The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-22
The Romance of the Rose of
Nellie Gusts at Mt. Vernon

treated the leaves after the manner of
four-leaved clover. and bashfully tuck
ed them Into their shoe tops.
Nothing but the roses themselves
would satisfy exacting damsels. for
their white-petaled sweetness was GER
tain to have the effect Of inspiring
some Prince Charming with love for
the possessor within the following
year. Lucky. indeed, was the girl who
could successfully elude the watchful
eye of the gardener and carry on IN
triumph one Of the flowers so soon to
be followed by orange blossoms! The
wfles used by some of these lovelorn
little vandals would have done credit
to skilled second-story man.
Bush One Hundred Years Old.
In the last few years. however. the
faith In the pretty old legend has some
what died out among the younger gen.
ctsm follows the trolley as the consti-
tuition does the flag. or that the bach
elor maids Of the present think too lit
tie of matrimony to cherish any senti-
mental stories OF white roses and pro-
posals, there Is far less eagerness now
to find the bush of fable.
There Is nothing in the appearance of
the bush which has created such havoc
in romantic young hearts to awe the
main walks Of the little old formal gar
den which was considered one of the
show" places OF the estate In the days
of the great American generals resi-
dence there. The bush 10 near : the
greenhouse and not far from the old
slave quarters. 1t Is not more than
eight feet high. and still bears its pref
ty white clusters as freely as ever, al
though 1t is 100 years old
n WhaIan rdan No,,rx
Vernon. is authority for the old age OF
the tradition which ascribes such won
derful potency to this particular bush.
The rose." said Mr.. Whelan, sis said
to have been set out by George Wash
ington himself. There were two bushes
of this same variety, noisettes, In the
garden. One of these General Wash
ington named for his mother. Mary
Washington. and the other for his
wife's daughter. Nellie GUSTS. I have
never heard any question raised about
the authenticity of the story that he
planted both of the bushes. Just how
the tradition of the efficacy of the Mel
lie Custis' as a love-charm originated !
can't say, but 1t is certainly very old.
The negroes on the place used to loiter
around It while counting, because they
believed they would soon be allowed to
marry, through Its influence"
Whenever there was a dance or Pfc
mic in the neighborhood, say the old
timers. every young wench about the
vicinity wanted to go armed with a
sprig Of the white rose. for each of
them believed that once she got on
good terms with the Nellie Custis" no
colored swain could resist her. Ev-
cry warm evening saw dusky couples
sneaking around Mount Vernon, and
eolored wallfowers trainped miles to
get one of the matchless posies.
Nellie Custis Wore the Rose.
There Is good ground for the belief
that the legend Is nearly as old as the
rosebush itself. A Virginia matron of
the old school. one OF those to whom
the bush will ever be dear, told the
writer that charming Nellie Custis
herself is said to have worn one of the
white roses in her bosom when her
future husband, Major Lewis. proposed
to her.
my grandmother" said this lady
''used to tell me that the bush was a
great favorite with Nellie Custis. She
tended It assiduousiy and used to place
her chair near It when she read and