Evening star., 1920-11-21


where the Rambler told, you last Sun
cay he had found the site OF the old
hall Of Leesylvania- 1t was the home
of Henry Lee and Lucy Grymes. He
was son Of Henry Lee and Mary.
daughter of Col. Richard Bland. and
that Henry was the NTH son of Rich
ard Lee and Laetitia Corbin. Henry
stood on the dim and ,shadowy spot
in the woodland tangle. was the
father Of Light Horse Harry Lee and
Richard Bland Lee. whose vote was
such a factor In setting up the seat
of the national government on the
Potomac river.
When the Rambler. struggling
through vines, briers and second
growth timber, came to q place in the
woods that although still jungle
was vet clearer thanthe surrounding
bush and vine land. he felt that it had
been At some time the place of some
ones home. He saw growing there
teIltale member Of the mallow fam
lily, called by some persons round
leaf mailow." or Malva rotundifolia.
by others "cheeses." and yet by
uralixed from Europe and came with
tho early settlers and their freight.
1t loves old homes and fingers there
ages after the house and the people
W no dwelt in 1t have turned 10 dust.
There were also patches OF the forest
plantain. That is weed from Eu-
rope which followed emigrants to the
new world, and because 1t appeared
wherever Europeans settled In the
Potomac country the Indians OF this
region called II white mans foot
of
variety Of spirea which our grand
mothers and their grandmothers call
ed 'bridal-wreath" grew there.
Among the wild shrubbery and at
considerable distance from the spot
on which the house stood were some
blue flags. which perhaps you
know better by the name Of feur DE
lys, which some French lexicogra-
pliers pronounce "heur de lee" and
others "heur de lees" Soon the Ram
bier saw tine corner of brick suck
ing out Of the humus, and kicking II
from it's burial place found that IT
was rough and handmade ana nad
been fashioned in one of those big
molds patterned after the molds
which the early immigrant brick
makers brought with them to the
colonies. The Rambler had no doubt
that here was the site Of house
which disappeared so long ago that
old Freestone and Neabsco inhabitants
had never heard of it.
A few hundred yards west and north
of the house-site are the graves of
Henry Lee of Leesylvania and his
wife. who was born Lucy Grymes.
The graves of several generations of
men and women are scattered through
those woods, but no one knows the
graves of Henry Lee and Lucy
Grymes. The Rambler has heard that
the lot in which these good people
were laid at rest was inclosed by
fence, the posts of which were ceda.
No vestige of those posts has been
spade might come upon the rotting
butts Of those markers.
Lucy Grymes. mother of Light
Horse Harry. is believed to have been
a sweetheart of George Washington
when he was youth. The story has
been told for SO many generations. is
SO firmly fixed in the traditions of the
northern neck offVirginia. and bears
SO many points of probability that the
Rambler accepts 1t as true The ia
vor shown by George Washington to
planned by the fact that this Henry
Lee was a son of Lucy Grymes. As
the Rambler writes this he recalls
that there is something on this sub
ject in Washington Irvings Life OF
Washington" and il you will excuse
him for q few moments while he goes
down stairs to, an old bookcase he
will fetch it ba4k and read it to you.
49, After a lokg hunt. here it is:
In one Of these manuscript memorials Of his
upon decumsnts sinrplsriy in contrast with all
that we have just cited. and with his appar.
emily nnromantlc eharactsr . In word; thsre
conceived a passion for scme unknown beauty
lated mind. and TO make him really unhappy.
Why this Juvenile attachment was source OF
unhappiness We have no positive means e Of = as. rs
considered him q mere sehoolboy and treated
him as such: or his own shyness may have been
in M and b. . sF Sc.
seH1 ssiai, ' When ak k most sought to please Even
har.s.e3 IL aass % u tem.i. m E socIs,, Hs Va. very
hsshfsI Young msn." said an old lady whom he
used to visit when they were both In thei. non. non,
Whatever may have been the reason. this
% esrs .n.nt 10 70 hm cluns 10
him after he took a nnai leave Of school In the
autumn Of l7l7 and vent vent t9 reside With VIII. h,s M
continued Ills mathematical studies and his
practice In surveying. disturbed at times BY re-
currences Of his unlucky passion. though BY
no means Of q poetical temperament, the waste
pages Of his journal betray several attempts to
pour forth his sorrows in verse. They are mere
are apt to write. in which he bewails his
''poor. restless heart. wounded by Cupid,s
dart." and bleeding for one who remains pitt
NJ Ia 1nHu AnA ~
The tenor OF his verses induces Us to believe
that he never told his love. hut. as we have
already surmised. was prevented by his bash
"Ah, woe is me. that should love and con-
Long have wished and never dared reveal"
1t l. da@cult. to reconcile ones self to the
champion Of American liberty. q wos,worn
lover in his youthful days. "sighing ike
'ss asnt .enoa s sS
an opportunity. however. Of penetrating to his
native feelings and finding that under his stud
tlesh throbbins with the warm impulses of hu- ,,
The object Of this early passion is not post |
land beauty was . Miss Grimes Of Westmore- |
land. afterwerd Mrs Lee. the mother Of Gen. |
toe9 :. kshs rfG sorss Hsrs and
fsvorite with washington. probably from the |
recollections Of his early tenderness for the
mother.
The term 'Iowland beauty" is found !
in a letter which George wrote to |
som ebody he addressed as My Dear !
Friend Robin" He wrote: My resi- |,
delice is at present at his lordships, |
where 1 might. was my heart dis !
engaged, pass my time very pleasant /,
ly. as there's a very agreeable young |
lady lives in the same house (Col. |,
Fairfax's wifs's sister, Sallie |
Carey); but as that's only adding fuel |
IN Rra ~ makes me- the more I'M