The San Francisco call., 1904-02-21
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s&E ~ Washington" re,
~ ~ piled the girl
promptly.
What do you know about George
Washington asked diplomat jest
ingiy OF an intense Iittie washington
society girl.
know that he was first in war.
first in peace and first in my heart"
said she earnestly.
And so George washsnston stands
to-day. after he has been dead more
than a hundred years; after the men,
ories 0f him have been cold long
27o2sh 10 have grown old. and after
the t-aditio-s have faded and nesv he
roes have come Gp-frst In the heart.
George Washilgton had calm
face" said woman looking intently
~ statue of him in z great library.
Go rot believe he was a man to fuss
"'e- his dinner"
aistoTE SAYS that Washington began
- BY II means and that he
Ffar7ed in upo2 young manhood with
ar education. some taieDt a good fam
to make MS mark.
Then history becomes rather prosy
~ young surveyor does little 10 dis
unEuish himself until The time wher
he becomes acquainted with the widow
Martha custis But from that moment
be Became q man OF mark.
The girl who worshius Washington
draws her own comforts and her own
r7f-lr -re
by a woman and without her he might
never have been The Father OF His
Country" Widows can also fnd some
delight in reading the life Of wash
ington FOR the widow Custis was Ger
tainly a woman who. not only capti-
waited the greatest man OF the day. but
assisted very materially in making his
name iIlustrious.
Martha Washington had one great
grief IN her early married life. a grief
which followed her into the White
House and against which she struggled
10 the end. Yet this grief was almost
trivial or would seem so in these DAYS
It arose from the reverence which
the early colonists paid her. No sooner
had The Father Of His Country at
tanned eniDence than Martha Wash
ington received the title Of Lady"
Washington. And as such she was
characterized in the newspapers Of the
day and in private life. The Father
Of His Country. who was an earnest
commoner, would not permit the use
Of the title And against it Martha
Washington also argued. But it was
applied 10 her and then il stuck
In some private letters owned by an
old Virginian family there is this para
days: IF only you could see our dear
Mrs. Washington. S. will not let US
call her Lady Washington. Indeed she
rose from the cakes and the tea in great
dudgeon the other day because a gen
tlemsn would insist upon SO calling her
Her manner is very dignified and she
does 70 talking that is not necessary
II there is one action above all 9TH
ers for which The women of America
can feel proud il is the preservation Of
the home Of Washington. How Mount
Vernon was saved as q monument TO
patriotism is an interesting story. for
II vas through the formation Of the
oldest patriotic association. Of women
row in existence in the United States
that this historic spot was preserved to
posterity-
Upon the death Of George Washing
fon in 1879. life interest in the estate
Dsssed 70 his Nife. From her II fell 10
various Washington relatives until, in
1855. John Augustine Washington JT.
found himself 81 possession Of an his
torlc place which he was unable 70 keep
in proper state Of repair. With the
consent of hts family he endeavored TO
-eTect its permanent preservation by
ceiling IL to the United States Govern
rnent. and falling in this offered il TO
tbe commonwealth Of Virginia. II Vas
al this crisis that Ann Pamela Gun
bingham Of Sonth Carolina determined
tha. the tomb or Washington must be
preserved as a permanent shrine Of pa
tTiotism-
Accordingly she organized the Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association and ap-
r,ointed vice regents in the various
states TO aid in the work Contribu-
lions to a fund 20 buy the property
were solicited. and soon every section OF
the country became interested. Thou
sands of school children gave pennies.
Edward Everett presented the immense
proceeds OF his lecture on Washing
ton" societies donated funds and
Mount Vernon was saved to the nation.