The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-01
Manuscripts Of an Old Bncheler.-Ho. ~.
"REMINISCENCES OF ALEXANDRIA,,
Farrago hbelli-Juv.
1.-THE miscellaneous subjects Of my book.


Iuseum were miscellaneous enough-and y,
, that particular as we'll as in the intro ~
uction of other things, my motto to this pa NJ
er may not be deemed inappropriate. m
Walking along r 'yal street the other day' "
looked up at the Market House, and saw n
,nder window in the third story, thu little q
I'D. dingy sign, once 50 familiar, on which
was painted, alexandria Museum" stop
ped, and determined TO 60 up and VISIT whaS !,
was constant place of resort, IN leisure :
hours, in my school boy days, when.I, with
some of my friends and companions, had
"season tickets" admitting us to the ecu
riosities" whenever we pleased to visit them
within the prescribed hours. | rang the
hell at the door of the Museum, and almost
cheated myself into the belief that wou'o
see, at the portal, in few moments, the wen
remembered form and features of the form
or manager" as he delighted to call him
self-the closely shaven head and chln--tne
comfortably arranged neck handkerchief
the 'spectacles on nose''-the snuff oox In
hand and be greeted with the polite "Kalk
10, SIR" of former days. But the echoes
of the bell died away through the rooms and
porticoes of the building, and no one came
70 welcome or admit me. Some one passing
nv. informed me, that there was no chance
of getting in there now-there was no resu-
lar keeper Of the establishmont-that 1t
lately had been stripped Of some OF the
most interesting of it's conlents--and that II
was uncertain when / would be able TO OBJ
tain an entrance. So turned away, and
pursued my walk, Illuminating upon this, as
. another Of the changes in Alexandra.
Mr.. T. NJ, the keeper OF tho old Museum
= was himself one Of the town eccsntricltles.
HIS whole heart was in the establishment
over which he presided, and he took the
greatest interest and pride in all its details,
aud in increasing and enlargng It's stores.
b For many years he devoted his whole time
and attention to it, and succeeded, at last, IN
making large collection Of really rare ana
valuable articles, which, by his last Will
and testament he bequeathed to the town OF
Alexandra. Even in old Alexandria, oi
which il was an institution" the value OF
the Museum was never appreciated, nor its
interchangeable manager ever properly favor
ed or rewarded. There was, to be sure, a lar
rago" Of materials-many Odds and end'
more Imaginable than curions-many thing;
which occupied space which could have beer
better filled-but, upon the whole, ther'
was much to interest and lnsfruct--som'
specimens Of art and nature well worth ex
amination--severa Revolutionary relics ant
uementoes Of Washington from his cradl
to his grave, worth their weight In gold
and carefully preserved tokens denotin!
scenes and incidents in the history OF Alex
andria, which ought to have been hlghl.
priced by the citizens. The British Nina
ter in the year 1929, visited the Museum
and after u careful review Ut what 1t COZ
tanned. said to me, it was the best arrap Sc
and most interesting collection In Che country
We boys never tired in looking at th
figure of Iscumseh the big shark-the t"
headed calf-the Turkish saidle-ihe pr
served snakes and tshes-the pistol TIL
shot -, and the knife chat killed -
the flag that Morgan's Ridemen bore-ti
standard which foated ut York To"n-ti
mantle in which Washington was christie
ed. and the bier on which be was borne
the tomb at Mount Vernon. These, ana
thousand other things, were spread Que
fore US, all labelled and explained and Il
our faucies while they fired our minds
the search of knowledge, and in gratifyl
a natural aud laudable' curiosity. v
thought the long halls contained such tr'
sures, as could no where else be found-a
we looked upon Mr.. NJ, as very learn
and remarkable man-in which lauer p
ticular, at least, We were not at all mistake
Had any of us then read Tiekeirs Poems
am quite sure we would, each and all, az
repeated his lines
.With wonders fraught the bright Museum see,
Itself the greatest curiosity! :. .
Where Natures choicest treasures all combined,
Delight at once, and quite confound the mind; q
Ten thousand spend0rs strike the ua2Aieu eye
And form earth another galaxy.
10th to depart, leave the 1nvitlhS seems
Yet scarce forbear to view it Ger again
,1a taovvn