Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26
Library Gets Queen Victoria's
Thank Note to George Peabody
Miss Maria Nicholson, Donor of Famous
Letter to Merchant Prince, O,Uns
Numerous Historical Treasures.

Henry Raeburn, James Watt and Sir
Walter Scott.
Resting on a genuine Duncan Fyfe
tsp-tilt table acquired by Walter Land
Nicholson and his wife at the time OF
their marriage cher mother lived to be
92), is a brass inlaid tea chest, prob
ably of East Indian origin. A COM
partment in a recess within Its lid, not
easily apparent to the eye, is Of leather
fooled in gold. Glowing scarlet In
color, still with its lustre unimpaired,
1t is as wildly lovely today, undoubt-
eddy, as it was when 1t was first fash
toned. Here, in straps especially
planned for them. were kept the silver
sugar tongs and IL tea spoons still IN
Miss Nicholson's possession.
Among other treasure to delight the
feminine soul is a mammoth pewter
basin with ladle of proportionate
size. Miss Nicholson uses 1t for the
festal turkey at Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
Fleet of Cream Pitchers.
Much as I was holding myself in
check. with regard to the injunction
of not coveting thy neighbours pos
session. I confess to envying Miss
Nicholson a veritable fleet of luster
cream pitchers of every conceivable
size, shape and pattern from tiny
ones to those that might have served
an old-time household with the prov
erbial IL children.
A gigantic pot-bellied china pitcher
which one suspects once held its goodly
share of nut brown ale" fairly In
spires piracy. Across its broad front
is flying frigate, all sails set. Under
meath is this caption, fit inspiration
for the new King of England's recent
selling talk to British manufacturers:
MAY peace and plenty
On our national smile;
Trade with commerce
Bless the British Isle"
,, Miss Nicholson's father. Walter
Land Nicholson, was graduate in
engineering from the University of
Edinburgh, as was his father, William
Nicholson, before him, having had
his name enrolled for entrance when
he was 6 years old pending his later
compliance with entrance require
ments. His coming to America was
the result of his affection for beau
tiful English lassie, Elizabeth Johns
ton, whom he met during the course
/ of visit to the north of England Her
widowed father subsequently came to
America to better his fortunes in the
coal mining industry in the vicinity
| of Uniontown, Pa. When he had
established himself in comfort, he sent
for his four daughters, of whom Eliz-
abeth was the eldest.
Was Successful in U. S.
Very shortly thereafter, Miss Nichol-
sons father followed the object of his
devotions to America. an avowed sutton
for her heart and hand. Kentucky,
Tennessee and Louisiana furnished
fertile field for the young engineers
| abilities and with his helpmate at his
side they journeyed together wherever
his profession called him. Subsequent
ly his skill in map-making brought
him an appointment with the Coast
and Geodetic Survey in Washington,
as he had in the meanwhile embraced
American citizenship.
| During the Civil War he was one
of the city's patriotic citizens who
served as guard to the military en-
frances to the Nations Capital. Wood
bury Blair. Postmaster General. APP
pointed him chief photographer of the
Post Office Department., in which