The Washington times., 1924-06-19
HOSPITALITY
REVIVED AT
GUNSTON

Mr.. and Mrs. Louis Hertle's hos
pitality at Gupston Hall is continu.
Gus and very delightful and among
their recent visitors were the mem
bers Of the Women's National
Press Club. who motored down to
CunstoE TO spend d perfect after
noon, strolling about in the rose
embowered gardens, listening to the
birls-anG they ARE .legion-admir-
ing the splendid box. eating straw
berries and, cream ON the terrace,
looking out across tree dotted
meadows to the blue Potomac, and
driving back in the dusk through
miles of country all fragrant with
honeySuckle. Z - 8 ..isH ii, - t.
Mr.. Hertle is, greatly elated just
now over the gift of a book with
George Mason.s autograph on the
lily leaf. IT seems that the author
of the Bill of Rights owned one
OF the finest--and one Of the first
libraries 'in' Virginia, but heretofore
efforts to find any of his books
have: been unavailing; and it was
only a few weeks ago that a friend
stumbled across an. ancient volume
of ".Scott's- Magazine" dated 1858,
and signed George Mason" in the
unnniStak ahle Script Of the letter Of
George Mason'S, which is one. OF
the Hertles' treasures, and OF. the
copy of the Bill Of Rights, which III
let into the mantel Of the room in
which Il was written.
It forms an interesting decora-
ton this. for it is an enlarged
photostat copy Of the original ,locu.
ment, now in Richmond. This room,
too. has historic associations with
another struggle of worldwide i'm
portance, for Robert Lansing, then
Secretary OF State, used to take
refuge there when he wished TO
hobnob in secret with Balfour or
some other visiting statesman dur.
ing. the great war.
House Was Once Camping Ground
For Wood Cutters, Tower Built Later
1t is exceptionally interesting to
hear Mrs. Hertle tell Of the vicissi.
tudes of Gunston Hall before II fell
into the hands of it's present appre-
-clative owners. After descending to
George Mason's grandson it was sold
by his widow to two men who pur.
chased the. estate for the timber ON
| 1t, who lived in the upper floor
while the wood was being cut and
who allowed four negro families to
camp out in the beautiful drawing
| rooms.
How the house ever survived such
dissertation is a mystery. Next the
place was sold to a Colonel Daniels,
who brought some order out of TIE
chaos, but who, if you please, built
a three-story watch tower atop the
low Georgian house. 1t passed
through several owners into the
hands Of Vaughn Hester and his
brother, Paul Kester. from whom
the playwright Hertles bought it.
| And ever since they became owners
they have busied themselves rernov-
ing excrescences, restoring wher-
ever necessary and bringing out the
beauties of the gracious old house.
In the drawing room, with its
carved pilasters, its broken pedi-
ments above the doors and its closet
alcoves filled with rare pieces Of
eighteenth, century. china, the warm
pine walls have been unearthed af.
ter the removal Of eight layers Of
paper. The communicating room Of
fers one of the first examples of the
/ Chinese-Chippendale influence in this
country in it's carving and this
| apartment is furnished-as are all
the rooms of Gunston-with fine old
| period pieces which look as though