Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-08-16

ginia chapter of the United Daughters Of the
Confederacy. and the plan IS to be discussed al
the annual convention of the organization in Oc-
tober. If the project is approved there, 1t must
then be submitted to the government.
If the Daughters of the Confederacy agree In
the desire to restore Arlington House and take
care of a collection there, there is reason 70
think that congress would refuse consent. Arl-
ington is closely associated not alone with Lee
the Southern hero, but with many famous char
acters, such as Lafayette and George Washing
ton Parke Gusts, Washingtons adopted son.
Built BY GUSTS.
This Gusts was the builder of Arlington
House. In 1902, soon after Mrs. Washington
death, he left Mount Vernon and superintended
the building of d home for himself on LOO
acres of ground belonging to him at Arlington,
Virginia. The residence he planned was SIM
liar to a Greek temple, with eight of the huge
pillars SO admired by the colonials, used to form
a portico.
Custis ordered the house set on the brow of
a hill so that it would overlook the capital. The
portico at Arlington offers what is perhaps the
most beautiful outlook on the city of Washing
ton, Lafayette. visiting Mr.. Gusts at Arlington,
declared it one of the most beautiful views he
had ever looked upon. And another visitor of
seventy years ago wrote:
From the portico a brilliant panorama is
presented. The Capitol, Executive Mansion,
Smithsonian Institute. the growing magnificent
Washington Monument, and almost every house
in the federal city may be seen at a glance from
this point, while between them and Arlington
flows the bright flood Of the Potomac"
In his home, George Washington Parke Custis
dispensed the same lavish hospitality that had
been the rule at Mount Vernon. His house was
furnished with taste and elegance. Many relics
and furnishings of Mount Vernon were left to
him and transferred TO Arlington, and these
were cherished by Custis and his guests as things
which the first President had used.
The war tent which Washington carried
throughout the Revolution was so greatly treas
ured that when Custis wished signally to honor
any visitors he had the war tent pitched on the
lawn and received them in it. The tent is now in
a glass case in the National Museum. The
brown cloth is folded in several bundles, and
the poles lie on top.
Another Arlington souvenir of equal historic
value was Washington's bed. The same writer
so wildly described the view from the portico
has this to say:
In one of the chambers at Arlington House is
the bed and bedstead upon which Washington
The frame is remarkable for it's great width,
being six feet. 1t was made with other furniture
in New York in 1889 and was in continual use
by the Patriot until the day of his death. The
bed and bedding 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.
Gusts had many other belongings of the
cord which the General had given to Nellie Cur
lis at Mount Vernon; a heavy little iron chest
with lhree padlocks and two bolts in which Mrs.
kept money and valuables; a silver
Lea service from which the first President was
to have served all the great men of the day;
beautiful vases. the gifts of admirers; and val
old portraits of Washington and his fam
ly.
Among these portraits Custis owned the
SharpleSS profile painting OF washington re-
yarded by many people as the best likeness ever
executed of the General. But Gusts was not
satisfied with the various likenesses
Of his adopted father and had the ambition to
paint a full length view of the great man that
would settle for p%osterity all questions as to his
and figure. He did indeed make the painting,
the General leaning against his horse at
Yorktown.
Gusts intentions were good, but his lack Of
raining prevented his attempts at historic
from having the value he felt sure
hey would have. The amateur painter was not
by technical difficulties, however, but
proceeded to turn out half a dozen Revolution
battle scenes with Washington prominent in
The foreground, and then to decorate the walls
IF 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 Gusts died in 1857. Robert Z. Lee
had married GUSTS daughter and at Custis'
wish the young couple set up housekeeping at
Arlington rather than at Lees own home. What
souvenirs of Lees stay at Arlington, are
still in existence, therefore,, are largely personal
If the daughters of the Confederacy do under
axe to establish a museum at Arlington, MEM
of the Lee and Gusts families and others
Who have relics from Arlington House would be
aimed. A number of the Washington exhibits
n the National Museum are labeled Lent by
Hiss Mary Gusts Lee They are not, therefore,
he permanent property of the museum.
Although Arlington is across the Potomac
rom Washington, it is as much visited as the
lights in the heart of the city. The graves and
lOiluIlleutS VI DOln lht dHu SOuIHeTH lOICcol
f the Civil War, those of the Spanish War, and
low the graves of the European War dead, at
ract many.
The Mansion has always been one Of the
lights of the grounds, and visitors fill huge reg
sters with their names. Except for the table on
which the register stands, the rooms which are
pen to visitors are bare.
Arlington is far from forgotten, but it is re-
as a d~esolate, echoing house. 1t is
Iiffcult to believe that Gusts built a dining
DOM and dancing pavilion on the lawn by his
pring and invited picnic crowds to come and en-
oy the wooded grounds of the Arlington estate.
t is hard to imagine the clean swept halls of
Arlington fitted out with old mahogany and
imported china, chintZ, and brocades. Yet,
his is Arlington House as it Was-and as it may
@ if restored.