Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05

as in the south wing. and Gusts had
put in the chimney breast, but divided
1t into two rooms for temporary occu-
pancy. But the fireplace was never
finished and the partitions still stand.
So these two rooms are being preserved
and furnished as nearly as possible as
they were when occupied by the Gusts
couple.
when we started the restoration"
continued Col. Mortimer, I'VE found
many bricks crumbling away and walls
disintegrating. So we had a great deal
of rebuilding to do on the foundations
and walls. We had to put in beams
and joists and to shorc up walls, one
Of the most important requirements
being the main beam that carries the
partition and supports for the large re-
ception hall.
"The roof, which was originally of
shingles, had been replaced few years
ago. This was entirely restored, the
trusses strengthened and . slate roCs
put on.
while the building was being used
as office and living quarters for the
superintendent Of the cemetery and the
landscape artist, new plumbing and
heating system and floors were put In.
These modern improvements have been
all torn out. The old wide floor boards
have been put back In. Window and
door frames have been restored to fac
smile of those during the occupancy
of the Lees. A very great deal Of work
has been done on the. building itself,
including the heating system, to place
1t as nearly as possible in the condition
1t was when the Lees lived there, and
SO preserve it for posterity.
Old Well Restored.
1.-THE we'll had been covered over and
a modern drinking fountain, placed on
top of it. This fountain has been ban
ished. The old well has been restored. It
is fine, deep well-90 feet deep and
with IS feet of water.
while the mansion was being re-
paired many Of the old locks were
found to be missing. Some had been
replaced by modern locks. When an
old lock, said to have come originally
from Arlington Mansion, was auctioned
of, it was bought by q friend Of the
restoration efforts and presented to us.
Where did 1t belong? We tried 1t on
a number Of doors, but the key hole or
the screw holes or the paint marks
along the edges showed 1t did not fit.
We were almost ready to pronounce 1t
where 1t fitted exactly-key hole, screw
holes, paint marks. It Is now back
where 1t was originally placed more
than q century and quarter ago On
the north door Of the main hall.
There Is q very famous old lantern
which Admiral Vernon, after whom
Mount Vernon was named, presented
to Lawrence Washington when he was
building Mount Vernon. That lantern
hung in Mount Vernon until Washing
ton died, when the lantern became the
- -. poFIkA
Gusts. It hung In the Arlington Man
sion until 1851. Later It went to the
Patent once, then to the National Mu-
scum and Is now back home at Mount
Vernon. The Mount Vernon Ladies
Association gave authority to have the
lantern reproduced and 1t Is now hang
ing In the hall at Arlington, where 1t
used to hang for more than half o
century.
from the Arlington Mansion that have
been recovered are food cupboard
that stood in the back hall near the
made bedside candle tables. When
Mrs. Lee was packing up her belong
ings in 1851 preparatory to her journey
south, she gave the cupboard and
candle tables, with other odds and
ends, to her personal maid and slave,
Salina Gray. These have been recov-
cred from q grandchild Of Salina Gray,
who lives near Arlington, and are back
again In the old mansion.
"a veteran Of the Civil War sent
in two heavy china custard cups, which
he had taken from among the articles
Mrs. Lee had stored in the cellar Of
the mansion.
Old Globe Found.
"While making the restoration Of
the roof, sheathing and guttertng
were torn away. Close up under the
caves was found very old globe OF
the world on which were outlined the
voyages Of discovery made up to 1876.
That old globe had been In the
mansion continuously from the time
It was brought there by George Wash
ington Parke Gusts until It was taken
out from under the caves and sent to
be restored. It has now been placed
In the Gusts study. It shows consid-
cradle wear and the outside IS cracked
50 that the date Of publication IS lost,
but the latest voyage recorded--l796-
indicates that the date was pretty
close to those figures.
Among the George Washington
treasures which came down to George
Washington Parke Gusts and through
him to Ma Robert Z. Lee are several
excellent p0rtraits-one Of Light Horse
Harry Lee by Fiibert stuart, one Of