Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-26

Burr We're frequent visitors. The Cal
Verts and the CAROLS were intimate
nciShbors. Tom Moore, the Irish poet
was an honorcd guest. II in the
Burns cottage that the poet penned his
famous lines:
In fancy beneath the twilight gloom.
Come. let me lead thee DER this modern Rome.
Such a cottage could not stand through
out the centuries without its legacy Of
romance. The love element crept in when
the beautiful Marcia Burns became the
bride of John z. Van Ness a member of
Congress from New York In those days
the cottage was still! mansion. with its
one story, low roof and four rooms.
But with the graduation of daughter
from the Philadelphia schools, il was
thought necessary to build another and d
finer home. and the Van Ness mansion
of the present day was the outcome of
the parents plans. Latrobe. the archi-
tect of the Capitol. designed the mansion.
which cost S6ooOO-si fabulous price for
a home at that time. But the old cottage
was retained as an adjunct to the newer
mansion by Mr.. Van Ness who. in the
meantime. had become the mayor of
Washington
But how the mighty have fallen. The
cottage some years ago fell into alien
hands. and was leased a beer garden.
The old mansion today bears the repu-
tation of being haunted, and on the an
niversary of the death of old Mr. Van
Ness 1t is said that six headloss horses
gallop around the home.
Pope's Land Grant.
Under the date of June ). 1863 land
who, with other Scotch and Irish. immi-
grated to this country. Popes patent
included Capitol HILL and. in his fancy,
he great city rise. that should be
the rival of ancient Rome. He reared
ing years. this was destroyed. and finally
the property came into the possession of
Daniel Carroll 1t was on this same site
that Mr.. Carroll built the house after
ward known as Duddington Manor. 1t
was this house that made so much
trouble for l. Enfant when he was laying
out the city. and it remained the home
OF some members of the Carroll family
until 1856. and was one of the landmarks
of New Jersey avenue.
y little farther along New Jersey ave-
nue. there stands row of houses built by
Thomas Low. who. having amassed a
fortune in India. brought to the new
country $500 900 in gold. Washington IN
duccd him To invest largely in the city Of
anticipations, and these houses represent
Il part of that investment They were
originally high class boarding houses. and
sheltered such men Louis Philippe,
Thomas Jefferson Monroe and many
others of equal distinction 1t was in
advised the drafting of the measure TO
establish IA United States bank.
Low was said to be quaint character.
lie married Miss Gusts. sister of Mrs.
George W. Parke Custis, the granddaugh-
ter OF Mrs. Washington. His memory was
faulty. and many times he even forgot his
own name On one occasion he locked his
wife in an upper chamber of the house
and forgot that she was there. keeping
her prisoner overnight. Finally she left
him and he died in comparative poverty.
The houses that he erected in New Jersey
avenue long have been used for govern
ment offices.
Passing from the site of the Burns
homestead. in 18th street the sgEtseer
comes 20 the octagon house, at 18th street
and New York avenue. This house was
built more than 100 years ago by Col
John Tayloe. His income was princely.
and he lived in a manner BETTING one of
his vast means.
The ,octagon house stands today, a hall