Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-09-17
:. Htttfs2 For the Democrat .
IA TRIP TO MT. VERNON.

1t was on the 1st of May 1854, that
the writer of these lines, with compa-
ny, of a few young friends, left the beau
tiful lefty of "magnifcent distances, y
for aavisit to Mt. Vernon. 1t was a
bright morning, and a freshness and
fragrance loaded the atmosphere with
the perfumes of Spring. .r f-..
!, AT the wharf lay the beautiful steam
er Pcwhattan, and as We glanced at the
name, a thousand. thoughts connected
with the. State, whose lovely, shore lay
a&;tsp pposite side, we're suggested. We
thought of Powhattan the stern Chief,
who ruled as King long before the con-
stellation of great men had there risen,
at. whose head stood the immortal hero
whose tomb We were about to visit
We thought of Pocahontas, the dusky
princess-the child of Nature, forest
wild flower, which sprung up and bloom
ed. by his side, growing as time rolled
on, into the heroine of reality, more
thrilling than deepest romance, more
touching than tragedy, more sublime
than drama. 1t was such a morning as
We often have in Spring, when the sun
light has an unusual brilliancy, when
the airs hush their whispers and the
streams mellow their murmurs, and the
blue bells upon their banks seem to bow
their heads as in thought, and the hills
oa,l -frnnc md mountains soon, fO fhin L 2
and so on their surface to shadow forth
expression that we half imagine that We
can read their thoughts, giving birth to
the poetical idea that Nature has Ian
cuage and voice Such was the morn
ing when we glidcd down the Potomac
towards the tomb of George Washing
ton. We soon passed Alexandra, whose
dingy walls seemed to chronicle the
years of generations, as it slept in the
general quiet. y few vessels rocked
lazilysat tic wharres, keeping time to
the sluggish Iulsations of that CONNER
cial artery, the Potomac, while now and
then sable stcvcdore solaccd his hours
. of toll, by singing some of, the sweet and
IccuIiar melodies which arc now among
the treasures of the African race. 1t
was through the sunlight of such NOR
ming, in the midst of such scenery, and
in company of few intimate and cher-
ished friends, that approached Mount
Vernon. The scenery around the
home the great man loved, is indeed
charming. 1t is not grand and striking
as one may find among the Alleghcnies,
but soft aud of that mildcr beauty, such
as genius would choose for place of
rest and repose. A path winding up
the hillside from the landing through
a natural leads to the house. This
stands upon an eminence which COM
mands an extensive view of the river.
Vessels could be seen far down the
stream. On the opposite side Of the ri
yer and a little higher up the stream,
the walls of Fort Washington were in
full xiew. The house is simple in its
design. A colonnade Of pillars in front,
Hcupola on the roof in the southern
style of early days, are about all that is
peculiar in its structure The walks
about the house, the plan of the garden
with its hedges, are the Same as left by
Washington. In the rear of the house
is,a long glebe where his horses used to
feed and gambol. Within the mansion
are household articles all of them sacred
because once used by him. The touch
Of his hand made even a simple article
a precious mcmento. 1 could but no
tice with sorrow the general dilapida-
ton of the place, and regret that time
could not spare its treasures. AS we
approached the tomb little bird flew
out with few notes of alarm, and quick
1y on a tree near by, sang one cf its
sweetest songs. Through the bars of the
tomb it had found its way and built ;
nest within its shelter.
The tomb itself is severely plain, ye
who would wish to see it decorated P
There, in a marble sarcophagus, rcpos
the remains of the great man. ArounC
that lowly tomb, many pilgrim feet hav
trod Exiles have come hither to med
itate and hope, Here stood the grea
.souled Lafayette, and wept like an OF
phan child. Here came Kossuth, t
mediate and hope, whose wall of bro
ken heart over his fatherland, rung wit
the sublime eloquencc of deep emotion
from shore to shore of our republic
No American can stand there and nc
feel that great examples are imperisha
blefn The history of a heroic life, who's
influences are in great Nations dest
ny, come wildly to mind, and, as man
a pale faced boy, in whose quiet sol
was depth of thought that seemed liz
prophecy of future fame, an ambitio
that night and day has burned with