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" W V V W W • » w --- v -- m |W 'W'V'W-V-V-V-V * w - V --’W - w-»- W - w - w - - — — - - - — — — - — - W — —w—' * w — w w - w — w ^ * — » ” - w -■» w - w - w - « - w - v -. v . v ' w 'w- v >v v <a- ■»•» •«• O •*• 9 ••• %J ••• W •*• W *•• W Oldest Living' Descendant q/ Martha Washington & il & iN : 1 T 'r hi Tudor Place a Puch WasHing'ton Reliquary © ^> © .•• • *•• • ••• • ••• • •< a*-©*#-*-c-«-q«-©-••<?)• f•••#•*'s ••© «•*©•«•© -© 3■ ©.«.©.*.© 7-o«e *•© ■«•©•••© By G. 1 1 Written for Tjho Sunny South (Copyright, i905.) HOSE who visit AVashlng- ton’s tomb at Mount Ver non, standing- in awed si lence near the marble sarcophagus which holds all that is mortal of one so distinctly Immortal, may be Interested to know that within the same vault. Immediately be hind it, is the tiny coffin of a little girl who died more than 100 years ago, who In life, as in death, associated with the great casket, which originally the sarcophagus itself, is closely The ■d upon was man restt that of Martha Eliza Eleanor Peter. Mrs. Washington’s first great-grand child, named for her three granddaugh ters, the children of her son, John Parke Custie, and of his wife, Eleanor Calvert, the granddaughter of Lord P.altimore, The little girl, who was born January 20, 1796. nearly three years before Washington’s death, and Who died September 10. ISOO. just nine months after that event was taught to walk by him. With the green-tinted slopes rising gently from the shining river in the foreground and framed in clustering- trees, bursting with buds a».d vocal with the twitter of mating birds, the two must have made a pretty pic- tme on the verandah at Mount Vernon on those early spring mornings, she clinging to his great forefinger with her dimpled baby hand and he suiting his gait to her slow, uncertain steps. Across the intervening century the scene is a dim abstraction, but the mists clear and the shadowy figures start into reality when we clasp the hand of a -inter of the child, Mrs. Britannia Wel lington K< n.non. the oldest living des cendant of Martha Vashington, and her only surviving representative in the third degree. At Mrs. Kennon’s beauti ful, historic home. Tudor Place, in Georgetown, too, are souvenirs of the little girl, a coral and bells bought for her by Washington during the “difficult second summer," which he enjoyed see ing her manipulate and upon which she left the impress of her first tooth, and a little chair, a gift from Airs. Wash ington, upholstered with a remnant of one of her wedding gowns. MANY PRICELESS TREASURES. Tudor Place contains besides many priceless relics of the Washington fam ily and is the scene of the most inter esting events in Mrs. Kennon’s life. The central portion of the Stuccoed structure was built in 1816 by her fath er, Colonel Thomas Peter, who married Martha, the second daughter of John Parke Custis, but the wings which it unites, standing where he purchased the property, are of much earlier date, it is situated in the heart of Georgetown, the beautiful grounds surrounding it, shaded by forest trees and intersected with gravel walks, having been reduced by the encroaching city from six and a half acre s to a half square. Entering the great iron gate an odor of boxwood, suggestive of colonial gardens, greets you, and following the driveway, out lined by the pungent shrub and encir cling a spherical bed of the same, re sembling a mammoth green table, and so evenly trimmed and with such close ly Interwoven branches that it might almost be used for such we pass through the vestibule and into a spacious cen tral apartment. An inverted bay whj- dow. half inclosing a round stone porch, whose dome-like roof is supported h> four pillars, occupies its opposite end, while flanking it on either sde are wide doorways leading into contiguous rooms. Of these the one to the left terminates in a conservatory, imprisoned behind whose glass doors is a sago palm, a scion of one of three brought to this country in one of the historic tea ships which emptied their cargo in Boston harbor, tvas destroyed by a tire which occured tbyre, turning a portion if ’"ft. greenhouse; another was carried to Morrisiana, the home of Governor Mor ris, and the third went to Pratt's Gar dens in Philadelphia. In 1813 Mrs. Mrs. Britannia Wellington Kennon. Born January 28, 1815. The Oldest Living Descendant of Martha Wash ington and Her only Surviving Rep resentative in the Third Degree. Peter drove to that city In her carri age. the journey occupying four days, and, visiting tho gardens, bought an offshoot of the palm, bringing it home in a basket. The plant thus transported is now a semi-tree, and under the garden er’s fostering care bears every year a. profusion of scarlet blossoms. In the room to tho light of the central apartment is a brass-framed mirror which hung in the parlor at Mount Yei- 11011, and a child’s desk presented to Mrs Peter by General Lafayette when she was a little girl, while tho walls of ail three are covered with a rare col lection of pictures. Ann ng these ire the painting by Edward Savage (so wide ly copied) of the family group at Mount Vernon, life portraits of General and Mrs. ’Washington, of General Ivnox, Rear View of Tudor Place Which Contains Largest Collection of Washington Relics Extant. Washington’s secretary of war, and of John Parke Curtis, and engraved repro ductions of Trumbull’s famous battle .-•••0110s and of Ary Scheffer’s portrait oif Lafayette, sent by him to Mrs. Peter after htg visit to Tudor Place in 1024. Of tho miniatures owned by Mrs. ICen- non, the one of Washington represents him as he afterwards appeared at Nellie Custis’ wedding in the colonial uniform of buff and blue, with delicate shirt frills. It was painted for Martha Custis at her special reguest immediately before her marriage, a duplicate being given to her older sister, Eliza, the ancestor of Mrs. George Goldsborougli and Airs. Kirby Flower Smith, of Baltimore. The superb heirlooms are set In dark blue enamel, encircled with pearls, a pearl-framed re liquary at the back containing locks of hair of Nellie and George Washington Parke Custis. The miniatures of Airs. Washington were executed at widely sep arated ■periods. In tho first, taken soon after her marriage, and on the reverse ■'Me of which is a portrait of John Parka Custis, she wears a lavender gown, with lace fichu, caught at the throat with a butterfly pin. In the second, painted at Mount Vernon by Field after her hus band's death and a short time before h<T own, she appears in her “morning cap’’ that her granddaughter. Airs. Peter, i i iy see her in her “every-day iace.” WASHINGTON’S VESTS. Airs. Washington’s bridal gown, an ele gant white brocade, with rich lace trim mings. drawn back from a silver-wrought petticoat, carried us back to the festivi ties at the white house, on the Pamun- key river, in New Kent county, Virginia, ^.fhe purple satin slippers, emoroidered with silver and worn with It, being also at Tudor place. Here the wedding knot was tied by the rector o£ St. Peters t church, still used for worship, and here lie couple passed their honeymoon shington giving the executive man- I. n its name in memory of these asso ciations. Handsomely painted fans, with ivory Frick? ar» souvenirs of the ’ ceremonious functions at which she after wards presided as “The First Lady of the Land,” her card 1 plate, with her own name engraved on one side and that of Airs. Peter on the other, being another memento of her social life. White cloth vests anil other articles of apparel worn by Washington indicate that he was drawn physically, as well as mentally and morally, upon heroic lines. There is also a mammoth pewter plate, a camp stool and sundry cooking utensils which belonged to his army equipment, ■while the historic conch shells, bought of ai insistent street vender in Phila delphia and converted at his suggestion ■nto buttons for a dress suit, recall a well-known incident in his life. Tile silver, the china and glassware at Tudor place admit of an exiaiot reproduc tion of Tie table o.l Afount Vernon at a period when carriage loads of guests emptied thef,selves upon the front Ti?iwn, nnd ali foreigners of distinction were en tertained 'beneath the Ihcspitable roof. Among the chirrs is a part of a set upon which is WashingToti*s monogram, given to him by a the Count de ■Custlne and made upon that nobleman’s estate in France, with pSeces of The famous “M. W.” china, presented to Airs. Washing ton by the French officers who took part in the ravolut'ionary war. There are also portions of the tea. anil dinner sets’ used during tile presidency in New York and F!i ’Liueliphto, a salad and pnnah bowl of the Order of the Cincinnati and a bowl in which five generations of Mrs. Wash ington's descendant;? were christened. Mantel in Drawing Room at Tudor Place, Life Portrait of Washington, Parian Figures and Candlesticks Belonging to Him, and Andirons in His Room When He Died. The silver owned by Airs. Kennon Is of English iv. jrkmanship and is engraved with the family erost. a few specimens being a ■cream pitcher, teapot and caddy sqxion used by Airs. Washington, a num ber of oval waiters, with claw feet, upon which glass dishes were set, and a half dozen candlesticks of chaste design, over Which are odd-sthatped glass globes to pre vent fhe flaring of the light. The Pa rian marble figures which were grouped around an immense plate glass plateau, simulating a lake and used at state din ners, are also at Tudor Place, but the plateau was cold by Washington alter his withdrawal from public life as un- suited to his altered situation. They were selected for him In Paris by Gov ernor Alorris, as were five brass “patent temps, warranted not to smoke nor in jure the furniture.’’ which, having out lived their usefulness, are now used for decorative purposes. SOUVENIRS OF THE FARM. Illustrations of the farm life at Atount Vernon may be seen in blankets and towels made from the wool and flax grown there and manufao turned under the mistress’ eye by negro artisan* in the spinning room, where all day long the merry wheel sang songs to the accom paniment of loom and flax brake. In deed, with hundreds of subordinates to care for and 011001, Airs. Washington could scarcely have led an idle life. There is a record of her having cut oiut on a. certain long summer day thirty- two pairs of trousers for the men ser vants about the place, and specimens of her fancy work are preserved by Airs. Kennon in a covered stool and chair cushion, embroidered with her monogram, the latter lie>ng a duplicate of nine di vided among her three granddaughters, one of which, presented to Lafayette by Nellie Custis, is now in the American room a.t his country seat near Paris. Her netting, of which there are samples at Tudor Place, in the deep fringe of a counterpane, was so beautiful that the ■girts of the connection trimmed their gowns with-it. Her own dress, a sim ple white dimity in summer, had the adornment of a perfect neatness, and iAIiss Mildred ‘ Lee, the daughter of the •confederate chieftain, states that when as a child at Arlington she ran in from play with a soiled frock on She was told how her great grandmother kept house CONTINUED ON LAST PAGE. -a-.-*-.-#.-S-.-O •••© • © * © « e « s *-© *•*# • o*©*©- • © ••• • *••• • -i Ufae Retired Car Conductor' A Series of Humorous Stories by Gelett Burgess and Will Irwin AMES W1 SWELL COFFIN. 3d pulled steadily at his cigars. He smoked ner vously with a ruthless de termination to finish at any nazard. By the watidh. he had suc ceeded in smoking iris first cigar in eleven min utes. Keeping fairly well to Uhls pace, 8 o’clock found him with but- four left in the box. Rather sallow, with a faded, set grin, still puffing, still chaffing, the Har vard freshman was as cool as Athos un der fire. The Klondiker was as excited as a heavy backer at a six-duy-go-as-you- pleti.se. The cigar clerk had run out of ■racy talcs and conundrums. At last but three Panatelas remained. “■See here,’’ said the scion of the Puri tans, “I promised to smoke the whole box didn’t I. and to keep one lighted all the time? Well, I didn't say only one, and so I’m going to make a spurt and smoke the last three at once.” “Tho Klondilker demurred and it was left for the cigar salesman to decide. Coffin won. Ala'king a grimace, the young f.<ol, with a dying gasp of bravado, lighted the three and while the others looked on with admiration, puffed stren uously to the horrid end. When the stumps were so elrort that he could hard ly hold them between Ills lips the sales man pulled out a watch. “Seven hours, twenty-three minutes and six second—Coffin wins!” he cried. At this the Harvard freshman toppled, and dropping prone upon the floor, felt so desperately, so horribly, ill that for a while his nausea held him captive. Tine room went round. After a while he reeled to his feet and felt Che cool touch of gold that the Klondiker was forcing into Ills palms. “You were dead game «.ll right, young ster,’’ the Klondiker was saying. “I never thought you’d see It through, but you earned your money. I’ll bet you never worked harder for a salary, though.’ Coffin tried to srnilo and drank a half pitcher of water. “Gentlemen.’’ he said, solemnly, leaning against the wall paper, “one of life’s sweetest blessings has faded. I have lost one of youth’s illu sions. 1 shall never smoke again. There is nothing left for me to do but join the Salvation Army and knock the demon rum. My heart feels like a punching bag after Fritz has finished practicing witli if, and my head is as light as a new-laid* balloon. As for the dark brown hole where my mouth used to be—brrrrrh! I move we pass out for fresh air. Funny, it seems a trifle smoky here! Wonder why. Come along and see me skate on the sidewalk. I’m as dizzy as Two- step Willie a’ the eleventh extra.” Then he patted the double eagles in his hand. “Every one of you little yellow hoys has got to go out and get married; I must have a big family by tonight!” Tho Klondiker gasped. “For heaven’s sake, you don’t mean to say you’re going to begin again? You ought to be in the -.-a-.- ■*■•■» •<■• ® o * receiving hospital right now. Can you think of anything crazier to do after this? I'll bade you! I haven’t had so much fun since 1 left the Yukon. You're likely to tip over the City Hal! before night, if I don’t watch you.” “Well, well. I can't quite keep up this pace, geptlemen,'■ said the cigar clerk, “and I have to open up the shop. I’ll look you up tonight at the morgue.” He left hurriedly. Once outside Coffin's spirits rose. “I never really expected to greet you glori ous orb again,” he said. “Let’s climb up to Chinatown and get rich.” “Spending money is my mark; I’m a James P. Dandy when it comes to letting go of coin. I’m with you,’’ said the Klondiker. "Beside, I want to see how long before our luck changes.” The Freshman led the way. They passed up the narrow Oriental lane of Dupont street, the Chinatown highway, and. as he pointed out the sights, Coffin discoursed. "In the back of half these shops the gentle game of fan-tan is now progress ing. Alorcovcr, there are at least five lotteries running in the quarter that I know of. To wit: tho ‘American,’ the ‘Lum Ki.' the ‘New York,’ the ‘Ye Wah* nnd the ‘Alee Lee Sing.’ I propose to buck the Mongolian tiger in his Oriental lair and watch the yellow fur fly, by invest ing a small wad in a ticket for Ihe half past nine drawing. I worked out a sys tem last night, while dallying with the tresses of My Lady Nicotine, and I sim ply cun’t lose unless my luck has turned sour. I shall mark said ticket per said inspiration, and drag down the spoils of war Kaloo, kalay, I chortle in my joy!” “See here, then, you let me into that,” Insisted the Klondiker; “you keep your hundred and salt It down. You play my money this shot, and I’ll give you half of what’ s made on it You're a mascot today, and I’ve earned the right to use you!’ "All right, then I agree to be falry- goiJmother until the sun sets. But 1 muchly fear you'll let the little tra-la-Ioo bird out of the cage, with your great, big, coarse fingers. Never mind, we'll try It. Here we are, now!” He paused in front of a smallish Chin ese restaurant on a side street. In the lower windows were displayed groceries und provisions, raw and cooked, and from the upper story a painted wooden fretwork balcony projected adorned with potted shrubs and paper lanterns. They entered, to find a small room, from the center of which a brass .step ped staircase rose to the floor above. On one side of this office was a counter, behind which sat a fat, 6leek Chinaman, industriously writing with a vertical brush in an account book, pausing oc casionally to compute a sum upon the ebony beads of an abacus. He looked up and nodded at CofTln. and, without stopping his work, called out several words in Chinese to those upstairs. The two went past the kitchens on the sec ond floor to the top story, where several large dining rooms, elaborately decorat ed In carved wood and colored glass windows, stretched from front to rear In one room a group of men, seemingly eastern tourists, were seated on teak- wood stools at a round table, drinking tea and nibbling at sugared confections distributed in numerous bowls. Expa tiating upon the wonders of the place was what seemed to be one of the or thodox Chinatown guides, pointing with his slim rattan caner and smoking a huge cigar. Coffin led the way to a back room and looking carefully to see If he were ob served, kr.oekad three times at an un^ obtrusive door. Immediately a silken curtain at the side wi, raised, disclos ing a window gui-Vded by a wire screen. In an instant It was dropped again and tho door was opened narrowly. Coffin pushed his friend through and they found themselves In a square, boxlike closet or hallway. Here another door was opened after a similar signal and Inspection by the lookout, and they passed through. Inside this last barrier was a large room painted a garish blue. About a ■table in the center several Chinamen were assembled and doors were opening and shutting to receive and let out vis itors. At a desk in the corner was sit ting a thin faced merchant with horn spectacles and long drooping white mustaches. To him Coffin went imme diately and shook hands. Then he ex plained something of the workings of tiie lottery to the Klondiker. It was deemed to buy a fifteen dollar ticket, and they received a square of yellow paper wher*, within a border, were printed eighty characters in green ink. “New York Day Time.” Tho price was printed plainly across the face. "Now, I’ll mark It,” said Coffin. “You can mark a *hlgh-low’ system that is pretty sure to win, but it’s too difficult lor me—I was never much of a Dazma- raz at the higher mathematics. So I’ll mark out ten spots anywhere I please. There ar« twenty winning numbers, and on a fifteen dollar ticket if I catch five of them I get S30; six pays $270, seven pays *2.400, and eight spots pul! down the capital prize. If more than one ticket wins a prize the money is divided pro rata, so we don’t know what we win till the tickets are cashed in downstairs in the office.” He took a brush and marked his ton spots, five above and five below the center panel, and handed it to the man ager, who wrote his name in Chinese characters down the margin. There was just time for this when the ceremony of drawing the winning numbers began. The manager brought out a cylindrical bamboo vessel and placed in it the eighty characters found on the tickets, each written on a small piece of paper and rolled into a little pill or ball. Then he looked up at the Klondiker. “You likee mix ’em up?” he asked. The stranger assented, and, having stirred up the pellets, was gravely hand ed a dime by the treasurer of the com pany. The pellets were then drawn forth, one by one, and placed in four bowls in ro tation till all were disposed of. The man ager now nodded to Coffin, who came up to the table. "You shake 'em dice?” said the Chinaman, Coffin nodded. “You see this die?” he explained to CONTINUED ON LAST PAGE. M