The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-11-01
:: THE BRIGGS MANSION AND ITS MISTRESS :.

The rooms are full Of old furniture
and relies of a bygone time. In the
drawing room stands a colonial couch or
settee taken from Christ's Church, Alex
andria, where George Washington wor-
SHIPPED The managers of Mount Vernon
have offered every indueement to Mrs.
Briggs to have this valuable relic taken
TO Washington's estate to be placed on
exhibition there. In the library the
bibliophile would find a thousand treas
ures The colIeetion is a large one and
contains books old and new. some of
them exceedingly rare. There are vol
umes that could not be found in the
great Congressional Library. the value
OF which would be the price of fifty
books of modern days. History and
poetry. classics and biography adorn the
shelves Mrs. Briggs has been busy
reader throughout her long life. and the
collection Is perhaps the best private
library to be found in washington.
Frescoed by Brumidi.
One room in the house was frescoed
by Brumidi. the famous mural painter
who decorated the Rotunda of the Capt
toll. IN this room its gifted owner has
gathered the choicest Of her relics. It
contains a large picture Of Lincoln, her
best friend among the public men of
the country. There are other relies here.
many of them gifts from the men and
women who were In the public eye forty
years ago.
No less interesting are the reminiscent
ces which OLIVIA" never tires OF relat-
ing to the patient listener With her
husband she attended the first levee
held at the White House after the in
auguration Of Lincoln. The mansion was
crowded by a mass Of people. which
might be best characterized as a mob.
The reception was not in the least for
NAL There was no shaking OF hands and
no presentation Of guests The people
simply came in a crowd-the baker. the
/ Quaker. and csndlestick maker. They
stared at the President and his wife I'M
til admonished to move along by some
policeman or soldier, and they made
way for the others on the outside to come
in and look at the tell and ungainly man
with the deep set ewes and sad face.
Mrs. Briggs declares that Lincoln was
in constant expectation OF the assassin's
knife. or pistol. but that he apparently
had no fear Of suc:4 fate II it awaited
him. The time OF the Ievee was spent
by him and Mrs. Lincoln In talking with
those of the throng whom they hap
pened to know. and others were not
allowed to approach
Mrs Briggs lived for a time near the
old Capitol Prison. on First Street
northeast. Here she saw many hang
ings Of the Confederate prisoners. sew
eral Of them belonging to Mosby's
Troop. Her impressions of that time
are most vivid. ana IN telling the story
she seemed to see still the horrible
sights in the prison yard and to hear
the march of some condemned Con-
federate to the rude gallows situated
there. She was accustomed TO run
away from the window. her hands to her
ears. but something in the demeanor Of
the men always brought her back TO
see them once more before they died.
She never but once actually saw the
final act OF the exec tioa, but she cou1o
never quite forego watching the brave
fellows march to the gallows with proud
defiance in every movement and i'm
printed upon their white young faces.
Mrs PRICES was ono Of the fo,,pdaro
of the Womans National Press Asso-
citation. and was its first president.