Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1865-07-29
Mount Vernon after the War.

| Mount Vernon after the war.
I Present Condition fthe Property. -
| The National Intelligenc gives the fol-
low ing account of the condition. OF the
WasI.iag,on home and grounds al Mount
Vernon
.rhe library room, in the south end, is
occppied by Miss Tracy. the accomplish
cd and faithful agent Of The Mount Yer
non Association. bust Of Washington,
cast in plaster by Houdon, and another Of
Lafayette, facing each Other high Oh the
walls. are the only observable relics. The
bookcases, buiil into shs wall, with glass
doors, fully occupy one side of the large
room. Over this apartment, in small
bed room, The great and good man died.
bedsiead, said 10 be an exact copy Of
that on which he died, is the only article
in the chamber. The family pictures
were nearly quite all a, Arlington. and
were taken To Richmond by Gen. Lee.
Tie celebrated pitcher portrait. upon the
back of which was inscribed the beauli-
iul euIogy, and left in the mansion by an
unknown hand, was carried away by John
A. Washington, ADD is in the possession
Of that family.
"The long row Of brick quarters still
stand as they have fer thirty or forty
years, since they were partially destroy
ed by fire. Ia this row Washington had
! his blacksmith and carpenterlng establish
menIs, and here now live The TWO old col
0red servants of whom mention has been
made as the servants that came here sixty
wears ago with Anne Blackburn, The wife
of Bushrod Washington.
The Ladies' Mount Vernon Assocla-
ton as is well known, made their pur-
chase in 1883, and had made the last pay
ment Of 50 zoe upon she eve Of the rebel
lion. The Association had expended al
so $50 600 in Improvements, in addition
TO paying the $500 900 purchase money.
Much sui needs to be done, and the IaTge
amount Of funds al this time arcumua.
ting lrOW the lhroags Of visitors. who pay
an entrance fee each Of twenty-five cents
vii do much for putting The national
shrine and preserving it in proper condI'
lion.
The scourge of the rebellion stayed its
desolating Tide at the confines of these
sacred acres The tomb of Washington
was held sacred on both sides.
"PohiCk Church, where Washington
worshpped Till the close of the keVolu,
lion, has not escaped so well. The last
discourse in it was a tempestnOus dlsunlnn
harangue by all iIeneranl Methodist prea-
cher on sabbath, near the opening OF
The war. The ancient edlhce is now a
shell; not window, door, nor the SINAI.
lest fragment of the pews, pnIPlI nor floor
are to be seen. |. vas used early IN the
war by soldiers for shelter, and later was
turned into a stable. The ancient tomb
stones of the abandoned gtavey ard ale ~
| ing and leaning around, and desolslion Is
painted in all ITS saddest ferns upon the
scene. The old Pohick Church was
erected near this place some one hundred
and fifty years ago. This was erected in
l772. and Washington was the chief con.
,rihutor in its erection TO this church
Washington for years regularly repaired,
some seven miles allowing no company
TO keep him from the Sabbath service.
The pew doors of Washington and The
great George Mason had been carried a.
way IS relics before The war. The brick
walls alone now remain"
]