Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / Feb. 19, 1915, edition 1 / Page 8
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m the divine spark in the fhfl VMfc&fe ington was a young lady. 1M rfK land Beauty," and to lillfc SLv some very execrable Mmmfmmm ivju verses. In one doggerel , AsV s s'V . A he tells about his "Poor, XWV '''m v" Vv , C- dm'W V9 RpcHp Hpart" stir- - Xx O V X -V "& VN$$ W Resistless Heart sir v$vv 'OVMffl rendered to "cupia s 1 Feathered Dart" and ly- Slli 4alki - . . .... HE first maiden to Kindle the divine spark in the breast of George Wash ington was a young lady, whom he called his "Low land Beauty," and to whom, at fifteen, he wrote some very execrable verses. In one doggerel he tells about his "Poor, Resistless Heart," sur rendered to "Cupid's Feathered Dart" and ly ing "Bleeding Every Hour," for her that "pitiless of my Grief and Woes will not on me Pity take." The identity of this "Lowland Beau ty," who was the object of Washing ton's first affections has been much disputed. Lossing, the historian, pro nounced her Mary Bland, and some are inclined to the belief that she was a Miss Eilbeck, a beauty of Charles county, Maryland, who married George Mason. Others maintain that she was Lucy Grymes, who married Henry Lee and became the mother of the' famous "Light Horse Harry," who was a great favorite with Washington, and who re ferred to the commander in chief as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his coun "trymen." Those who favor the Lucy Grymes identification point to the affection of Washing ton for "Light Horse Harry" as a resultant of the early love he entertained for Harry's mother. Others will have it that the "Lowland Beauty" was Betsy Fauntleroy, and base their assertion on a letter written in May, 1752, by Washington to the grandfather of Miss Fauntleroy, in which he says, among other things, he purposed as soon as he recovered his strength (he had been ill with pleurisy) "to wait on Miss Betsy in hopes of a revocation of the former cruel sentence, and see if I can meet with any alteration in my favor." In 1748 Washington became surveyor of Lord Fairfax' lands. He was then but sixteen. In an undated letter, probably written about the'end of 1750, or the beginning of 1751, to his "Dear Friend Robin," (possibly Robert Washington of Chotauk, affectionately remembered in his will) we also find allusion to the "Lowland Beauty," "My place of residence is at present at his lord ship's, where I might, were not my heart disen gaged, pass my time very pleasantly, as a very agreeable young lady lives in the same house . . . but often and unavoidably being in com pany with her revives my former passion for your 'Lowland Beauty;' whereas, were I to live more retired from young Women, I might, in some measure, afleviate my sorrows by burying that chaste and troublesome Passion in the grave of oblivion of eternal forgetfulness." History might have been different had Washing ton been accepted by the "Lowland Beauty." If the "Lowland Beauty" was Betsy Fauntleroy and good authorities think she was she married Ebenezer Adams, progenitor of the Virginia fam ily of that name, and became the mother of Thomas Adams, alumnus of William and Mary college, signer of the articles of confederation, and member of the Philadelphia convention (1778 17S0). The "agreeable young lady" mentioned by Washington in his letters from the Fairfax resi dence, was Miss Mary Cary, the sister of Colonel Fairfax' wife. He turned to her for consola tion and it seems her charm mitigated his "trou blesome passion." But Miss Cary had no genuine love for the ardent young man. In 1752 she mar ried Edward Ambler. After his wooing of the "Lowland Beauty," he had another charmer, presumably a member of the famfly of Alexanders, who had a plantation near Mount Vernon. Washington, while in Barbadoes with his sick half-brother Lawrence, met a Miss Roberts, who exerted an influence over his tender heart and to whom he refers as "an agreeable young lady." It would seem that nearly all the young ladies were agreeable to him. Miss Roberts, it ap pears, was the only one, however, who really cap tivated him in Barbadoes. While allowing that all "the ladys generally are agreeable," he notes that "by ill custom they affect the negro style." When returned from hi3 first campaign and rest- ing at Mount Vernon, the time seems to have been beguiled by some charmer, for one of his inti mates writes from Williamsburg: "I imagine you by this time plunged in the midst of delight heaven can afford and enchanted by charmers even stranger to the Cirpian Dame," and a foot note by the sa'me hand only excites further curi osity concerning this latter personage by in definitely naming her as "Mrs. Neil." It Is said that at one time and another Wash ington had half a hundred sweethearts along the banks of the Potomac, the Rappahannock, and the James, and even up to the gates of Mount Ver non. Perhaps the number is exaggerated, but at any rate we have but scant account of most of the fair ones and" are not even told the names ot th great majority. This we do know, that Washington was a welcome guest with the Fair-' faxes at Belvoir, with the Carys at Eagle's Nest,' with the Fitzhughes at Stratford House, with the Carters at Sabine Hall, and with the Lees and Fauntleroys at Richmond. Through the death of his half-brother, whdn. : he accompanied to Barbadoes in the West Indies in search of health, Washington became master of Mount Vernon. On his return journey he called at Bermuda, where he ha-d an attack of smallpox'' which, according to Parson Weems, "marked his face rather agreeably than otherwise." He was-' seized with a military ambition. He had already ; been a military inspector with the rank of ma jor for the protection of the frontiers of Virginia. At twenty-three he was an aide-de-camp to Gen- eral Braddock, commander in chief of the Virginia forces. At twenty-four we find him journeying to Boston on military business. In going and returning he tarried in New York for about a week, on each occasion as the guest of Beverly Robinson, a Virginia friend who had married Susannah Philipse. Mrs. Robinson's sister, a very pretty girl, happened to be on a visit with her relatives. Washington came un der the glamour of her glances." He did not spare expense in seeking popularity. He spent sundry pounds in "treating the ladies," with the object of getting one of them to treat him with favor, but all his efforts were in vain. He gallantly pro posed to Miss Philipse and donned his best suit for the occasion, but that cultured and charming lady courteously declined the honor he would thrust upon her. Two years afterwards she married Lieut. Col. Roger Morris. There is no doubt that Washington was des perately in love with Mary Philipse, and her re fusal of his suit was a keen disappointment to him. A curious sequel to his attachment for her occurred in the fact that her husband's bouse in Morristown became Washington's headquarters in 1776, both Morris and his wife being fugitive tories. History in this case might also have been materially changed had Mary Philipse be come the wife of George Washington. In the spring of 1750 Washington met his fate. Ill health had taken him to Williamsburg to con sult physicians. On this trip he met Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Custis, widow of Daniel Parke Cus tis, one of the wealthiest planters of the colony, At that time she was twenty-six years old, three months younger than Washington, though she had been a widow seven years. In spite of his ill health he pressed his suit with as much ardor as he had done in the case of Mary Philipse, and with better success. Though her first husband had been faithful and affectionate, he had not much appealed to her imagination, but the big,, dashing Virginia colonel took her heart by storm. She favored his suit, and they became en gaged. He ordered a ring from Philadelphia at a cost of 2 16s (two pounds and sixteen shillings), big price in those days, but they could not be im mediately married, as military duty called him away. After several months in the field, during which time they saw each other only three or four times, Washington came back to Williams burg, and there in St. Peter's church, on January 6, 1759, they were married. It was a grand wed ding, attended by all the aristocracy of Virginia. The bride was attired in heavy bro caded white silk, interwoven with sil ver thread. Her shoes were of white satin and sparkled with buckles of brilliants. The bridegroom was cos tumed in a blue cloth coat, lined with red silk and ornamented with silver trimmings. His shoe3 and knee buckles were of solid gold, his hair was powdered, and a sword hung at his side. He appeared the beau Ideal of a gallant and a gentleman. Mrs. Washington had four children by her former marriage Martha, Dan iel, John Parke, and a girl, who died in infancy. Washington fathered her little progeny, but had none of his own. "Providence," it was said, "had denied the great man children that he might be the father of the whole country." Washington was fortunate in his marriage. John Adams, in one of his jealous outbursts, exclaimed: "Would Washington have been commander of the Revolutionary army or president of the United States if he had not married the rich widow of Mr. Custis?" Mrs. Washington's third of the Custis property equaled . "fifteen thousand acres of land, a good part of it adjoining the city' of Williamsburg, several lots in the said city.bet'eeu 2,000 and 3,000 negroes, and about 8,000 or 10,000 upcn bond," esti mated at the time as about 20,000 in all. Be sides, this was increased by the death of the 'r' daughter, "Patsy" Custis, in 1773, by half her fortune, a sum of 10,000. But it must be re membered that Washington's colonial military fame had been entirely achieved before he had even met Mrs. Custis. Washington was worth about $800,000, the richest man in his day. It has been said that hispenchant for- lovely . women was acutely alive aifjf through his active "caVeer. Washington was human, and there is no question that fair women always had attract ed him. ' In his sixty-sixth year he wrote, "Love is said to be an involuntary passion, and it is." There fore he "contended that it "cannot be resisted." Though ,a lover , himself, Washington was not a matchmaker!' In a letter to ; the widow of .Jack Custis ("Jack": his wife's son, who had been hi ward) he writes:' "I never "did, nor do . I. be-, Heye' ever shall give advice to "a woman who is' setting out oh a matrimonial voyage." And again, "It has ever been a maxim with me through life, neither to promote nor to prevent a ' matri'1 nionial connection- k . . . I have always cohf sidered marriage as the most interesting ev.e'nt of one's life, the foundation' of happiness or misery." '' Yet in a letter to Eliza Custis Bates (the eldest of Jacky's four children), dated January 6, 1796, Washington gives some interesting advice "Neither shun by too much coyness the addresses of a suitable character whom you may esteem; nor encourage them by advances on your part, however predisposed toward them your inclina f'on may be. "In choosing a partner for life, prefer one of your countrymen (by this. I mean an American) of visible property and whose family is known and whose circumstances (not depending on fortu itous matters) may not, like a foreigner's, reduce you to the heartrending alternative' of parting with him or bidding adieu to your country, fam ily and friends forever. "In forming a connection of this durability, let the understanding as well as the passion "be con sulted; without the approbation of the first the indulgence of the latter may be compared to the rose, which will bloom, glow for a while, then fade and die, leaving nothing but thorns behind it. There are other considerations, though sec ondary, nevertheless important. Among these congeniality of temper is essential, without which discord will ensue and that walk must be un pleasant and toilsome .when two persons linked together cannot move in it without jostling each other." Alas, Eliza Ann ("Betsy") didn't take Wash ington's advice. She married Thomas Law, an Englishman, the nephew of Lord Ellensborough,' yet it is said she was comparatively happy in her choice. Though Washington loved, and loved often, there is no doubt that a good deal of romance has been woven around his early career. Accord ing to some, Washington had "a rag on everjl bush," from the vine-clad hills of old Virginia to Boston Commons. But the truth is Washington was not an indiscriminate lover, nor did ha trifle with the affections of women. Despite the ef forts of forgery and calumny no deed of shame in regard to the sex ever could be laid at his door. During the time he was president a Mrs. Hart ley is mentioned to whom some say he was very devoted. Yeates says: "Mr. Washington once told me on a charge which I once made against the president at his own table, that the admira tion he warmly professed for Mrs. Hartley as a proof of his homage to the worthy part' of th sex, and highly respectful to hi wife." MBtoONAL SfflOOL N MY Lesson iBy E. O. SELLERS, Acting Director of Sunday School Course Moody Bible In stitute, Chicago.) LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 21 THE DEATH OF ELI AND HIS SONS. LESSON TEXT-I Samuel 4:1-13, IS.. GOLDEN TEXT Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding1 your .own selves. James 1:22 R. V. t ' The Philistines' in the days of -Ell overran Israel pretty much at will. All Israel, God's people, -soon knew that ' God was speaking through this new prophet. x ' I. No Help at Ebenezer, vv. 1, 2. Eb enezer was that place where Samuel later set up the stones of commemo ration (I Samuel 7:12). Here the ag gressive Philistines overcame and put to rout the Israelites. Israel had sinned and needed correction (chapter 7:3; Ps. 106:40, 41). When God's peo ple neglect him they weaken them selves and easily become the prey of their enemies. Full often the church of today stands defeated and dis graced, nay even turns its back to the enemy, because it harbors sin and sinners in, its ranks (Josh, 7:12). II. Seeking Help, vv. 3-9. If Israel really desired to know the cause of their discomfiture they did not need to go far to seek it. The trouble was that they were not willing to see and own it ;, (I.. ..Cor. 11:31). The reasoning upon the part of these elders seems to be, "Why have we, Israelites, been smitten by these Philistines who are not God's chosen people?" It was absurd and unjust for them to have to suffer. We hear this same sort of reasoning today, whereas God would have us probe deeper and search our hearts, for. if we regard iniquity in our hearts the Lord will not hear us. At Shiloh, Ell is caring for the ark, and with the fatalism and superstition that will govern the ungodly, ' Israel sends for it "that it may save us" (v. 3). The ark contained the tables of the law and was the symbol of the presence of God (Ex. 25:10-22). Their trust was in the ark and not in the God of the ark. Such is ever the dan ger of formalism in religion. To carry the ark about Jericho trusting in Je hovah, was quite different from har boring the sons of Eli,, yet thinking that God could not let the ark be captured. The churches of our land are the saving salt, but "if the salt hath lost its savour," if Hophni and Phinehas bear the ark, nothing but defeat and disgrace can be expected, though the "enemy may tremble (v. 8), The Philistines were strong enough to smite because of the weakness of Israel. They recognized the shouta and remembered the mighty deeds ol Jehovah, which exploits would have been repeated had Israel truly turned to God. There was good reason for the Philistines to fear. But God was not on the side of Israel at that time. The Philistines began to exhort them selves. Their call (v. 9) was a good one and was used later by Paul (1 Cor. 16:13). For them not to do anything was to be captured by their former slaves. If they fought, theycbuld but "dlelj ' ,,. . .. ,Uh The Lxt, Battle,, vv. 10-11. God ,-?r6ul4 DQtuccor-his, chosen people,, nor Metetid ithe. symbols of ' religion' itt ntf;spirlt: and heart pf that te-A ligfo'fildepaTted iPs..,. 78:. 56-64 The -ftwgjifeprdbt'e sons of ,Eli were slain as-if punishment 'for theif' sins' and in fullfHlment of" tlie word of God (chapter-; 2: 12; 3:13,' 14). TJieir pun ishment came In connetfen with the same holy service they ' had defiled. IV. The Death of Ell, 'vvV 12-18. The aged Eli, now ninety-eight years old, was anxiously awaiting news of the battle, "for his heart trembled for tha ark of God." This anxiety was quits unnecessary (v. 13). God can take care of his ark. Eli had reason, how ever, to tremble for Israel and hla wicked sons He is an illustration of those indulgent parents who refuse to use discipline in the care of their children. The ark did not return to Shiloh. After Its various vicissitudes it found an abiding place in the house of Abin adab. whose son Eleazar was sancti fied to take charge of it. Later it was taken to Jerusalem, and in the meantime Shiloh passed into oblivion. The Golden Text. That we learn to do by doing is a fundamental prin ciple in pedagogy. Mere human worda do not change character. Youth does not acquire purity of character by listening to beautiful statements about the virtues. Religion is not a last re sdurce. It must be practiced in youth if it is to give strength, courage and comfort in old ago It is not a matter ol creed and formula but a life; It is not a convenience but a course of action that governs all of life. It is not the turning in life's testing times, to those forms from which all life has departed. Parents today seem to ho lax in discipline. Too often ft is the child that brings up the parent. -We need to accustom the child to virtue and obedience, to teach him truth while at the knee, that when "he is old he may not depart" therefrom. While some children 1 of good parents go astray yet thl3 is not the rule. A true Christian atmosphere and spirit of service in the home, the Sunday school and the church are the great est possible safeguards for the young. MOTH LOOK AT CHILDLTOIIGOE If cross, feverish, constipated, give "California Syrup of Figs" A laxative today saves a sick child tomorrow. Children simply will not take the time from play to empty their bowels, which become clogged up with waste, liver . gets sluggish; stomach sour. ' k - Look at the tongue, mother! If coat ed, or your child is listless, cross, fev erish, breatflh bad, restless, doesn't eat heartily, full of cold or has sore throat or any other children's ailment, give a teaspoonful . of "California Syrup of Figs," then don't worry, because it is perfectly harmless, and in a few hours all this constipation poison, sour bile and fermenting waste will gently move out of the bowels, and 'you have a well, playful child again. A thor ough "inside cleansing" is ofttimes all that Is necessary. It should be the first treatment given in any sickness. Beware of counterfeit fig syrups. Ask at the store for a 50-cent bottle of "California Syrup of Figs," which has full directions for babies, children of all ages and for grown-ups plainly printed on the bottle. Adv. Sure Enough. Bacon It is stated that it takes an average of 5,867 bullets to kill a sin gle man in the present war. Egbert Why, where in the world are the innocent bystanders? TAKE A GLASS OF SALTS WHEN BLADDER BOTHERS Harmless to Flush Kidneys and Neu tralize Irritating Acids Splendid for the System. Kidney and Bladder weakness result from uric acid, says a noted authority. The kidneys filter this acid from the blood and pass it on to the bladder, where it often remains to irritate and Inflame, causing a burning, scalding sensation, or setting up an irritation at the neck of the bladder, obliging you to seek relief two or three times during the night. The sufferer is in constant dread, the water passes sometimes with a scalding sensation and is very profuse; again, there is difficulty In avoiding it. Bladder weakness, most folks call it, because they can't control urina tion. While it Is extremely annoying and sometimes very painful, thi3 is really one of the most simple ailments to overcome. Get about four ounces of Jad Salts from your pharmacist and take a tablespoonful in a glas3 of water before breakfast, continue this for two or three days. This will neu tralize the acids in the urine so it no longer is a source of irritation to the bladder and urinary organs which then act normally again. Jad Salts is inexpensive, harmless, and is made from the acid of grape3 and lemon juice, combined with lithia, and is used by thousands of folks who are subject to urinary disorders caused by uric acid irritation. Jad Salts is splendid for kidneys and causes no bad effects whatever. Here you have a pleasant, efferves cent lithia-water drink, which quickly relieves bladder trouble. Adv. - . Kindred Jobs. "I nailed the lie.'r. " ' "And I hammered the liar." Bal timore American. IS EPTLEPSY CONQUERED? New Jersey Physician Said ;to Have Many Cures to His Credit. Red Bank, N. J. (Special). Advices , from' every direction fully confirm pre vious reports that the remarkable treatment for epilepsy being adminis tered by the consulting physician of the Kline Laboratories, of this city, ia achieving wonderful results. Old and stubborn cases have been greatly bene fited and many patients claim to have , been entirely cured. Persons suffering from epilepsy should write at once to Kline Labora tories, Branch 48, Red Bank, N. J., for a supply of the remedy, which is be ing distributed gratuitously. Adv. Very Much So. "Didn't you think the operatic prima donna had an unusually high voice?" "I should say she had! My seat cost me five dollars." RUB-MY-TISM Will cure your Rheumatism and all kinds of aches and pains Neuralgia, Cramps, Colic, Sprains, Bruises, Cuts, Old Sores, Burns, etc. - Antiseptic Anodyne. Price S5c Adv. Doesn't Go Very Far. Redd What do you think of his new car? Greene Oh, it's all right as far as it goes. Ask your dealer for the free book let, "Useful Hints for Ho3e Ownere," issued by G. C. Hanford Mfg. Co., Syra cuse, N. Y., manufacturers of Han ford's Balsam of Myrrh. Adv. In the last 25 years the population of Germany has increased from 48, 000,000 to 66,000,000. Use Hanford's Balsam when all else fails. Adv. If a man didn't make an occasional mistake his friends would have do kicks comics. si 1 ,t j V. Il ' 1
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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Feb. 19, 1915, edition 1
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