The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-18
YOUNG GUSTS WAS IN LOVE.
so WASHINGTON LET HIM LEAVE
KINGS COLLEGE.

throw
of His Country Nelly CaITerts
charms More Potent Than the Au-
.ust stepfather's wishes.
From the New York Commercial-Adver-
tiser.
old letters just unearthed from the arch
ives of Columbia University throw
new and charming light upon the charac-
,sr of Georgia Washington. They show
NOT he was a warm friend of the college,
and that he once journeyed hither from
virginia to place his adopted son, young
custis, under the care of its professors.
Custis. however, did not graduate from
Kings college, as Columbia was then call
oil He had fallen In love with Nelly Cal
wort daughter of Benedict Calvert, and
ended his studies abruptly to marry the
Girl of his choice. The story of Washing
toms connection with the college, which
Incidentally reveals much about the Faith
or of His Country as the father of a fam
Nv and something of college life during
the last century, is best told in his letters
to the Rev. Mr.. Cooper, president of
Kings College, and TO Mr.. Calvert The
first letter. dated April g. 1878. is from
Washington to Mr.. Calvert, and reads as
follows:
81 am now set down to write to you on
subject of Importance and of no small
embarrassment to me. My son-in-law and
ward. Mr. Custis has, as l have been in
formed paid his addresses to your second
daughter, and having made some progress
in her affections has solicited her in mar
rage. How far union of this sort may be
agreeable TO you you best can tell; but l
should think myself wanting in candor
were l not 70 confess that Miss Nelly's
emiable qualities are acknowledged on all
hands and that an alliance with your
family will be pleasing 10 his.
But the couple was very young, ana the
letter goes on to recommend a postpone
n1ent for TWO or three years, in which time
Mr.. Gusts might prosecute has studies
and render himself more deserving of the
lady and useful TO society"
That Mr.. Calvert acquiesced in this view
Is probable In a letter of April 10, to
Lord Dunmore, Governor OF Virginia,
Washington bids him farewell in these
words: THE design of my journey to
New York is to take my son-in-law, Mr..
Custs, to Kings College. If your lord
ship. therefore, has any commands L shall
think myself honored in being the bearer
Of them"
Bv the end of the next month the young
man was duly entered as a student, and
Washington departed from New York,
leaving a letter to DR.. Cooper behind him,
which serves admirably to Illustrate his
paternal solicitude. A verbatim copy of
this letter reads:
New York, 81 May, 17lS
Reverend Sir: Enclosed you have
sci of bills for one hundred pounds which
xraili
and retain the money in your own hands
to answer Mr. Custis' expenses at college
and such calls as he may have for cash
TO defray the incident expenses of his
abode in this city.
In respect to the first article of charge,
1 submit wholly to your better Judgment,
under a firm belief of your adopting such
measures as will most contribute to pro
mote the principal end of Mr.. Custis' COM
ing here, not regarding the extra charge
incurred in the accomplishment OF It, In
regard TO the second, as l do not know
what sum he ought, with propriety, to ex-
pend in such place as New York, L shall
not undertake to determine 1t; but nope,
If. contrary to my expectation you should
find him inchued to run into any KIND OF
extravaganza you will be so good, by your
friendly admonition, as to check its prog
ress
LAS Mr.. Gusts may probably want cloth
ing and other necessaries, you will please
TO establish a credit in his behalf with
such merchants as you can recommend,
and when the deposit now lodged with
you is expended in this and other pay
ments be so good as to transmit to me a
copy of the disbursements and l shah fur
nish you with other bills whereby to lay
In a new fund. .
Il have nothing further to add at pres
ont, except that a. the next vacation, or at
any other time I shall think myself happy
in seeing you in Virginia, and that am,
II with very great respect and esteem, your
4 most obedlent and humble serv't,
Geo. Washington.
TO Reverend DR.. Cooper, President OF
Kings College,
q Although this is not the kind of letter
4 that President Cooper's successor of to-
j day would be likely to receive it, never
tneless shows the young man entering col
ieee with good prospects of staying But
barely six months later love got the better
ri learning, and DIR. Cooper is addressed
again in these terms
Mount Vernon, is Dec, 1773.-Reverend
DIT: The favorable account, which you
We're pleased to transmit to me, of Mr.
'usus good conduct at college, gave ME
very great satisfaction. 1 hoped TO have
LETT an increase of 1t by his continuance
at that place under a gentleman so capa-
OF useful knowledge. But this hope Is
at an end; and it has been against my
wish that he should quit college in
order that he may soon enter into =
new scene of life for which he would
ne much filter some years hence. But hav-
ing his own inclination, the desires OF
ms mother and the acqulescence of al
most all his relatives to encounter,
"d not care, as he is the last Of the fam
n.y. to push my opposition too far,
ana l have therefore submittedsto a kind
OF necessity.
Not knowing how his expenses at col
iege stand, shall be much obliged if you
VIII render me an account of them. You
VIII please 20 charge literally for your
own particular attention to Mr.. Gusts
ead sufficiently reward the other gentle
men who we've engaged in the same good
oRces If the money with you is not suffi-
cent to answer these purposes, please to
a'Nise me thereof, and 1 win remit the