The Washington herald., 1912-02-18

AOoA oClrg AAAo~S@s 49,
always be sorry for her because she
might have married George Washington.
She was. so far as known. his first
love. The daughter OF a wealthy Virginia
planter. she was at the time only four
teen years OF age. A mere child. one
might say. But It should be realized
that in those days. girls grew up much
quicker than they do now-though why,
goodness only knows-and at fourteen
and fifteen they were frequently wed.
Eighteen was an old maid.
IT was love at first sight. George was
always precipitate in such matters. and
inside OF a fortnight he had proposed.
What she thought OF him Is not recorded.
but her fathers was the deciding opinion
unfortunately for the young man. He
showed Washington the door.
MAYORS Hold" the girls home was
called. on the banks Of the lordly Poto-
mac. It was not very far from Wake
field. where washington was born. TO
him, of course. the defeat Of his hopes
over II easily. In his letters, and in
his diary also. her name is mentioned
again and again. in terms OF almost ex-
travagant compliment. He calls her the
''Lowland Beauty and Beautiful
Betsy But she married another man.
one Thomas, Adams.
As matter OF fact. George Washing
ton. as a young man, was wnai
fashionable folks in these days would
call detrimental" matrimonialIy
speaking. The mothers, who in those
times governed such affairs to a much
greater extent than now, looked upon
him as an undesirable match. and this
was the chief reason why he remained
unmarried so long. For the future father
Of his country was extremely impression
able to feminine charms and authentic
history records that he was refused by
at least three. and probably four. young
women before he was finally picked up
by the widow Custis. who, having a lit
Tie fortune Of her own. was in a posi-
tion TO suit her Individual and unre-
stricted taste in the choice OF a husband.
The Virginia Of those days, in which
Washington was born-at Wakefield,
Westmoreland County-was an aristocraic
section. Fundamentally, whatever may
be said to the contrary, an aristocracy
Is always based upon wealth, and George
was poor boy, the son OF a widow Of
slender means, and one Of six children
" ne AoAAANA 2NN0hn AldAEAdSt. 1uGEE
was no expectation then that his rich
half-brother Lawrence would leave him
a fortune, and that he would die the
wealthiest citizen in all America.
All Of which goes to show that prudent
parents are liable TO make mistakes in
choosing their sons-in-law. As for poor
George, he remained constant to his lady
love for some years, and even addressed
TO her certain original poems, one of
1ustUHa IL, 9-eFnN
lected paper in the Library of Congressl
begins:
Oh, ye gods. why should M pnor resisfiess heart
Stand to Oppose thy might and power?
1t was dreadful poetry. but who is
there that will not forgive the worst OF
amorous verse to lover under twenty?
The records seem TO show that Il was
in I751 that Georges first proposal Of
marriage was rejected. He was then
nineteen years old. A year later, in a
letter addressed TO the girls father, he
asks for a reversal OF the cruel SEN
tence," but, though Mr.. Fauntleroy's re-
ply is not extant, It was evidently un-
favorable.
Young Washington at that time. phys
ically speaking. was a fine specimen OF
early American manhood. He stood two
inches over six feet in his stockings.
AS a friendly contemporary describes
him. he had 'well-developed muscles,
large bones and joints, and wide shoul-
ders." His nose was large and straight
His chin was firm, and his hair, worn
In a queue, was dark brown. His
mouth, large and firmly closed. from
time TO time disclosed a few defective
teeth.
Between the dates Of his first and sec
ond proposals for "beaUteous Betsy's"
hand, he had made a voyage 10 Barba-
does with his invalid brother, Lawrence.
and there had caught the smallpox, which
impaired his good looks to some extent
for the rest OF his life.
Tradition, which Is unwrittcn history,
declares that the "Lowland Beauty" mar
ried Thomas Adams for his wealth, and
that she lived to regret her mistake.
Years afterward $50 the same authority
avers), when, after the triumph at York.
town. Washington passed through VIII
iamsburg, marching at the head Of his
troops past her residence. he looked up,
and, espying her on the balcony, raised
his sword In salute. She tainted.
Very likely there is not a word OF truth
in the story. Tradition Is usually a liar.
But, soon after his second refusal by
Betsy's father. he became much inter-
ested in a young lady named Mary Carey,
a connection and at the time a house
guest Of Lord Fairfax. His lordship
owned an estate OF some 100000 acres
in Virginia, granted to him by the Brit
ish crown. and George. being employed
to make survey and maps OF il. be-
came, as a friend OF the family. tempo
rarIly a member thereof Receiving en-
cours cement from the girl, he made bold
to ask her father, Col. Wilson Carey.
for her hand. but was haughtily dismissed
with a reminder that Mary was 'accus-
toned to ride in her own coach" and
was no fit mate for a penniiess person