Evening star., 1929-06-25
MRS. CUSTER TURNS
PAGES OF HISTORY.
Anniversary of Indian Mas
saCre Finds Generals Widow
Still Keen for Life.
epeclal dispatch to rhe Star.

NEW YORK, June 25.-Gently wav.
ing a pet fan that futtered her crisp
gray curls, Mrs. Elizabeth Custer linked
the past with the present yesterday as
she summoned up her memories of 50
years ago and the day that her hus-
band, Gen. George A. Custer, was killed
in the battle of the Little Big Horn.
IA Today is the anniversary of the mas
a eacre by the Indians that cost the lives
of Gen. Custer and 207 comrades
When June IS arrives Mrs Custer moves
with slower step among her war relics
and her colonial treasures at II Park
avenue. The adventure and tragedy OF
her campaigning days sweep over her
and dim her eyes, which are still youth
fully blue.
She is now engaged in the task of
assembling her memories of the Civil
War, but so many pleasant diversions
engage this sparkling octogenarian that
she finds it difficult to proceed with
her work.
Still Enjoys Life.
"I suppose you'd call me an antique" !"
she hazards, sitting erect in straight
backed chair, frilled fichu delicately
outlining features that still betray the
beauty of her ycs.th. She crinkled into
smiles and waved her fan.
WCki, L dLt GA uAAVA10N, phS ~
I, enjoy myself. Last year felt little
discouraged, but that has passed. You
see, have New England conscience
the sort that makes you not serene
about your work unless you are getting
on with it. But I do not like to feel
hurried. So much of our time is spent
nowadays rushing and hurrying.
"And I had so many letters to do I
dread going to my desk. The packets
II t%,fr nd
would feel that / was never coming TO
the end of my work"
1t is one of Mrs. Clusters graceful
gestures to her husbands memory that
she answers with her own hand all OF
the letters she receives from old SOL
diers. She had 800 in the last year,
and each answer was individual and
beautifully written in the slanting
script of a more leisured age.
''I feel owe it to them" she said.
"There are so few of them left, and old
soldiers are sensitive. But I find that
they are very well cared for all over
the country, and am glad of that.
They send me SO many stories of the
campaigning days 1t is amazing when
you think how far back 1t all is. o.
course do not bury myself in the
past. have a delightful time
Advocates Club Life.
Mrs. Custer frequents the Cosmopoli-
tan Club which Is near her home. She
believes that club life for women is
one of the advantages of the modern age.
She has no prejudices on short skirts,
Suntan backs or the extremes OF youth,
but sees life with fair and loving re-
gard.
aYeu know" she confided, "I keep
my sense of the ludicrous."
I'm clubs Is one of the greatest blessings
of the day" she said. In the old
days one had to go visiting.
But the modern club, ind, is
consolation for the widow and the old
maid. And it's interesting to see how
much the men like to come as guests
for we have good food; AZ FIRST they
be sort of old mothers meeting, with
every one discussing methods Of bring
ing up children. Now they know it's
very jolly and, as / said before, the
cooking is good-always an excellent
bait like to spend the terrible Thurs
days and serious Sundays there"
Cherishes Her Possessions.
Mrs. Custer watches the skyscrapers
climbing up around her with interest
and exhilaration. She studies the hori-
ron from her cool and roomy apart
nent With an appreciative eye. Sne
cherishes her possessions-her hand
some four-poster beds, her Duncan
Phyfe tables, the mahogany desk where
she has penned so many letters in
memory of soldier husband, her Japa-
nese prints, her samplers, her dining
room chairs.
TITS really rather audacious of me
TO be living on Park avenue, don't you
think?" she observed MY neuritis has
been a bit bad this year. 1t interferes
q little with my walking, for II I take
to staggering on my bad leg, I don't
know what New York policeman In
these days might think of me. Oh, my,
yes ] go to the theaters and the picture
shows, but am not keen about seeing
war plays! / think the world is slowly
working toward the ideal of peace. /
have been greatly interested in the sign
ing of the peace treaty and the gather
ing together of the representatives of
all the nations"
Mrs. Custer was the daughter of
Judge Daniel s. Bacon of Monroe,
Mich, and led a peaceful and sheltered
life until she married "the boy general
with the golden locks" After that she
trod the unfrequented path for woman
of open campaigning. She rose at dawn,
slept where she could, drank water that
In her own words contained history"
ache fatigue or depression.
"It was wonderful she said, en-
thusiasm in her voice.