Arizona republican., 1921-08-16
LEE MANSION AS A MEMORIAL

Mount Vernon, and whereon he ex- pired. The frame is remarkable for it's great width, being six feet. It was made with other furniture in New York in 17S9 and was in con- tinual use by the Patriot until the day of his death. The bed and bed- ding remain in precisely the same condition as when the good man left it for his final resting place.
 This bed is now at Mount Vernon. Other Washington Relics
 Custis had many other belongings of the Washington family such things as the harpsichord which the General had given to Nellie Custis at Mount Vernon: heavy little iron chest with three padlocks and two bolts in which Mrs. Washington kept money and valuables; silver tea service from which the first president was said to have served all the great men of the day; beautiful vases. the gifts of admirers; and valuable old portraits of Washington and his family.
 Among these portraits Custis owned the Sharpless profile painting of Washington, regarded by many peo- pie as the best likeness ever execut- ed of the general. But Custis was l various likenesses of his adopted | father and had the ambition to paint a full length view of the great man that would settle for posterity all questions as to his face and figure. He did indeed make the painting. showing the General leaning against his horse at Yorktown.
 1 Custis' intentions were good. but his lack of training prevented his at tempts at historic paintings from having the value he felt sure they would have. The amateur painter was not daunted by technical diff culties. however. but proceeded to turn out half a dozen Revolutionary battle scenes with Washington prominent in the foreground and
 then to decorate the walls of the
 house with murals. Traces of one
 of these wall paintings, a hunting scene, may still be seen in the rear
 hall of Arlington House.
 The heirlooms of Arlington passed
 on to the Lees when Custis died in
 1857. Robert E. Lee had married
 Cusits' daughter and at Custis' wish
 the young couple set up housekeep-
 ing at Arlington rather than at Lees
 own home. Whatever souvenirs oi
 Lees stay at Arlington are still ir | Cs
 sonal belongings. If the Daughters of the Confeder-
 acy do undertake to establish a mu-
 scum at Arlington, members of tho
 Lee and Custis families and others
 who have relics from Arlington
 House would be the only source iron
 which exhibits can be obtained. 4
 number of the Washington exhibits
 in the National Museum are labeled
 Lent by Miss Mary Custis Lee
 They are not, therefore, the pcrma-
 nent property of the museum.
 Although Arlington is across tn,
 Potomac from Washington. it is a; much visited as the sights in tn,
 heart of the city. The graves anC
 monuments of both northern anc
 southern forces of the Civil war those of the Spanish war, and Tow
 the graves of the European war dead
 attract many.
 The Mansion has always been on,
 of the sights of the grounds, and visi-
 tors fill huge registers with theil names. Except for the table or
 which are open to visitors are bare Arlington is far from forgotten, bu it is remembered as a desolate. echo
 ing house. It is difficult to believ, ,, that Custis built a dining room anC , dancing pavilion on the lawn by hi . spring and invited picnic crowds [,
 come and enjoy the wooded ground | of the Arlington estate. It is har, l, to imagine the clean-swept halls O ] Arlington fitted out with old mahog any and silver, imported china , chintz, and brocades. Yet, this i Arlington House as it was-and as