinued
and overturned followers OF the King.
William Ball. the grandfather OF Mary,
came over in 1850, and in 1901 came the
brothers, John and Lawrence Washing
ton. locating in Westmoreland county, in
the Northern Neck. Augustine Washing
ton. the grandson Of John. was born
I'm 1904 and his first wife was Jane But
Ter. OF this marriage were born Butler,
Lawrence, Augustine and Jane. George
Washington has recorded In the family
Bible that Augustine Washington AMI
Mary Ball (the second wife) were mar
riod on the 6th OF March, 1870 CD. 1t
seems from recent researches that this
marriage took place In England Angus
tine Washington going there on business
connected with estates in which he was
Interested and as an agent for the Prin-
cine Iron Works, located near here. At
this time 1t appears that Mary Ball was
visiting her brother Joseph, who had re-
moved TO the Mother Land, and made his
residence at "Stratford by Bow, nigh
London" There Is a pretty romance that
he was injured by being thrown from n
carriage and taken TO the house where
Mary Ball sojourncd, and through this
meeting she became his bride. However
this may be. Augustine Washington and
his bride went 10 his home. at Wakefield
on the banks of the Potomac. I'm West
moreland. where George Washington was
their first born on the 22d OF February,
1882
Late investigations have led to the
declaration by historical writer's that the
small four-roomed house which has fig
ured in many volumes as the birthplace
of Washington is a fiction, ana that the
building was. in fact, mansion or con-
Siderable size and pretensions. some
have rejOiced over this discovery. on the
ground that 80 stately and elegant man
as General Washington could hardly have
been the outcome Of so humble dwelling.
But who has not learned That good man.
ners are the product Of refined minds
and gentle hearts and not OF stately nails
Ru,fians have come forth from palaces.
and many Of the sweetest and noblest
natures have grown no under number
roofs than that OF the Wakefield cottage,
which so long figured as the birthplace OF
Washington.
All Europe was amazed when out OF the
forests and fields of the remote colonies
of the Atlantic coast from North to
South, there stepped forth at the drum
heat of revolution heroes, scholars, states
men. soldiers, and chieftairs who over
came its master spirits in DEBATE anu
foiled its ablest commanders in the heid
OF combat Ii made the same nls'nhe
that the world Is constantly making III
the conceit that greatness of soul must
no associated with splendid surroundings.
How fruitful were all these colonial
homes let history speak; nor Is this oid
state that gave so many OF them 10 the
world degenerate now. Enough TO- say
that Lee and his compatrlots or thls age
suffer nothing by comparison with Wasn-
ington and his Continentais. our race Is
n rich plant-bed from which scio'ls vi
genius and greatness are ever spiiis'hb'
Let exigencies call and they VIII e'e'
answer. ,a,.
whether great or small. the Wakefielo
home disappeared In flames on a windy
Anril dav in l735 A stone was set upon
this site by George Washington fafhe
Custis. in 1876, and. more recently ,hc
Government of the United States mas
made provision for an imposing memorial
TO be erected over 1t.
THE WIDOW OF PINE GROVE.
Now that Wakefield was burned, Au-
yustine Washington removed TO his plan
tation I'm Stafford county, sometimes
called Ferry farm, just across the
Rappahannock from this city. The plain
wooden homestead Of four rooms stood
upon the rivers bank. surrounded by
orchards. gardens. and trees Those who
wish TO associate Washington with the
grandeurs of stately living in his youth
would find all their theories dispelled by
n glimpse of the modest dwelling where
he spent his boyhood years. But nature
was bountiflil In its beauties in the lovely
Landscape that stretched before II. In
Ovenwharton parish, where 1t was stu
ated. the family. had many excellent
neighbors, and there came forth from
this little home a race of men whose
fame could gather no splendor had the
roofs which sheltered their childhood been
fretted with gold and blazoned with dia-
monds / have little patience with those
who are disconnected If they cannot find
some link between great virtues and
ancestral dignities. The heroic principle
In our people does not depend for per-
petuity on family trees.
1t Is true that the books are filled with
the pedigrees and coats-of-arms of the
DISTINGUISHED families with which Mary
Ball and her son were connected. Fami-
lies. like nations. may have their devices,
and il may be worthy Of note that that
of the Washington family furnished the
pattern from which the stars and stripes
of our national flag are taken. The In
sigma Of noble name handed down
from generation to generation, and held
up as the incentive of integrity and valor
may we'll be cherished. But all glories OF
ancestral escutcheons are over
Swallowed by the deeds of Washington
that they fade into insgnificance. Proud
and just Democracy scornful of honors
not self-won. pays its tributes solely to