The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-06-11

! ga EuSiaud, may bC called poets stream
Undsturbcd by all sounds of traffic, it
winds il way through green marshes and
wooded activities, which seem TO have ever
been sacred to solitude, and the prominent
natural features Of the landscape can have
changed but littio since Washingtons in
fancy. The chance yisi:or can look upon
! the sonc scenery upon which that child
looked, rs truly rs Inc can gaze upon the
same blue sky and see its image in the same
blue water
The house in which George Washington
was born was destroyed by fire soon after
the family left TO reside on their Stafford.
shire estate at Fredericksburg. A subse-
qucnt proprietor "either repaired one Of the
outhouses or wing Of the old one. or built
small house for his ovorsecr out of tho
old materials" So says Bishop Meade, and
| am inclined to think the latter suppostion
correct from the appearance of the chimney
| OF this second structure, which is all of il
that remains. lct near it the filed up
cellar Of the birth mansion" is'plainly visi
UIc and tho plough has TUNED up several
hncks, pieces of carthonware, and other me
mcntos. Close 10y luxuIiaut clump Of iiL
trees and other bushes mark tho garden
ground, and iow dailolils bloom along
the edges, where tho matted roots of the
fig trees resist cultivation. There is also n
solitary apple tree, said 10 be the last survi-
vor OF an orchard Immediately around the
house, but searched in vain for scion
suitable for grating, for the recent severe
winters have evidently destroyed all lingcr
ing vitality.
y small monumental slab, sadly mutia-
tel, lies upon the ground in the clum2 Of
tig trees where ii was removed from the
site of the "birth-mansion." 1t originally
bore this incription: "ITere, the Ilth Feb
fuary, 1892, Washington was born" and
was placed there by lis ward G.. w. p.
Gusts, in June, 1915. Mr.. Gusts, accom-
panied by some friends, carried the Slab to
Popcs creek in his yacht, the LADY of the
Lake" and after they had deposited it they
returned on board, and fired a Federal salute
from swivel which they had brough, for
the purpose. 1t SO happened that the good
people of the vicinity had been much ha-
rassed by the British during the wat just
concluded, and when they heard the firing
they supposed that hoslililics had been re.
commenced. The whole country was alarm
ed, the children and women prepared to
start for the pine woods on the ridge, aud
the men gathered for defence.
is due to the Washington family to say
that when Col. Geo. q. Washington (who
resided in Georgetown, and owned the
| Mount Vernon books now in the Boston
Athcueum) sold "WakcfelI," which com.
priscs the "Bilgc's Creek" and the "Pope's
| Creek" estates, on the l3th of fOctober, 1913,
to John Gray, of "Traveller's Rest" near
! Fredericksburg, lie reserved sixty feet square
Of the ground around the birthplace and
twenty feet square around the vault In
February, 1856, Col. Lewis w. Washing.
ton (aon and heir ai-law of George G. Wash.
imgton) presented these reservations "to the
mother State Of Virginia in pcrpetuity, on
condition solely that the State require lie
said places to be permanently enclosed with
nm iron fence, based on stone foundations.
/ together with suitable and modest ChourL
sub" 5,"u;laD tablets, to commemorate to the
rising generation these notable spots Gov.
WISE acccp cl the donation, ana addressed
a me ace t1 tho Legislature, asking an ap.
precipitation oi $1,000 - comply with Tie
conditions. b0t tAe.r High MisAtiuc,sc..
the Legislation, of Virginia, find it Ji.licu'.
20 pass any measure OF real value without
"a dya! Of "impucicaho' discussion. D;,lcr.
en-. bills wyJ, finally ,Ir,gL Ia oi,arr body.
but " committee O.! conference was not ul9-
~, a... .ae aI.oWu sluays are neglected.
luc l."el9 .u which Tie liah.p.ace J.,
.H'Ha'.il- ibis yoei lying in tl.aw for %
who's. crop Tie .iI easily .,uel. gul l.
i.cl WE. sm.. oyster shells, which are