The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-04-10
WHOLE No 558

Out tue waves OF almost century
have drifted by, and borne the fair
blushlng bride and her lover to the
tomb. Their dust has long since min.
gied with the genial soil of Mount YER
non; and hereafter, if we would find
memorials of them, we must seek them
there. And the time will never come
when their home and final resting lace
will not send thrill of pure feeling to
every generous heart.
1t was beautiful spring morning,
many years ago, when we set out from
W ashlngton to visit, tor the first time,
this Mecca of Liberty. The balmv air
waited through the carriage windows
the fragrance Of early flowers, Just peep
ing out from the warm banks of the Pc.
tomac. The sun came calmly up over
the dome Of the Capitol; and the mists
rose up from the bosom of the river to
greet him, and then hoated afar way into
the sky, as spirits go, when they leave US
for that bright land
''N here everlasting spring abide,
And never-taIing hoWers.''
We could not say that there vas a CAV,
glad heart among us: there would have
been many, had we not been going to
the tomb of the Father of his Country.
But there was something so holy in the
thought that we were approaching the
spot where the greatest and purest of
mankind rested from his heroism, that
we felt mlrth had no place in our feel
lngs, and into that day levity could not
enter. But it was cheerful ride, and
an inspiring day. We do not remember
that cloud moved over our little party
during the excursion, nor was ou. Chez
tulness interrupted till we had reached
the shrine of our pilgii mage, md stood
before the sarcophagus where the dust
of w ashington reposes.
No matter for our ride along the river,
nor It's picturesque bends, nor banks,
nor lawns, nor woodlands. AT every
turn in the road we saw the calm waters
OF the silver stream, around which lin
ger memories that are sanctifed bv all
that is brave in chivalry and toucli g III
patriotism.
A long ride through the oak forests
brought US to the venerable mansion
where Washington lived and died. At
the Porter's lodge we stopped to see thu
only living servant Of the Patriot. She
said she was fifteen yer, old vhen the
''GeneraP' came back from the wars.
covered with victory; and she renen,.
bered him well as he rode throu n the
gate, and said, 'Ah! my little sylvia,
the BrltsheIs didn' hit me after all; and
they have all gone back to Old England,
and have come home to live and die
on the estatej' and young Sylvia seized
the "General's hand, and kiss ID it, and
wet it with tears" She saw Washing.
ton die-she saw hun when dead; and
now, when she speaks of him, she looks
up to heaven, and pointing her hand
away, says, "WeIl, If we ever 60 to
heaven, we shall see the General there"
We left this octogenarian keeper; and
she said many kind words to us as we
went on half a mile, slowly threading
our way to the mansion through deep
ravines from which only the upper skv
was visible, and now emerging on emf.
nences from which we hoped to get at
least glimpse OF the manson; but holy
feelings filled up the interval. We were
passing over new ground, where, warm
with life and radiant with eneicence,
the form of the hero so often passed:
even the air seemed haunted by his
presence: every step we took was an
epic.
One -four companions-a cherished
poet and sculpto noW-traced the out
lines of the great historical picture
Passing the same rugged avenue,-frst
the Youth George W Washington, with his
surveying instruments, to measure oG'the
vast wilderness oil the West, the happy
homes he was afterwards to Offer his
brothers made free; young .Najor Wash
ington, setting out to instruct them in
the art of war, to prepare them to
achieve their independence: Colonel
Washington, on his departure TO repel
foreign and savage invaders, the Repre-
sentative, passing to and from the Con-
gress OF the rebels; the heroic General,
coming at long intervals, through that
war of fraternal blood, and going forth
again to the sanguinary struggles of the
Revolution, where brave men staked
liberty in the desperate game with king,
lords, and commons; the Farmer, going
out to and returning from his fields; the
President, on his way to administer the
government Oft people he had led thro'
the exhausting perils of an all but ex-
termin ating war; and, last of all, the
Citizen Washington, who had scorned
a crown as too base reward for his long
services in the cause of human freedom
returning by the same road we are
travelling, with his great heart filed
with longings for home.
We sat in silence as these new, half.
Continued on 4M poge.)