Evening star., 1923-05-27


Charleston, as burial ground for the
battle. The graves had. as q result OF
the strife that ragged in that section
Of the country, been neglected. on
his way to the school, the superin-
tendent happened to notice some chill.
dren picking flowers. He conceived
the idea Of having the children gather
flowers and place them on the graves
This they did under his direction. and
when the news was spread over
Charleston that night. he was highly
praised.
In the succeeding days he took up
the matter with many OF the good
folks Of Charleston. Meetings were
called. committee was appointed.
and after some discussion II was
agreed that May /. May day, would
be a most appropriate date for the
decorating OF all the graves. no mat
ter whether the one who reposed
beneath the sod had worn the blue
or the gray.
On May /. 1865, 10000 men. women
and children met at the city hall.
ali OF them with great punches Of
sung and the entire body Of citizens
marched TO the, old race track and
placed their tributes on the graves.
A daughter. of one whose father par
tieipated in the frst Memorial day
told the writer that her father said
there was not dry eye among the
thousands present, and that the folks
Of the south took special care that
the grave OF every "Yank" received
floral offering. Numerous letters
were sent to relatives in the north,
saying that each year they would do
the same thing for those whose rela-
tives lived in a section OF the country
far away.
a RL1NGToN, the National Gene.
"A terry, Is considered the most
beautiful resting place for the soldier
dead of any in the country. Standing
as II does on the brow Of great hill
overlooking the famous Potomac,
from it one can see the Capitol Of
the nation. the Washington Monu-
ment, the White House and many Of
the government buildings. It 10 an
ideal resting place for the soldier
dead.
The history Of Arlington 10 replete
with Incidents OF . most interesting
character. The house was built In
1902 by George Washington Parke
Custis, son Of John Parke Custis.
whose widowed mother became Mrs.
Martha Washington.
History records that when Col.
John Parke Custis died at the siege
Of Yorktown, George Washington
adopted the children. George WASH
ington Parke Custis and Eleanor
parke Custis. The young folks were
members Of the Mount Vernon house
hold until the death Of Mrs. Wash
tngton, after which young Custis took
up his residence at Arlington. Here
lie entertained many distinguished
visitors, among whom was Gen.
Lafayette.
The mansion, according to old rec
ords, contained o priceless collection
Of Washington memorials and me-
mentoes. the largest part Of which
had been brought from Mount Vernon.
silver service. household furniture
anu Ihlh8b "a hho CHAE&CIeT many
of these pieces are now iii the Ma
tional Museum, while others were
taken to Mount Vernon where they
now are.
After the oath OF custls. the famous
estate passed to the children Of his
only daughter, Mary Custis Lee, who
was the wife Of that famous soldier,
Col. Robert Il. Lee Of the United
States Army.
As one visits the mansion, he will
note q book where visitors register
their names. It was In. this room that
Mary Custis was married to Robert z.
Lee. When the war Of 1851 came,
Col. Lee resigned from the federal
service and on April 40, 1881, he left
with his familysfor Richmond. Upon
his arrival there he took command
OF the Virginia troops, later becoming
commander In chief OF the Confsder-
ate Army. His ability as 4 soldier
was soon recognized by both armies.
Shortly after Col. Lee had departed
from his home t-Arlingten,-th the fed
eral troops took possession and the
mansion was made an army head