The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-16

Williamsburg. Having transactea il-S
business viii the governor. he returned
TO Mr.. ChambeTlayne's pleasant nome
and remained a week
g 9 .
It was a case of love at first Slsht'
but Martha GUSTS had been a widow
only six months, and she made Wash
ington wait until her sense of prOpriety
was satisfied. Whether she kept him
dangling all this time W. do not know,
but while he was still attending the
house OF burgesSes at Williamsburg she
always remained there, occupying the
Six Chimney House" and making II
the center of hospitality. The day after
she accepted Washington she planted
IN the garden 4 yeW tree, which as a
symbol OF cOnstancy, and has stood
there as mute witness OF the widow S
devotion all these years.
The wedding took place on the 18th
Of January, 1888. at St Peters church
at New Kent followed by a reception
at the cambridge mansion. The cere-
mOny was performed by Rev. Mr. Lang,
who preached there for over forty
years, and was one of the finest tvDes
of the Virginia parson. The old church
is standing, and is still used for public
worship, although ut was built in 1903.
nearly two centuries ago, and cost only
Il, 600 pounds Of tobacco.
At the time of the marriage Wash
ingtOn was attending a session of the
house of burgesses. and upon adjourn
ment took his wife and her two little
children to Mount Vernon In the fol-
lowing September, in declining an in
vitatiOn from his cousin Richard to
visit England, he said: 4 am now
fixed at this seat with an agreea BILE
0lrf for e. - I
happiness in retirement than I ever eX-
perienced amidst a wild. busting
world" But the great desire Of his
heart was unsa tiSfied, and in letters to
friends and in the condolences of his
diary he expressed frequently his pro-
round disappointment that he had no
children of his own.
g o o
Two of the young women who Tilted
Washington lived in Williamsburg
after their marriage, and both of them,
from their windows, watched the tri-
umphal progress of the continental
army as it followed him into town after
the surrender of CORVALLIS, when ne
was the greatest man in America, and
one of the conspicuous figures of the
world. Washington rode a beautiful,
thoroughbred chestnut, and was sur
rounded by glittering staff Of French
and American officers. Lafayette rode
at his left, and ROChambeau at his
right. He carried his hat in his hand
and bowed in a digni1ed, stiff and
grave manner to the enthusiastic pOpu-
lace.
AS the procession passed down Taze-
we'll avenue to Duke of Gloucester
street, on its way TO the palace, we are
told that "a pale and slender woman
came to the door of a house with her
hands pressed close above her bosom
and her tears bluTring the wistful eyes
bent so eagerly upon the noble, bare
headed figure sitting so mastery upon
the dancing chestnut. Washington saw
and knew her in one keen glance above
the heads Of the shouting crowds, and
checking his impatient animal, he
bowed until his powdered hair mingled
with his horses name. The woman at
tempted a courtesy, but nature could
bear no more and with a, gasping sigh
she tainted and was borne within, a
hopeless, nervous wreck, while the man
whom her father had scoTnfully turned
out of doors rode on to his destiny, his
victorious army at his back, the cheer
ing multitude at his feet"
This was the wife Of Thomas Adams
Of Williamsburg. formerly Betsy FaUnt-
leroy, who married for money instead
Of love. and was sorry for it. Her
father was rich and proud and had a
fine plantation at MAYORS Hall on the
RaDpahannock river, about fifteen
miles from Wakefield, where Washing
ton was born and spent his bOyhOOd
It is believed that she loved him, but
was persuaded by her parents that she
could do better than marry a poor sur
veyof.
8 @ @
After Washington returned from
Barbados, where he had attended his
! brother, Lawrence. who was in feeble
/ health. he wrote Mr.. FaUntlerOy let
/ ter. which has been preserved in tn
! family. asking permission to renew hi:
attentions to Miss Betsy, in the hope,
| he saws. of q revocation of a fOrme
cruel sentence, and see if I cannot finC
an alteration in my favor The repl!