Evening Star Newspaper, December 29, 1929, Page 69

Fiction PART SEVEN. he Sunday Shar Magasine WASHINGTON, D. C, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1929. Features 24 PAGES. FIRST BELLE OF WASHINGTON The Van Ness mansion, which stood om, the present site of the Pan American Building. 'E'very President From George Washington to Andrew Jackson Was Entertained by * Mrs. John Peter Van Ness (Marcia Burns), Whose Luxurious Home Was the Gathering Place for Washington’s Elect—The White House and Many Federal Buzldmgs Now Stand on What Once Was the Vast Estate of Davy Burns, Her Father, HE City of Washington, ever since the seat of Government was moved here from Philadelphia in the year 1800, has been one of the greatest social centers in the United States. Prominent men and women from every State in the Union, and practically every country in the world, may be seen sauntering along the wide thoroughfares of the National Capital every day in the year. When a present- day hostess sends out invitations for a re- ception or a dinner, they cover a wide range of celebrities from far and near. It is doubtful, however, if any cocial leader in recent years has had the pleasure of enter- taining as many distinguished guests as did Marcia Burns, subsequently Mrs, John Peter Van Ness, whose life in Washington spanned the years between 1780 and 1832. She was Washington's first belle. ‘This charming lady was acquainted with, and received as guests in her home, every Pres- ident from George Washington to Andrew Jack< son. For many years her home was the ja- vorite place for the gathering of cabinet :.em- bers, Senators, Representatives, diplomats and practically “everybody” in Washington who was “anybody.” She was the daughter of Davy Burns, the old Scottish farmer whose numerous acres covered all of that portion of Washington now occupied by the White House, the State, War and Navy Building, the United States Treasury, Continental Memorial Hall, American Red Cross Building, the Washington Monument, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the Lincoln Memorial, Department of Agriculture, National Press Club Building, Ford’s Theater, where Lincoln was shot; the Post Office Department, and the site of The Star Building, BEAUTIFUL Lafayette Park, across Pennsyl- vania avenue from the White House, in the girlhood days of Miss Burns was her father’s apple orchard. Here Marcia came in the Springtime to gather sweet-scented pink and white apple blossums, which she would carry home and place in vases on the family dining table and on the mantle over the huge fire- place. To this orchard she also came with a basket in the early days of Autumn to gather luscious fruit from which she made delicious brown-crusted apple pies, golden-hued apple sauce, dozens of glasses of tartish jelly, and, best of all, monster dishes of apple dumplings, accompanied by big pitchers of rich cream pro- vided by the cattle that grazed in the lush grass along the river. It is altogether probable, too, that her father took time by the forelock and converted ample quantities of this fruit into cider—and vinegar. The other acres of the Burns farm were devoted to the growing of tobacco, then the big crop of Virginia and Maryland. The original Burns homestead was located on the present site of the classic Pan American Building, at the corner of Seventeenth and B streets. It was a log house of four rooms and an attic. It was built in 1748, when George Washington was a lad of 16. It 'vas not torn By H. O. Bishop. Marcia Burns as a young girl. down until 1894, having withstood the ravages of time and “progress” for almost a century and a half, The father of Marcia Burns, came into na- tional prominence when it was' decided to locate the Federal City on the banks of the Potomac. George Washington and the com. missioners designated to lay out the new city called upon Burns at his modest little home on the bank of the river and politely told him of their desire to take over his farm and d'vide it into building lots ani sites for public build- ings. It is said that old Davy chuckled con- siderably at this presumption on their part. The idea did not appeal to him at all. He informed them that he was very fond of his home and farm and had no intention of ceeing it converted into a noisy town. Washington, not accustomed to such treatment, turned hid back and walked to the river, a short distanes away, boarded his boat and ordered his men to row him back to Mount Vernon. Upon reaching there it is presumed that his temper was im- proved with a kiss .from his beloved lMartha and a nice supper of fried chicken and beaten biscuit and a little cold ham for good measure, Some weeks later Washington and the come missioners made another visit to the Burns home in an effort to persuade him to look &t things in a different light. The first 15 min« utes of the interview, it is said, was as pleasant and smooth as a diplomati’s picnic. Burna listened very attentively to every detail of their well thought out arguments. When they had finished he shook his head “no,” looked down the river for a moment, and repeated that he had no intention in the world of giving up his farm, and that they might as well save ‘their breath and efforts. This was toa much for Washington. Stepping up close to Burns, he informed him that through congressional -action they had the authority to take his land with or without his consent, and that if he would not set a fair price on ‘i, the Government would have it condemned and sold in that way. Washington sought to clinch his argument and relieve his feelings by adding these rather unneighborly words: “Had not the Federal city been located here, you would have lived and died a poor tobacco planter.” Up came the angry rush of blood to the Scotchman's head. With his eyes ablaze, he made the following crisp reply to Washington: “Aye, mon, and had you no married the ricls widder Custis wi a’ her nagurs and lands, ye'd a been a land surveyor the noo, and a mlzhtq poor ane at that!” Burns is perhaps the only man who ever had the nerve to “sass” Washington to his face. Seeing that this line of argument was getting them nowhere, it is reasonable to as< sume that Washington, wise man that he was, resumed his conversation from a more human angle. Possibly he saw little Marcia sitting on the doorstep playing with her rag doll, the choicest of all her possessions. Of course she smiled sweetly at the great man; possibly sho asked him to hold it for a moment just to see what a beautiful and well behaved dolly it was. This tender act on the part of the loving lassie doubtless caused a fecling of sad- ness to enter his heart, due to the fact that there were no little Washingtons at his house. After telling her what a sweet and handsome baby it was and how it looked exactly like her, he sat down on the bench by the side of her father, and in confidential tones, whispered: “Do you know, Burns, that yonder wee lassie of yours will be the greatest heiress hereabouts when these flelds of yours are covered with stately buildings.” A HAPPY smile came over the old farmer's face. A responsive chord had been struck, He loved his lassle far better than his farm or his life. The certainty of her future happie ness caused all objections to fade away like the morning dew. Turning to Washington and the commissioners, he he would agree ta