The National tribune., 1897-12-09
Copyright, 1897. by Mary S. Lockwood
CHAPTER Iv-(comtinued).

Hon. William Writ, The eminent hurst ant
owrer of the Writ mansion, on q between
Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets, was
twice married At the time OF ms mrs
wife's death he was about thirty years
ace Ii Is said of him that he was mos
companionabIe, genial, warm hearted man
highly engaging and preposseSSlng II
manner. He was strikingly elegant aho
commanding in appearance.
at Pen Park, Albemarle County, where
he married Miss Gilmore, he placed thIs
tablet over the grave of her who flrS
brought him 10 This spot:
Here lies Mildred,
Daughter of George and Lucy Gilmore,
Wife of William Writ.
She was born Aug. 10, 1872; Married May
Is, 1896; Died Sept. IL, 1779.
Come round her tomb each object OF de
Each purer frame inflamed with purer fire
BE all that's good, that cheers ana soi'ehs
The tender sister, daughter, friend and
wife,
And when your virtues you have counted
Then view this marble, and be vain no
more.
His second wife was not won without
many apprehensionS on the part OF the
pater familias. The lover, at this pcrlod oil
his life, had no promises OF fortune. or
even a living competency to Stfeh@'neii
his claim and so il came that Coi. Gampie,
for reasons best known 10 himself, when
the momentous question was proposed,
thought best TO put the gay young man on
probation.
During this interval, his biographer saws.
Col. Gamble had occasion 10 visit ms
future son in-law's office at sunrise one
Summer morning. Ii, uplucllily, happened
al. l.,f . lna NIGHT keinrp brOllpIt
some Young friends there, and they mad
had merry time, which had so beguI'ed the
hours that even at sunrise they had not
departed.
The Colonel opened the door, little ex-
pecting to find anyone AT that hour: has
eyes fell upon a strange group There
stood Mr. Writ with the poker IN ms right
hand, the sheet iron blower fastened upon
his left arm, which was thrust through the
handle on his head was TIN wash BASIN,
and as to the rest of his dTcsS-it was hot
weather, and the hero Of this grotesque
scene had dismissed as much OF his ward
robe as comfort might be supposed to de
mand. substituting a light wrapper that
greatly added To The theatrical effect.
There he stood III his whimsical capari-
son. reciting with an abundance OF stage
gesticulations, Falstaff's onset upon the
thieves. His back was toward the door,
and the opening OF it drew all eyes.
We may imagine the queer look Of the
anxious probationer as Col. Gamble, with
q grave and mannerly silence, bowed and
Withdrew, closing the door behind him
without the exchange OF a word.
1t is quite possible some escapade OF this
kind gave credence TO another story told
Of Mr.. Writ. The story runs that, after the
death Of his first wife, while residing in
Richmond, Va, he sometimes INDUCED in
sprees. At enc time, after a night of CON
VITALITY. and while still under the influence
of wine, he lay asleep under a tree in the
most public thoroughfare of the city. The
young lady 10 whom we have already re-
serred, CHANGED that way, and seeing him
In this condition and wishing TO shield him
from the public gaze took out her hand
kerchief and laid il over his face.
When Mr.. Writ awakened from his sleep
Of intoxicauon and removed he handkeI-
.hief, he saw it bore the initials f. Nj. O..
Il is difficult to say which feeling predomi-