The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-05-02

ness, his impetuous nature, and irritable
temperament, his stern independence or
MS Willfulness, made him refuse TO eX-
( hlbit the plans in order to insure an early
/ sale OF lots or thai spectators might
I seize the choice sites. Perhaps it was 4
combination Of all these qualities that
made him persist in his refusal and by
/ his INSTRUMENTATION ana stubbornness gain
a dismissal from Office instead of the
honor he expected and deserved. Perhaps
the same independence Of character that
made him refuse the offer of a house for
his service in New York led him also to
refuse President Monroes offer of a
place as professor at West Point. but
though he had it in mis- power to do great
injury TO the new city ii is TO his lasting
credit that he remained absolutely loyal
10 1t, in spite of his dismissal and the
disregard paid to the design he had SO
much at heart.
He was afterward selected to prepare a
design for and to superintend the erection
OF Fort Washington, on the Potomac
but owing TO his old impotence and in
subordination he was again discharged
His pride OF spirit was SO great, however
that it is reported that in coming up from
Fort Washington he made a wide circui,
y.
although he wished it no i'll, so incensed
was he on account of the treatment ne
had received that he cid not wish to put
his foot inside the city limits. 1t was
discovered, after its erection, that the fort
had not been placed on the ground pur-
chased by the government, but on a lot
adjoining II, that belonged to Mr.. William
Dudley Digges, with whom FEnfant
made his home N the beautiful place
that overlOOKs the city.
OF his later, as well as his earlier life.
very little is known. From the dark
wings OF obscurity he comes upon the
stage and speaks his stirring lines. at
tempting to change by his own will and
power the situations planned for him. ana
then slips back into those same dark
wings again. But We hear of his anus
ing himself with his books and the de-
signs that were confined 10 the elaborate
ARRANGEMENTS OF the flower garden on hie
tract OF land. though We do not hear OF
the great plans and schemes that must
have agitated the tireless brain TIL death
babe II rest in the early summer Of lSZ5
He was buried near his last residence in
the center Of circle OF pines with not
even d stone TO mark his resting place
and not even a monument 70 his mem
DRY, or a street that bears his name But
IL has been well said that "notWithstand-
ing the omissions, alterations, m1tila-
tons and substitutiOns, q few Of which
are improvements. but many more are
either abOrdye attempts al imitation or
DlLuurIliS cIyFtS al TrSfOfG IlOn OF some
part Of the design that had been effaeed
or obliterated in the interests Of economy
or bad taste. the city as II is will always
remain monument in honor OF FEnfant
more enduring and expressive OF his ze-
Mus taste and forecast than any Other
statue or Obelisk IN bronze or marble"
His original map % the city r. on file in
the Office OF public buildings and grounds
and the statement OF the various rnOuu-
ments, parks, public grounds. &c. Is very
entertaining. Quite as interesting Is III.
grave that. with the map. constitutes an
We now possess o. the wonderful. errStlc
impatient genius The scene from m
hilltop is one Of the most lovely o. the
many yaFi0usly beautiful views around
the city, and alone would compensate one
for q pilgrimage 10 fEnfant's resting
place. There are two CT THEE member
OF the Digges household buried BESIDE
In. ana above the graves. that are ali
aIiae. rises 4 rude cross made of d hori-
ZOntal and q perpendicular bar % iron
lashed together. put there probably by
some supersIitiOus person who feared lesr
the spirits should come back to visit their
former nab.iatioDs during the lonely
ever. for the proud disappointed spirit
once freed W0Iid very probably have re-
fused the chance. But though mans ven
Grafton has left him alone ard neglected
nature = stilI loyal TO him: her green
Pines sob Cequiems over him and her nlyrs
tie covers him with its faithful blue az
he lies sleeping IN the kindly earth % the /
adopted country for whose cause he risk
81 his life on her battle fields looking /
down over the splendid city that vas his /
love, pride, and ambition u the last