Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-29

DISCREET procession Of black,
~ conServatively piloted automo-
| "A bileS moves toward Washington.
1 a The cars come from Virginia,
| Maryland and rarely from
more distant points. On the COM
gingerly holding a silver plate, piece
of lace encased in glass, a faded docu-
ment mounted and framed.
Beside certain of the ladies are gen.
tlemen OF portly or rugged mien, bear
| ing more warlike and masculine in
struments. Between their knees may
rest an embossed saber-a field off,
GERS telescope. Some will be seen to
clasp, perhaps reminiScently, julep
cup Of ancient design.
! These objects are Lee relics, treas
ured by descendants of the Lee family
of Virginia as memorabilia Of the
proud, historic legend of their ances-
| try. Every chair and portrait, de-
canter and Bible, which once graced
| the home of Colonial. Revolution
airy, a pre- or post Civil War Lee Is
now as much insured as revered by
the contemporary Lees.
HeirIooms Put to Use.
But the indolent life of guarded
heirloom is interrupted for the mo-
ment. These objects are again called
| forth into service. This time theirs
will be an unaccustomed utility, for
they are to be brought to Washington
| for public exhibition. AS the object Of
| the display is to assist in raising funds
| for the purchase and restoration OF
| Stratford. home of Lees from 1923 to
| the middle of the last century, this
sally from retirement will not violate
the sanctities of heirloomish gentility.
To the scene of this exhibit, then, Is
directed willingly the steady march OF
Lee relatives and Lee antiquities.
A group of interested persons, recog-
nizing that Stratford might be conse-
Grated appropriately to the commence
ration of a great American family, and,
more particularly, its highly distin-
| guished member, Gen. Robert E. Lee,
| formed the Robert E. Lee Foundation.
The organization proposed to purchase
the mansion, rehabilitate its gardens
and convert it into an historical shrine.
It was estimated that $115,000 would
| complete the purchase and renovation
of the estate. The United Daughters
Of the Confederacy promptly pledged
| $4,000 Of this sum, on condition that
that foundation is able. to obtain the
remaining sos, 900 by July. 1882.
Will Display Treasured Relics.
Hoping to expedite the success of the
project. the Washington Stratford Com
mittee has planned an exhibition OF in
| teresting articles associated with the
| Lee family and with other famous Vir-
! ginia personages and estates. The show
will be held at the Textile Museum,
223O street, on December 9 and 10.
The collection Of exhibits will be in
charge of Catherine NcCook Knox,
Prick Gallery expert on early American
painting. while the committee sponsor
| ing the occasion includes Mrs. William
Eustis. Mrs. CaZenove Lee, Mrs. Cary T.
| Grayson. Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Mrs.
| Fairfax Harrison, Mrs. Montgomery
Blair. IT.. and David Edward Finley.
Stratford lies south of Wakefield, Va,
| in line with a series of noted Virginia
| estates scattered along the banks OF the
! Potomac. Great land tracts and houses
| owned by the Fairfaxes, Washingtons,
| Carriers and others belong to this array
| of Colonial splendor. The names Ken
more. Marmion and Sabine Hall suggest
much of the character of their builders.
| A trip to visit the Lee shrine will not,
| therefore. be journey to an isolated
! object of interest, but will bring the
| historically minded into the Elyslan
fields of American history.
| The Lee mansion has been well kept
| since it passed from the family's pos
| SGSSlOkl, d1JAlOABA AOo A~N AON~oS~
are mairtained as originally planned.
Inspection of the place reveals, how
ever. need for little Of the expensive
restoration usually required to con-
dition a structure of its age. The prin-
| cipal task will be the establishment
of the beautiful orchids and flower beds
which once graced its lands.
House Has Tragic History.
If stratford is bought by the Robert
e. Lee Foundation, 1t Will be, curiously
enough, the first time the house has
been sold since its erection over two
centuries ago. The explanation Of this
| fact Is a tragic one. Maj. Henry Lee,
elder brother of Robert E., was the last
i of the family to make his home there,
Robert E. Lee was born in the house,
resided there in childhood, but after
| he went to West Point never lived IN
| it again..
For in the intervening period Maj.
Lees Young daughter was accidentally
killed at Stratford She fell down the
| long stairway which descends from the
grounds down the bluffs to the banks
of the Potomac. Saddened by this
loss, Mai. Lee relinquiShed ownership
| of the place to the Stuart family and
departed for Algiers. From that time
| the same family has occupied the house,
the present owner being Charles
Edward Stuart.
Robert e. Lee was deprived Of bis