Evening star., 1932-03-13

America, its great pride is its splendid box
wood 40 years older than the lockwood at
Mount Vernon. The narrow path to the river
terrace is doubly lined by box. So massive
are the bushes that a walking between
looks dwarfed by contrast
At the endSof the box walk is unexpected
and welcome Summer house and vine-covered
pergola built by Mr. Hertle. Here one stands
enchanted with the sweep of the country be-
yond the hills, with the sight of the Potomac
River down which Washington used to come
in his eight-oared barge.
Close at ones feet sand-walked gardens
of old-fashioned flowers and the grassy slope
that ends at the river. Off on the right and
left the woods where Washington and Ma
son and other distinguished Colonials used to
hunt 1t is recorded that George Mason
loaned Gen. Washington his hounds for one Oc-
tober morning, but that not trace of fox
was seen. I suspect that Col Mason or one of
his minions was accustomed to better luck at
the chase than Washington had. For there is
this suggestive diary record-a note written
by Col Mason to the then President Washington
on November g. 1885, The bearer waits on
you with side of venison (the first we have
killed this season. which beg your accept
ance Of
Hunters of today could find fox and quail
in plenty if they were permitted to hunt on
the estate. Mr.. Hertle did not farm his acres
to their primitive state. The grave of George
Mason is the place. In 1869 the Sons of
the Revolution put up a shaft to his memory
In 1872 60 years after Gunston Hall passed
from the descendants of George Mason, the his
toric house was in a condition of tragic neg
lect. A family of Negroes living in the
room where the Bill of Rights was planned.
second Negro family occupied the drawing
room where "Patscy" Gusts and her pretty
friends had curtsed In the minuet. In the
next drawing room, beautiful with Chinese
Chippendale carvings, still another Negro
family was camping. In the dining room,
where many famous men had eaten and drunk,
both with enthusiasm, was another brood of
pickaninnies Upstairs, in the bedrooms where
Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Lafayette
and Jefferson had slept, two woodcutters lived.
When Mr.. Hertle considering the pur-
chase OF the place dairyman was also bar
gaining for its purchase. The dairyman's plan
was to clear out the useless lockwood, dig up the
rose gardens from whose bushes Washington
had once grated shoots of Persi and Jessa-
mine and Guilder roses,' and put in instead
some useful stables and cowsheds
Fortunately for the cause of history and
beauty Mr. Hertle secured the old place. Soon
after the puchaSe 20 men were set to work
to bring the mansion back to its original ap-
pearance and to revive the gracious personal
ity hurt by Civil War pillaging and later dep
relations. The 20 men worked for an entire
year before they could capture the early spirit
of the house.
Each brick was scraped painstakingly by
hand. The fine interior woodwork, carefully
cleaned slowly revealed delicate carving. From
the gambrel roof four-story tower was re-
moved. Another tower, equally high, was taken
away from the garden overlooking the Potomac
Now Gunston Hall stands mucn as it did when
1t was built.
a FTER leaving Gunston Hall on the return
journey to Washington one must pass
old vine-covered Pohick Church. on the main