Year: 1876

slduC6S iOECtQ nCf ~ decision,
and on the 9th of May, 1902, the
day she attained her twentieth year,.
she surrendered her name and for
tune to him. Mr.. Van Ness ceased
to represent New York, and became
the owner of more than half of
Washington.


One of the earliest acts of the
new proprietor of the plantation
was the erection of a large and
costly house, built out of the sales
of land that passed to the nation
and to individuals. In its day it
was the most expensive private
mansion in the United States; it
was the first in which hot aud cold
water was carried to ali the cham
bers. LaeRal,e TIC n


White House, Grew The ans, and
superintendent the erection. 1t is
said that even Mr.. Van Ness, ex
travagant as he naturally was, was
Mortified by the continual calls for
money for the new building, and at
last demonstrated strongly with the
architect Mr.. Latrobe coolly re-
piled, That's your business, to find
the money. 1 have nothing to do
but draw the plans, and hulld the
house" Beneath its capacious
easements are the largest and cool
est wine-vaults in the country; and
it was in these dark recesses that it
was the original intention of the
conspirators who afterwards assas-
sinated Mr.. Lincoln, to conceal
their captive, had they succeeded in
their original plan Of capturing him
alive.


The house, when built, was con
secrated by its owner to hospitality.
No other mansion in this country
has opened its doors to so many
and such illustrious guests. Mon
roe and Madison, Clay and Cal
houn, Webster and Hayne were the
friends of heI husband, and her fire.
quent visitors. From Washington
to Jackson there was not a Presi-
dent of the United States who was
not her friend and guest. General
Van Ness was fond of display; the
sale of the plantation had given
him ample means; and nothing
pleased him more than to see the
political aristocracy of all parties
crowded around his ample board.
But his wife, while meeting all the
claims that fashion and wealth.
could present, led an inne- life of
much religious beauty. The love-
illness and simplicity of her original
nature remained unchanged until
death. Wealth never corrupted her;
prosperity never withheld her hand
from the wants of the deserving
poor. For thirty years her house
was the center of Washington's best
social life. Her husbands position,
as Mayor of the capitol, constrained
him to a continued hospitality in
which he took great delight. But
her real happiness was found in
other things. Religion, and chart
ity, and the care of the orphan were
never forgotten by her; her life was
train of unostentatious charity.
In ripper years her heart was fixed
on the training of her daughter,
and she made it her own work to
educate that daughter for the real
tiles of life. It was the part of the
daily duty of both to read together
the Word of God, and together to
mediate on its solemn truths. They
were congenial minds; and neither
the difference of age nor the over
flowing happiness of youth ever led
the fair daughter away from her
mother, or her religious duties.
And when marriage came, and Miss
Van Ness became Mrs. Middleton,
the lonely mother could cheerfully
see her daughter depart, for she
well knew how fitted was that
daughter for all that life or death
could bring. Death soon came in
the train of childbirth; and when the
daughter and her little infant de


scended into the grave, the mother's
heart descended with them. Fol-
the family was built one of the most


beautiful mausoleums ever con
structed in this country;-perhaps


at the time of its erection, the most


beautiful. 1t was the exact pattern


of the pillared temple of Tivoli


All that part of H street, then OIL


the outskirts of the city, now it:


very center, the mother dedicated


to religious uses. At the right o.


the grave rose the Church of ths
Ascension, for which she gave th'
land; on It's left the Washington
Orphan Asslum, to which she gave
not only the land, but four thou
sand dollars. Between these two
, buildings, the one consecrated t.
religion, the other TO charity. wa
, erected the mausoleum that was t,
await her decease.


: Death came to her at last, as i


comes to all; but not until she ha,
: enjoyed all the pleasure that wealth
or society. or fashion can give, ant
: found how frail or worthless the,
: are when compared with religion O
? affection. She died in September
5 1882, when she was just fifty year
: of age; and she received, what n
D other woman in the United State
j, has ever received, the honors Of