THE 8EMI-WEEKI.Y TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
WILL YUAN BECOME EMPEROR?
III IM I Mil AV. A III W.. 1!, ,. fV.. V. .'I' t.-. f."' L-..; -I- - -J - III IH. III I I & T-T' . .V C-V
mBion was a young may, . U.' -ddBBHHlSVjiaffiKmH
F land Beauty," and to 1 1 HMHHSliHUH
V4i? whom, at flfteon. ho wrote MABHflnHHHUHH
sJrA sortio very oxecrauio MBMtw'i(iWwwiiwf''''',''
IPJ vor.es. in one doggerel WSgT&gM
AIT tin folia nlioiil. lilt "Poor. s&i!m SSSfetS85aafflfe
(TV? Resistless Heart," sur- I "jmjMkh 4.TOIM1IMmSSS
Feathered Dart" and ly- BWB9HOBini
1112 first muiucn to Kinuio
the divine Hpark In the
breast ot Goorgo Wash
ington was a young lady,
whom ho called hlo "Low
land Beauty," and to
whom, at flfteon, ho wrote
some very oxecrauio
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 hor that "pitiless of my
CJrlef and Woes will not on mo Pity
talto."
Tho Idontlty of this "Lowland Boau
ty," who was tho object of Washing
ton's first affections hafl been much
dhiputed. Losfltng, tho historian, pro
i.ouncod her Mary Bland, and Borne
aro lncllnod to tho bollof that she was
a Miss Ellbock, a beauty ot Charles
county, Maryland, who married George Mason.
Others maintain that she was Lucy Grymes, who
married Henry Loo and becamo tho mother of
tho famous "Light Horse Harry," who was a
groat favorlto with Washington, and who re
ferred to tho commander In chief as "first In war,
first In peace, and first In tho hoarts of his coun
trymon." Thosq who favor tho Luoy Grymes
identification point to tho affection of Washing
ton for "Light Horse Harry" as a rosultant of
tho early lovo ho entortatnod for Harry's mothor.
Othorn will havo it that tho "Lowland Beauty"
wan Betsy Fauntleroy, and bnso their assertion
on a lotter wrltton In May, 17C2, by Washington
to tho grandfather of Miss Fauntloroy, in which
ho says, among other things, ho purposed as soon
an ho recovorod his strength (ho had been 111
with pleurisy) "to wait on Miss Betsy In hopes
ot a revocation of tho former cruol sontence, and
boo it I can meet with any ultoratlon in my
favor."
In 1748 Washington bocamo surveyor of Lord
Fairfax' lands. Ho was then' but sixteen. In nu
undated letter, probably written about tho end ot
1750, or tho beginning of 17G1, to his "Dear
Frlond Robin," (possibly Robert Washington of
Cliotauk, affoctlonatoly remembered in his will)
wo also find allusion to the "lowland Beauty,"
"My place of rcsldonco is at presont at his lord
ship's, whoro I might, wore not my heart disen
gaged, pass my tlmo very pleasantly, as a very
agrooablo young lady lives in the same houso
, , , but often and unavoidably being In com
pany with hor revives my former passion for
your 'Lowland Beauty;' whoroaB, woro I to llvo
i it n retired from young Women, I might, in Bomo
measuro, allovlato my sorrows by burying that
cunuta and troublosomn Passion In the grave o
oblivion ot eternal forgetfulnoss,"
History might havo been different had Washing
ton beet nccoptod by tho "Lowland Beauty." If
tho "Lowland Beauty" was Betsy Fauntloroy
ttml good authorities think alio was -sho married
Ebenozer Adnms, progenitor of the Virginia fam
ily ot that xinmo, nnd bocamo the mother ot
Thomas Adams, alumnus ot William nnd Mary
college, signer ot tho artlclen of confederation,
and member ot tho Philadelphia convention (1778
1780). Tho "ngrooublu young lady" montlonod by
Washington In his lottora from tho Fairfax resi
dence, was Miss Mary Gary, tho sister of Colonel
Fairfax' wifo. Ho turned to her for cotiBola
tlqn and it seems her charm mitigated his "trou
blOHomo passion." But Miss Cury had no genuine
lovo for tho ardent young man, In 1752 sho mar
ried Edward Ambler.
After his wooing of tho "Lowland Beauty," ho
had another charmer, presumably u member of
tho family of Alexanders, who hud a plantation
near Mount Vornon.
Washington, whllo In Barbadoos with IiIb sick
half-brother Lawronco, mot n Mian Roberta, who
exerted nu Influence over hl tender heart and
to whom ho refers as "an agreeable young lady,"
It would Beem that nearly all the young ladles
woro agreeable to him, Miss Roberts, it np
poars, was tho only one, howovcr, who really cap
tivated him in Barbadoes. While allowing thnt
all "tho ladys generally aro agrooablo," ho notes
that "by ill custom, thoy nffoct the negro style."
When rotumcd from IiIb first campaign and rest
ing at Mount Vernon, the tlmo Booms to havo boon
bogulled by some charmor, for ono of his inti
mates writes from Williamsburg: 'I Imagine you
by this tlmo plunged In the midst ot delight
heaven can afford and enchanted by charmers
oven Htranger.to tho Clrplan Damo," nnd n foot
noto by tho same hand only excites further curi
osity concerning this lattor porsouago by In
definitely naming hor as "Mrs. Nell."
It is said that ut ono tlmo and nnothor Wash
ington had halt a hundred swoethearts along tho
banks of tho Potomac, tho Rappahannock, and tho
Jam 08, and ovon up to tho gutos ot Mount Ver
non. PerhapH tho number exaggerated, but
ut uny rate wo havo but scant account ot most ot
tho fair ones and aro not ovtm told tbp names
ut the great majority. This we do fcapw, that
mi
wft"-g Iff Mr 1 1
Washington was a wolcomo guest with the Fair
faxes at Bolvolr, with tho Carys at Eagle's Neat,
with tho Fltzhughes at Stratford House, with the
Carters at Sabine Hall, and with the Lees and
Fauntloroys at Richmond.
Through the death, of his half-brother, whom
he accompanied to Barbadoos in the West Indies
in search ot health, Washington became master
of Mount Vernon. On his roturn Journey ho called
at Bermuda, whoro ho had an attack of smallpox
which,- according to Parson Woems, "marked hla
face rather agreeably than otherwise." He was
seized with a military ambition. He had already
been u military inspector with the rank of ma
jor for tho protection of tho frontiers of Virginia.
At twonty-threo he was an aldo-de-camp to Gen
eral Braddock, commandor In chlof of tho Virginia
forces. At twenty-four we find him Journeying to
Boeton on military business.
In going and returning ho tarried in New
York Tor about u week, on each occasion as tho
guest of Bevorly RoblnBon, a Virginia friend who
had married SitBannah Phlllpso. "Mrs. Robinson's
sister, a very pretty girl, happened to bo on a
vUlt with hor rolatlvos. Washington came un
der tho glamour of hor glancos." Ho did not spare
expense In seeking popularity. Ho spont sundry
pounds in "treating tho ladles.", with tho object
of gottlug ono of them to troat him with favor,
but all hla efforts woro In vain. Ho gallantly pro
posed to MIbb Phlllpso and donned his best suit
for tho occasion, but that cultured and charming
lady courtoouBly docllnod tho honor he wou'd
thruBt upon hor. Two yours aftorwurds she
married Llout. Col, Roger MorrlB.
Thoro Is no doubt that Washington was des
porntoly In lovo with Mary Phlllpso, and her re
fusal of his suit was a koon disappointment to
him. A eurlous sequel to his attachment for her
occurrod In tho fact thnt hor husband's houso In
MorrlBtown bocamo Washington's headquarters lu
177C, both Morris nnd his wlfo being fugltlvo
torles. History In this cobo might also have
been materially changed had Mary Phlllpso be
come the wlfo ot George Washington.
In tho spring or 1750 Washington mot his fate.
Ill health had takon him to Williamsburg to cou
suit physicians. On this trip ho mot Mrs. Martha
(Dandrldgo) Custls, wdow of Daniel Parko Cub
tls, one of tho wealthiest plantors of the co'.ony.
At that tlmo sho waB twonty-slx yoars old, three
months younger than Washington, though alio had
been a widow seven years. In splto of his III
health ho pressed his suit with as much ardor
as he had dono In tlfu case of Mary Phlllpso, and
with better success. Though hor first husband
had been faithful and affectionate, ho had not
much appealed to her imagination, but the big,
dashing Virginia colonel took hor heart by storm,
Sho favored his suit, and they becamu en
gaged. Ho ordered a ring from Philadelphia at a cost
or 2 iCa (two pounds and sixteen shillings), big
prlco In those dayB, but thoy could not bo im
mediately married, as military duty called him
away. After sovoral months in tho fluid, during
which tlmo thoy saw each othor only three or
four times, Washington camo back to Williams
burg, and thoro In SL Potor's church, o'n January
0, 1759, thoy woro marrlod. It was a grand wed
ding, attended by all the aristocracy ot Virginia.
Tho bride wns attired In heavy bro
caded white silk, intefSvoven" with sil
ver thread. Her shoes were of white
satin and sparkled with buckles of
brilliants. Tho bridegroom was cos
tumed In a blue cloth coat, lined with
red silk and ornamented with silver
trimmings. His shoes and knee
buckles wero of solid gold, his hair
wns powdered, and n sword hung at
his side. He appeared tho 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 hci
little progeny, but had none of .his
own. "Providence," it wns said, "had
denied the great man children that he
might be the father ot tho whole
country."
Washington was fortunate In hie
marriage. John Adams, In one ot his
Jealous outbursts, exclaimed: "Would Washington
have been commander of the Revolutionary army
or president of the United States If ho had not
married tho rich widow of Mr. Custls? Mrs
Washington's third of the Custls property equaled
"fifteen- thousand acres ot land, a good part of it
adjoining the city of Williamsburg, several lots
In4 the said city, between 2,000 nnd 3,000 negroes,
and about 8,000 or 10,000 upon bond." esti
mated at tho tlmo as about 20,000 In nil. Be
sides, this was Increased by the death of the
daughter, "Patsy" Custls, In 1773, by half bet
fortuno, a sum of 10,000. But It must be re
membered that Washington's colonial military
fame had been entirely achieved before ho had
oven met Mrs. Custls. Washington was worth
about $800,000, the richest' man In his day.
It has been said that his penchant for lovely
women was acutely alive all through his active
career. Washington was human, and there ii
no question-that fair women always had attract
ed him.
In his sixty-sixth year ho wrote, "Love Is said
to bo 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 tho widow ol
Jack Custls ("Jack" his wife's son, who had been
his ward) he writes: "I never did, nor do I be
lieve ever shall glvo advice to a woman who is
setting out on a matrimonial voyage." And
again, "It has ever been a maxim with me through
life, neither to promote nor to prevent a matri
monial connection. ... I have always con
sidered marriage as tho most Interesting event
of one's life, tho foundation of happiness ot
misery."
Yot in a letter to Eliza Custls Bates (the eldest
of Jacky's four children), dated January 6, 179C,
Washington gives somo Interesting advice
"Neither shun by too much coyness tho addresses
of a suitable character whom you may esteem;
nor encourage them by advances on your part
howovor predisposed toward them your Inclinn
Von may be.
"In choosing a partner for life, prefer one of
your countrymen (by this I mean an American)
of visible property nnd whoso family is known and
whoso circumstances (not depending on fortu
Rous matters) may not, like a foreigner's, reduce
you to tho heartrending alternative ot parting
with him or bidding ndleu to your country, fam
ily and friends forever.
"In forming a connection ot this durability, lei
the understanding as well as the passion be con
sulted; without tho approbation ot the first the
Indulgence of tho latter may bo compared to the
roso, which will bloom, glow for a whllo. then
fade and dlo, leaving nothing but thorns behind
It, Thero nro other considerations, though sec
ondary, nevertheless Important, Among theso
congeniality of tompej? Is essential, without which
discord will ensue nnd that walk must be un
ploasant and toilsome when two persons linked
togothor cannot move In It without Jostling each
other."
Alas, Eliza Ann ("Betsy") didn't take Wash
ington's ndvlco. Sho married Thomas Law, an
Englishman, tho nephew ot Lord Ellonaborough,
yet It la aald she wns comparatively happy lu her
choice.
Though Washington loved, nnd loved often.
thoro Is no doubt thnt a good deal of romance
has beon woven around his early career. Accord
ing to somo, Washington had "a rag on every
bush," from the vlno-clnd hills of ojd Virginia to
Boston Commons. But tho truth is Washington
wns not nn Indiscriminate lover, nor did ho trifle
with the affections of womou. Despite the ef
forts ot forgery und calumny no deed of shnme In
regard to tho sex ever could be laid at his dbor,
During tho time ho was president Mrs. Hart
ley is montlonod to whom somo say be was very
devoted. Yoates says: "Mr. Washington once
told mo on a ohargu which I onco made against
tho prosldent at his own tnblo, that the admira
tion ho warmly professed for Mr. Hartley wns a
proof of his homngo to tno worthy part ot tbo
sex, and highly rospectful to his wife,"
Since Yuan Shi Kal has de
clared himself president for life of
the Chinese republic, wlt,h power to
nominate his successor, and further
more has mado himself tho head of
tho Chinese state religion of Confu
cianism, many persons are wondering
if he will not soon proclaim himself
emperor.
"While there was no one to pre
dict that tho young Yuan Shi Kal
would over become a "Son of Heaven"
thero were plenty who knew the gen
tleman in his youth who wero will
ing to wager anything they possessed
that he would make his mark in tho
world. The Manchus, tho Chinese and
tho foreigners In China all labeled
him "a coming man."
Ho was born In 1859, the son ot
a district governor. His school teach
ers picked him out for a bad egg, for
to savo his lito he could not master
the old classics as tli? good llttlo boys
in the class could. In China the very
llrst thing to bo accomplished If you wish to enter official life Is to master
tho classics.
So Yuan Shi Kal, tho failure, gave up his aspirations and went Into Korea
as a secretary to the army. LI Hung Chnng appointed him to a most im
portant position at Seoul when Yuan was only twenty-six years old. After
the war with Japan ho reorganized tho Chinese army, and it is generally as
serted that a few years later ho helped tho Empress Dowager wrest tho
throne from the Emperor Kuang Hsu.
When the republic wus founded In 1912, ho had attained such power that
he compelled tho retirement of tho provisional president and himself as
sumed tho office of president. Ho has ruled with great firmness, authority and
ability, according , to some of tho foreign residents of China, but with a
tyranny greater than that of any emperor in recent years, if the word of many
Chinese Is to be takon for truth.
COLONEL CROOK'S JUBILEE
Col. William H. Crook, disbursing
ofllcer of the White House, celebrated
recently his golden Jubilee ub an em
ployee In tho offices ot presidents, and
overybody connected with the execu
tive mansion, from President Wilson
down, congratulated heartily the man
who is known as tho "White House
encyclopedia."
It was 50 years ago that Colonel
Crook, then a metropolitan policeman
who had served In a district regi
ment in tho Civil war, was assigned
as a bodyguard to President Lincoln
along with four othor policemen. He
was not with Mr. Lincoln tho night
of the tragedy in Ford's theater, but
ho had wanted to accompany Mr.
Lincoln and had been told that it
would not bo necessary. Ho served
in the same capacity for President
Johnson, in the White House.
Through all administrations since
then Colonel Crook has remained,
serving each so faithfully and effi
ciently as to receive praise from the highest officials of all.
Colonel Crook is a veritable encyclopedia on White House affairs of the
past, and hus written a number of magazine and newspaper articles giving
some 6f his experiences. He can throw light upon many ot the dim and
musty archives of the Wblte Houso.
REAR ADMIRAL CLARK
Rear Admiral Charles E. Clark
who, when a captain, took the battle
ship Oregon on Its famous trip from
San Francisco around tho Horn in
time to take part in the battle of San
tiago, will not bo In actual command
of the Oregon when sho passes
through tho Panama canal in March
at tho head of tho procession of mod
ern dreadnoughts, cruisers and de
stroyers. Tho rear admiral, however,
will be on the bridge of his old battle
ship and so far as appearances go ho
will bo in command.
The reason that tho old ofllcer
will not issue tho orders on tho trip
through tho waterway is a simple one.
Under the rules governing tho pas
sage of the canal no captain is al
lowed to command his ship whllo the
Journey is being mado from Colon to
tho City ot Panama or tho reverse.
When a pilot comes on board a ship
ho is In supreme command nnd tho
United States government, by tho ad
vice of the governor of the zoue, has decreed that every ship going through
tho canal must have on board a pilot who shall rank every man on the vessel
whether ho bo t!io president ot tho United States, an admiral of the navy or
what not.
MADAME PANARETEFF'S ROMANCE
Madamo Panareteff, wlfo of tho
first minister to be sent to the United
Slates by Bulgaria, is a Massachusetts
woman, and her wooing and wedding
make a pretty romance.
Dr, Stephen Panareteff held a
chair In the Roberts college at Con
stantinople for many years, and dur
ing that time became familiar with
Americans and American customs and
Ideals. It happened that a charming
woman named Lydla Giles of North
Andover, Mass., and noted for her
vivid Intelligence, went out to Con
stantinople to teach in Roberts col
lege nnd met Doctor Panareteff lu the
usual order of things collegiate.
It was not until one day when sho
was riding out among the hills and
her mount becamo vicious and threw
hor on to the rocks that Doctor Pana
reteff becamo u potont factor in her
life. Ho rescued her from certain
death, and thereby began the Inter
esting lovo story, which still goes on
in tho newest legation in Washington, established In the modest Noble house
on N street