The Washington times., 1923-02-18

Of Washington and his
Ss~NN~oNAN~N~NN~~~s
Not long ago one OF the descend.
ants OF the Washingtons came to
the old house, just after it was
purchased by the chairman OF the
Rules Committee OF the House,
Congressman Philip Pitt Campbell
Of Kansas, the present owner, and
: told how his mother and father
used TO carry him, a baby, there,
put him to bed in one OF the up
per rooms, and then dance till 8
In the morning, when they would
gather up the baby and go home.
TEMPTING WIDOW"
At Abingdon were born the four
Custis children, Elizabeth Parke,
then Martha Parke. named for her
grandmother. Mrs. Washington:
then Eleanor Parle. named for
her mother, and then the first
boy, George Washington Parke
Gusts. named for his grandfather
the only father he ever knew,
for his own father lived but a
short five years after his marriage
to the Maryland belle, and died
before the son was born. Wash.
ington and his wife adopted the
last two children for their own.
and they came to Mt. Vernon to
make their home.
Arthur Lee met Mrs. Gusts dur
ing her widowhood, and spoke Of
her as d most tempting widow.
Independent Of the jointure lands"
as Mrs. Anne Holingsworth Whar-
ton tells US In her book OF "The
Social Life OF the Early Repub-
lic." The beautiful widow after
ward married DIR. Stuart. OF Hope
Park and Ossian Hall.
It il q happy coincidence that
as the first mistress Of Abingdon
known to US: Eleanore Calvert
Gusts, was known to her inti.
mates as Nelly" 80 the life and
youthful spirit OF Abingdon today
centers around another young
woman Of charm and graciousness,
another Nelly" Helen Campbell,
debutante daughter of Congress
man and Mrs. Campbell. She was,
in December introduced to Con-
gressional and residential circles
OF Washington. The lovely old
house smiled a welcome to the
many friends who gathered In it's
old rooms, severe but charming in
their colonial simplicity.
This mansion is purely colonial
red brick. square In outline. with
short wings on both sides. A cen
trail hall has a charming stairway.
with the delicate white banisters
and mahogany rail that character
lied the homes Of that day. The
hall opens at both ends, old brass
latches serving in lieu Of knobs on
the wide doors, and from the gar
den entrance one looksIoff over
the city Of Washington and the
Potomac.
In George Washington's day the
estate rolled off In q gentle decline
to the rivers edge. Now it stops
abruptly at Mt. Vernon boulevard,
a steep flight Of brick steps lead.
ing from the knoll on which the
house Is situated directly to the
drive.
MODERN CHANGES.
As the writer waited the other
day on the lower step for the
very modern motor bus to take
her back to Washington she con.
templated the Warrington Monu.
ment built as a memorial to the
first President, who had from
this very spot looked out over
the rolling countryside and the
scattered settlement that was the
Federal city.
She saw, too, the Capitol, the
White House and the new me.
mortal to Lincoln. and wondered
what the first President would
say-H he could see 1t all today.
An aeroplane whirred by over
her head, and she marveled al
the progress that had taken place
In so short a time, from 1774 to
1928, one year short Of 14O years
While young George Washing
ton Parke Gusts and his sister
Nelly were growing to maturity