The broad ax., 1906-06-16
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

their war recOruS.
The work done by these clerks Is
-,dad as follows: Excellent, 374;
eood, So; average. DO; fair, 251; poor,
Tho Oldest man In the service Is
-,no+v-one. another is ninety and three
- - oiphty-six, four are eighty-five, i've
60 eichty-four, six are eighty-three,
+n,o,ve are eighty-two, fourteen are
a;gbtv-one, eighteen are eighty, fifteen
oro seventy-nine, twenty-five are sew
.n+r.efcht. twenty-three are seventy
soycp. forty-four are seyenty-six, etc.
MARTHA washinEtOn's Bible.
The long lost Bible of Martha Wash
,,.ton. taken from the home Of the
- family at Arlington during the
.,ril war. has been restored to Miss
Mary Gusts Lee, daughter Of General
10 the great Confederate commander,
bv G. ". Kendrick, Jr., Of Philadel-
phia.
lsctor, bought the book many years
400 from a man named Stein. The
-5c,ssitudes through which this won
derful old volume has passed will new
or be known. 1t was probably stolen,
as were many other priceless treas
mes from the Lee mansion by the
ssrvsuts or soldiers and pawned per-
bsns for a trifing sum by persons ig-
uorant of its value.
Book In Good Condition.
In spite Of its strange experience,
the hook is still In fine condition. Mr..
Kendrick has kept 1t with great care.
and its black leather cover shows few
scratches. A few pages are torn, but
the ink is still unfaded, and many
leaves and flowers, pressed by mem
hers Of the Lee family, are still with
init
The book was printed in London In
1902 by Charles Bill and the execu-
trix of Thomas Newcomb, deceased,
urinters to the kings most excellent
majesty" 1t contains the ''order for
morning prayer throughout the year"
including the communion service, the
articles Of religion, the Old and New
Testaments, with the apocrypha, the
metrical version Of the Psalms and the
table of kindred affinity.
Old Records.
The earliest birth recorded in 1t Is
that Of Fanny Parke Gusts In ITO,
that Of her brother, Daniel Parke Gus
dis, being given as I'LL The marriage
Of Daniel Parke Gusts to Martha Dan
bridge, afterward Martha Washington,
d recorded as having occurred In 175O.
His young widow, who had been mar
ried when only seventeen, was left
with four children, only two Of whom
lived to grow up.
The son, John Gusts, who married
Eleanor Calvert, was the father Of four
children, one Of whom, George Wash
ington Parke Gusts, was the father Of
General Lees wife, through whom Ar
Hngton came into possession Of the Lee
family.
The book contains no record Of the
marriage Of Martha Gusts to George
Washington.
President Sits Fer Artist.
President Roosevelt has been sitting
for portrait In oil, which is to have q
place in one Of the buildings Of the
University Of Berlin. The artist COM
missiOned to paint the picture Is Irving
3. Wiles Of New York.
In a measure the work Of Mr.. Wiles
is the outcome Of a suggestion Of the
emperor Of Germany and others which
resulted in an arrangement last year to
have an exchange Of professorships In
leading universities Of Germany and
the United States.
New District Government.
Representative Keller Of Ohio IL one
Of those members Of the house who
think that the people Of the District OF
Columbia should have a representative
government and has introduced q blu
providing for the change. The measure
provides that the present government
be abolished within a year and another
formed composed Of q mayor, board OF
aldermen and common council As the
United States owns more than one-half
OF the District Of Columbia real estate,
according to the measure, the taxes are
placed on half and half basis.
Confaaion Of Names.
In order that a more accurate record
may be kept Of all horses and mules
belonging to the District government
the property clerk has suggested to the
commissioners that every animal be
given number instead Of q name and
shall be known by number while prop
erty Of the District.
Property Clerk Hargroves declares
by this system he viii be able to know
better how many horses and mules are
distributed among the several depart
ments. He claims that It Is hard 70
Keep track Of them by their names.
Last year he says there were ten
horses named Jim, four named Maud
and two named Kitty.
To PrOmuIgate TubereuIOsis Rules.
The health officer has recommended
mat the rules prepared by the commit
zee on prevention Of tuberculosis In
government buildings, appointed BY the
president be promulgated by the COM