Evening star., 1934-10-14
CHAPTER XIV.
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

States David Burns farm house
Still looks out toward Arlington, on
the Potomac'S banks below the White
House. and his daughters great square
palace still stands beside it, Both are
now whited sepulchers. The life has
gone out of them, their furniture has
been removed, and dust, deSolation
and broken plaster and tarnished
brass have taken the place of the
beauty and splendor, the fresco and
glitter which they held as the most
fashionable resort of the Capital
during the days of all the Presidents
from George Washington to Andrew
jackson.
The story of these two old houses
Is the great romance of Washington
The cottage, whose two smokeless
chimneys, built at either end, stand
sentinels over the hollow shell be-
tween them, was standing here over
100 years ago. 1t was then owned by
David Burns, a crusty, obstinate old
Scotchman, whose family for three
generations back had held the land
surrounding it. Originally they owned
but 600 acres and their little planta-
ton was laughed at by the CAROLS,
the Lees and the CuStiseS, and along
the Potomac it went by the Sneering
title Of the Widows Mite" But the
Burns family were Scotch, and they
kept adding to their farm until the
estate comprised all of the land be-
tween Georgetown and the Capitol
Nearly every square foot of this is now
built upon with valuable structures.
1t comprises the best part of the Ma
tional Capital. The White House, the
Treasury, the Post Office, the State
Department, and in fact all of the
great public buildings except the Cap
itol are located upon it. Business
Washington has risen on a portion of
1t which must have been too swampy
to farm; its outskirts bordered with
the great houses of ex-Senators
Blaine and Stewart, now constitute
the most fashionable quarter OF Wash
ington. A sheet of greenbacks large
enough to cover it would hardly equal
its value; the extra hundred million
in the Treasury would not more than
pay for it. Still David Burns was
not anxious to have the Capitol
located on his farm. He had no faith
in George Washington, and scrupled
not to tell him that "he would have
amounted to nothing if he had not
married the rich widow Custis"
Gen. Washington, however, per-
suaded him to sell part of his land,
and to give the Government portion
at about $66 an acre. So the Capital
came to Washington, and this old
Scotchman, from being poor farmer,
became one of the WealthieSt men in
the country.
Davy Burns was satisfied, however,
with this same old house which still
stands on the banks of the Potomac,
and which was probably a fair coun-
try home in 1779. In it his daughter,
pretty Marcia Burns, grew up to
womanhood. Her father gave her a
good education, and she was just 19
years old when John Adams and his
court moved into the White House,
then only partially built. This was
seven years after the location of the
Capital, and David Burns wealth was
known all over the land. His daugh-
ter Marcia, who was his only heir,
was looked upon as the great catch
Of the country.
Marcia was pretty, too AS fair as
lily, with roses in her cheeks, and
pleasant fire in her eyes. Washington
still has the traditions of her witty
conversations, and she has reputa
ton for elegant manners equaled only
by that of Dolly Madison.
In those early days when Congress
first came here, the bachelors of Con-
gress gladly visited as this old Burns
farm house; Washington and Adams
we're delighted to get an invitation to
dine at its table, Tom Moore, the
poet, slept under its roof, and pretty
little Marcia with her beauty, wit and
wealth had no lack Of Suit0rS. Her
prospects were the talk of half doz-
en- cities.
Among her admirers was a Con-
gresham, Gen. John P. Van Ness,
who came from one of the old Dutch
families of New York, and whose an
central estate was afterward the
country home of Martin Van Buren,.
Jack Van Ness was at this time
bachelor of 30 He had been classical
ly educated and had studied law, but
had left his practice for politics. He
was straight, fine-looking fellow,
good talker and he made his money
flow like water.
While he pressed his suit his sweet
hearts father died, and she was left
alone in this old farm house by the
river SIDE. This brought matters to
an issue, and on the 9th of May, when
the birds were mating in the great
trees which still throw their wide
spread arms over the old farm house,
Marcia Burns married Jack Van Ness,
thus giving into his hand the half of
Washington.
The Van Ness Mansion.
Gen. Van Ness appreciated his good
fortune, and right royalty did he en-
Joy it. Deciding to build the finest
house in the country. he employed Mr..
Latrobe of Baltimore, the man who
had designed the White House, to
help him. Latrobe was given carte
blanche. He made his plans on the
most extravagant order The house
was costing so much that even Jack
Van Ness was frightened and began
to demonstrate. Latrobe cody replied
IT have nothing to do with the cost
of your home. 1t is your business to
furnish the money; 1 have only to
draw the plans and to build it."
The result was that the Van Ness
mansion, when completed, was the
finest private residence in the New
World 1t was the first house in this
country which had hot and cold water
in all the chambers, and its apart
ments were such that it was almost as
much curiosity as the White House
itself. It's cost, in those day of Madi-
son and Monroe, when a silver dollar
seemed as big as cart wheel, was
from $50,00O to $4,000, and it was
furnished in manner to correspond
with its construction. walked
through it today. 1t is an immense
square house of two stories over a
great cellar. Built of brick with walls
Q feet thick, it was covered with
stucco, and the windows we're fur
nished with ledges of the same. At
the front, facing the White House,