Norwich bulletin., 1922-07-06
Great Mems Love Letters
GEORGE wAsHrNcroN TO MARTHA

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO MARTHA,
 Martha. Custis was a pretty widow and reported to be one of the richest in Virginia when George Washington fell in love with and married her. Her maiden name was Dandridge and she was fa1nisiarly called 'sPatsy,' by her many admirers. Patsy and George first met at the home of Major Cham berlayne in Virginia in 1759 At the time she WAS a widow of 25 and most attractive in appearance.
 The father of our country was always fond of the ladies. even from the days of his boysh love for the famous Lew land Beauty Mrs Custis is said to have looked especially charming on the morning of their introduction in her l fayorite gown of white dimity. clus- ter of May blossoms at her belt. and a ] littse white cap half covering her soft waving brown hair.
 Of the love letters Washington wrote to his betrothed only one has come down to us; manly, affectionate letter, show ing the straightforward nature of the man:
 We have begun our march to the 1 Ohio. A courier is starting for Will iamsburg and I embrace the ossportuud- 1 ty to send a few words to one whose life is inseparabe from mine. Since that happy hour when we made our pledges l to each ether, my thoughts have been continually going to you as to another l self. That au-powerfuI Providence may
 keep me in safety. is this prayer Of
 Your faithful and ever affectionate
 friend. G. Washington" The Washington-Custis wedding which
 took place on the 9th of January, 1759
 was a brilliant one, full of sunshine, life and color. Life opened brightly for tht } happy pair and their honeymoon did ! not end with the proverbial six months but lasted we may say, the forty ye%s of their married life.
 . When Washington went to the Con. 7 tinental Congress, upon being appointed
 commanded-in-chief he wrote to his wifi : in a spirit of earnest modesty and req tenderness:
 } My Dearest: am now set down tt write you on a subject that fills m, 2 with inexpressible concern and this con t eern is increased when think the who'll , army raised for the defense of the Amer ' ican cause shall be put under my care
 and that it Is necess Ey for me tt
 proceed immediately to Boston to talk c upon me the command of it. You may believe me, my dear Patsy 0 when l assure you in the most solem1 : manner, that so far from seeking tn f appointment, have used every endeavo < in my power to avoid it, not only iron !. my unwillingness to part from you an,
 the family, but from a consciousness o it being a trust too great for my ca
 pacity, and, that I should enjoy nor
 real happiness in one month with yo l at home. than I have the most pros if pect of finding abroad, if my stay wa
 to be seven times seven years. I sha
 feel no pain from the danger of tn i. campaign; my unhappiness wah fio- from the uneasiness I know you wi 's feel from being left aloner
 The following winter Mrs. Washingto
 spent with her husband in camp at Can y bridge, Mass, and his custom she COT Id tinued until the end of the war, spent
 ing the summers at Mount Vernon TT
 six years that intervened between Wasl ,xI ington's retirement to Mount Vernon ar his return to public life-his '.furlough '. as he called them, were happy but n, ie as quiet as he and his wife wisht
 them.
 Finally there came an end to wasl