The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-21
At Mount Vernon, Virginia

his wife. Marie Antoinette. the proud Aus
trian-the naughty and giddy daughter of
/ the great Theresa. This room, on ac-
count OF this portrait and carpet, bring
UP many memories, too-of Mirabeau Of
the Girondists, of the Jacobins, OF Bail
! lie. of the Danes aux Halles, of the jaun-
diced Robespierre, Of the brilliant brutal
Danton, of the blood-fon Marat and
| Charlotte Corday, of the gates and pal
ace of Versailles where Milliard and his
An1azons hungered for bread and thirsted
| for blood, of the flight to Varennes, of
the massacre of the Swiss Guards, of the
Man with the Beard" and his axe, of
| Berrere. Malesherbes, Santerre of Simon
! the Shoemaker, aud-in the course of
events-of the Man on Horseback '-the
| Corsican.
In the library are Washington's ink
stand and the tripod he used when, as
boy, he went out TO take the western
metes and bounds of Lord Fairfax's land
! grant In the family dining-room are
great many things of interest, including
the original Chippendale sideboard and
some handsome liquor cases presented TO
him by Lord Fairfax.
| The banquet hail is full Of things of an
tique interest, the most notable of which
| is the beautiful mantel presented to Cen
| eral Washington by Samuel Vaughn of
| London The panels are by Canova
and represent agricultural scenes. This
piece, while enroute to the United States.
was captured by French pirates but when
they ascertained that it was a present to
| Washington they sent it TO its destination
| and took unusual precautions to insure
| its safe delivery.
| Besides the spare bedrooms" there
are upstairs the room that Lafayette
always slept in while at Mt Vernon. Mel
| lie GUSTS room, the "Rver-Room,' and
the room in which Washington died. The
| River Room" is interesting for the rea-
! son that in a pane of glass you can still
read August 2nd, 1792.'' cut by the dia-
mond ring of Miss Elizabeth Park Gus
! tbs. In it you also see the dress that
| Martha Gusts wore when welded to
Washington.
| Every one wants to see the room that
Washington died in. 1t contains the same
bed the same furniture and open on
/ chair is the same bible that his wife read
/ from as the departed spirit departed from
his body. According TO the custom of the
| times three years had to elapse before
Mrs. Washington could occupy the room
| again and she moved to an attic room
with dormer window-it being the only
room in the house whence she could see
the tomb of her husband Washington.
| having rested thirty-two years in the old
tomb still preserved, until 1891. 1t was
the original purpose to bury him in
crypt of the Capitol. but as there was no
provision for the burial of his wife be-
side him the purpose was abandoned.
Mrs Washington did not survive her hus-
band quite three years and she died in
the attic room above mentioned
Mrs Washington was Martha Dan
bridge a real southern belle and a great
social favorite. She was married to MIR.
Custis who soon died, and left her a
rich widow. She was married to Wash
ington IN 1859 and it is on record that
within short time after the wedding she
came to him with the natural request
of all women-sorne new clothes. George
told her to make out a list of what she
needed and that he would send to England
for them. In due time Martha appeared
with a slip of paper in her hand contain
ing this modest order: Cap handkerchief
and tucker, one each: two fine lawn APP
rons; two pairs of silk hose; six pairs Of
fine cotton hose. and four pairs Of thread
hose; one pair of black satin shoes of the
smallest fives, one pair of white satin
Z eIn
one fashionable hat or bonnet, six pairs
of kid gloves and SIX pairs of mits; six
breast knots. twelve silk stay laces and
twelve fashionable cambria handkerchiefs;
one black mask, two pairs of small scis-
sors and one pound of sewing silk; one
box of real miniken hairpins; four pieces
of tape: six pounds of perfumed powder;
one piece OF white satin ribbon and six
pounds of sugar candy; one tuckered pet
ticoat of a fashionable color; one silver
tabby petticoat and two handsome breast
flowers. / give this list to prove that
George Washington had as much patience
and fortitude as history accords him, for
he ordered the goods without protest.
Mount Vernon was originally known as
Hunting Rover farm but Lawrence Wash
ington, to whom it was given by Augustin
Washington. renamed it after his old
commander in the English war with Spain
Commodore Vernon. Lawrence was in
delicate health and soon died. leaving
one heir-a daughter. In case she died
or was without issue. the estate should
go 10 his beloved half-brother George
Within year the girl died and the i'm
mortal George came into possession OF
the estate Before this the mother Mary
Ball. had planned TO get him into the Brit
ish navy and wrote to her brother in
London concerning It. The answer came
back that she would do better 70 appren-
tice him 10 a tinker
Like all young fellows George Wash
ington had an early love affair. with the