Evening star., 1926-02-21

~ George Washington arrives
"A we turn our thoughts to the
4 4 first President rs Il national
figure, whom the country at
large loves to honor, and we. who live
within easy access of his lovely old
home on the Potomac. think Of him
also as a country gentleman. a gen
usman whom Virginia claims as her
most distinguished son. As we visit
Mount Vernon, we are reminded, how
ever. that to Maryland IS due much Of
the pervadinS personality that still
seems to cling to it and give it Il sense
OF serenity and sweetness. The very
spirit of youth and .ayety that made
the mansion a home in fact, as well as
In name, the very presence of whose
benign influence is still sensed by the
visitors, was that lovely girl. Eleanor
Parke CustiS, or as she is more IA
mfliarly known and loved. Nellie
Custts. the delight of her adopted ia
ther, Gen. Washington.
To her Maryland mother, Eleanor
Calvert, Nellie Custis owed much OF
her grace, her charm and her sweet
ness. The first Nellie" or Flea nor
Calvert. was the daughter of Benedict
Calvert, son ct the nth Lord Balti
more.
It was III The original Lord Balti-
more manor that John Parko CuStis.
son of Lady Washington. Wuoed and
we'd the dashinC Nellie Calvert. who
could ride to hounds over The rolling
Maryland hills with Js much spirit
and grace as she could tread Il meas
ure in the stately old rooms of Mount
Airy, near Upper Marlboro.
The two children of Lady Washing
ton by her former marriage, John
Parke Custis and Martha Parke Gus
lis. or Patsy or Little Patty" as she
was called made their home with
their Step-father, Gen. Washington
and his wife. their mother. at Mount
Vernon. The general. who led an
army to victory and later ruled the
new republic. confessed to his lack OF
authority over Young john or Jack.
Il can govern men. but cannot
govern bows" he said, and so young
lack was sent away from home 10
study. He went tG Annapolis TO the
Rev. Jonathan Boucher. who tutored
some other youths. and the Mary
land capital being not far from Mount
Vernon. he often made the trip back
and forth on horseback. His way lay
past the hospitable doors of Mount
Airy where, as in all old manofs
of it's day, open house was kept TO
all the travelling gentry, and there
the Young man met the daughter OF
Perhaps, in some ways, she was re-
sponsible for his lack OF interest in
his studies.
She was beautiful. she was gay. and
the toast of the county, and, though
she was one of 10 children, and, there
fore, with little uowry, young CuStlS
lost his heart, and his hand followed
suit, with his by no means inconslder-
able fortune.
tod latt IL
general and the benedict, the squire of
Mount Airy, and wedding that
brought together all the wealth and
fashion of the countryside soon fol
lowed.
TO-DAY we can stand III the parlor
where the nuptial vows were
Dlighted with a romantic thrill OF
pleasure, picturing the scene, as the
birds twitter in the ceDtury-old ivy
that has thrown its Snarled stems. ike
Tree trunks up over the ratings OF
the gallery. and as one looks from the
windows Of this parlor, sacred to the
romance of that colonial age, one can
vision stately coaches, with restless
horses and gayly habited coachmen,
with white ribbons fiuttering from
their arms and nosegays in their but
tonholes in honor of the festive occa-
sion, as they drive up around the huge
circle of lockwood that stands today as
1t stood in the olden time. as an ap-
proach to the big front door.
Mount Airy, mellowed by time, is to-
day habitable and homelike. and,
though its present owner loves to con-
lure ghosts, some more or less sinister,
one feels that If there are ghosts some
are contented ghosts serene in recall
ing that happy past when young Jack
rode away with Nellie Calvert to drive
her to Abingdon, the home he took her
TO, overlooking the Potomac. four
miles from Alexandria. and so not far
from Mount Vernon.
His little sister Patsy had died the
year before. and Lady Washington,
still overcome with sorrow, did not at
tend the gay wedding but she sent the
young bride a letter, 50 sweet and dear
that any girl today would be delighted
to receive 1t as a welcome from her
future mother-in law. Her letter read:
MY Dear Nellie: God took from Me
a daughter when June Roses We're
blooming. He has now given me an
other daughter about her Age. when
Winter winds are blowing. to warm
my Heart again.
II am as Happy as One so Afflicted
and so Blest can he. Pray receive my
Benediction and wish that you may
long live the Loving Wife of my
happy Son, and a Loving Daughter of
your Afectionate Mother.
M. WASHINGTON"
AS a matter of fact, the bride long
outlived her young husband for he
died in a, few years, and she married
again, for she was spoken of as "a
most tempting widow independent of
the jointure lands"
But while he lived they made their
home at Abingdon. the homelike, old
red brick mansion. setting high on a