The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-01-15
Selected q tory.
The sword and Surveying Instru.
ments of Washington.

was shown not long since, at the residence
Of one OF my friends, gentleman of the She
hanooah Valley, two curious and suggestive
onlects, which brought wildly to the imagin-
hton the last century and the greatest of all
personages who illustrated it.
The hrst was a mourning sword" light
straight, keen, and cased in a black-leather
hcaopbard. The hilt was cross, like those
teen IN the weapons OF the old knights, OF
brilliant, almost dazzling steel, cut facet-wise,
and sparkling as the faces OF diamond spar
kle; and this flashing object, added to the
eleei rings IA clasps, presented, in contrast
with the intense black of the scabbard, a yer,
Striking effect.
The second object was collection of sur
veyors Instruments three-legged stand, to
sustain glass; chain; anu a small sha-
green case, containing par of compasses, a
small brass square, and other instruments
used In making diagrams.
These commonplace objects would scarce
nave excited interest or curiesity-the old,
worn shagreen case and the mournir @. sword
entirely free from guiding, fiippery, or tlnsel
but word from my host all at once clothed
them with strange attraction and sugges-
tiveness. The surveyors tools had been used
by Washington when be was an unknown
youth Of sixteen and crossed the Blue Ridge
to survey the valley. The sword was sent
him, when he was gray-haired and illustrious.
by Frederick the Great of Prussia, with the
inscription: From the Oldest of living gener-
ais to the greatest"
What world OF suggestion in these simple
objects, defining clearly the youth and the Old
age OF Washington
have been thinking this morning of the
singuiarly moving and even romantic history
OF the great Virsinian; and, from the long
poriico where l fell into my reverie all about
OH times" more than one feature of land
seape assisted my musings. The friendly read
m IN a.
co, and will explain my meaning.
Looking eastward, see through that vista
which have recently made by cutting
down tree or two and trimming others, the
long blue wave OF the Ridge, With gasb
cut In 1t, as 1t were. Or, 1t you think that
word cash too prosaic-it is used by Robert
Browning-call the indentation l refer to
the hollow between two waves. In fact. this
Is the more accurate comparison, as well as
tne mole poetieai. Take the profile of the
ocean, running high in storm, and YOU have
the height. Of the Blue Ridge Tor waves. and.
for the hollow, Ashby's Gap.
fause Tor moment before looking at
other points In the lanscape; here is the in.
1tlal suggestion OF the presence of Wasbino
ton, the young surveyor. 1t was through
tnat lndentatlon yonder in the Blue Noun
ANS that be entered the valley for the first.
time, In March, 174S, when he was a how nj
sixteen. Wholly unknown-a mere Younger
son OF a gentleman of limited meapsEhe |
had educated himself for the bus ness of |
surveyor; Lord Fairfax, his connection, had |
entrusted him with the task OF LAYING off his |
great possessions beyond the mountains; and |
IN this March, OF the year 174S, he passes
through the gap yonder, lords the Shenan-
ooah at the spot where 1t is forded still to- |
day, aud rides joyously onward-a ruddy, |
stalwart youth, with curling hair and buoy
ant eXPressioh-toward 'GIeenway Court" |
Eajrf2Y'a hull. l.it
lodge in the wilderness.
his diary states that he spent the first
night there, and proceeded afterward 10 snr
vey the region. 1t is not improbable. then.
that he surveyed these fields you look upon'
friend, from the portico where we stand. Ali
tnis country was then great prairie, it is |
said, only broken here and there by forests OF |
huge timber. The prairie-io follow what |
seems authentic tradition-was a mass of |
grass and howels. So tall was this grass. 1t |
Is said, that man on horseback could tie it !
before him
such was the valley in 174S, and the high |
spirited youth must have reveed in the
peautles around him; The good Washington
irving, coming TO Greenway Court in his
last days, to see the historic spot, wrote OF
the old house that it was ''crumbling in The
midst OF magnificent country but in 174S
the country was far more magnificent: and.
through Its dour-enamelled prairies, or be-
meath its great forests, wanders boy who is
going to reappear at Boston, Monmouth, and |
Yorktown.
You cannot see Greenway Court, but it is |
yonder, past the woods, few miles, am |
mistaken-it rds yonder. The old stone
building, with its turrets and belfr1es, has |
been pulled down. l rode thither in 1885,
and the house was still standing. When i |
returned. in 1856, it was gone. Another me-
mortal OF the Virginia past had disappeared
pity that 1t was not spared. We have in this |
country so lew localities with historic associa- |
lions, that this one, where the boy Washing
TON moved about among Indians, hunters
nall breeds, dogs, and horses-the sylvan |
court OF the old noblemrn, Lord Fairfax |
should have been lett untouched. But |
Greenway Court is gone; the bells in the bel |
Tles VIII ling no more; Indians, hunters. and |
nan breeds have vanished for this century:
Warrington and Fairfax moulder in their cot |
ms, OF have returned to dust-anl vet thew
are here, and will be forever!
line last point in the landscape, to which 7 /
VIII call your attention, is Winchester.
~ mient iinger 1or moment on the great
N the middle of the valley like an IMMENSE
plue wave-the western pinnacle throwing its
su.uow az sunset on the eastern. might |
point oct, near these, "The Three SistersS-l
blue peaks, cear-cut against the southern sky
and still, in the west, as in the east and
sSAsnD sAS aSuSy dZUIc uOrIZOn OF mountain
shutting In the green fields through which the
silver waves Of the Shenandoah lapse. mnr-
muring, toward the Potomac. But the age is
100 last and sensational for descriptions Of
landscape. We live and move by steam and
electricity-have no time for aught with "re-
pose IN it. Yonder, in the far distance. is
Wmchester-our last feafure-where WASH
InRlon commanded in the French War, and
where Lord Fairfax lies buried.
His lordship died in 1882. Tn Oc,obe,
IISl, he was already sick unto death nearly
ano painfully stretched his thin fingers to.
wara lne nre, as he reclined in his armchair.
ne ulo SO, shout without attracted his
atten.'on. He called to old body servant anil
asked what It meant. The reply nearly de.
CORVALLIS had surrendered at YorStor noi ta
me BOY George Washington, whom he lord
FalrIaxl mad employed as surveyor at six.
teen. The old nobleman groaned.
british general to surrender to a Vir.
gina Buckskinp he exclaimed. In FAINT
tones, be added, to his old body-seryapt.
take me to bed, Joe. 1t is time for me to-
And, In few months afteryard tho al,
earl expired, and was buried there at Win
chester, where, in the Episcopal Church. his
mural tablet may be seen to-day.
The "Vlrginia Buckskn," George Washing
ton survived him many years, as is known.
became President, Father of the Country. and
mad the old mournipg-sword presented to him
BY Frederick. " '''''
greatest" s0De'"'' " 'ne
Anat was courtly and cordial message s
~ a une 80 famous, and must have pleased
Jug srgatest general. 1t did not turn his c
a .a ane peculiarity about Washington-I '
10y, sIetins uown on my porch, with Ashby's
ZIP III swimming 10 mist yonder, as gaze at it =
Idly-the marked feature IN this mans char. {
aeter was his good sense and entire com.
Posure under every trial of his eouanim;tv s
to- D 1sh in council, in adversely, in prosner i
cned az ., the sky was dark or brighttbreat- Fl
moved. In b hi, ne remained serene and un- n
tired f.om the field unar wois5 deieat, ne re-
uoWn: Wnen warning factiom. anu Hot cast
the thunders of Hamilton stormed, and
ciasped around him, he rose abovea Jefferson
DER aud the lightning, serene as q mn, ene thun-
virginia mountains. When CharIask OF his
sailed him in his bitter pamphlet alter Lee N as
mouth, MS equanimity never left him. 1n uon a.
rrederlck the Great declared him the oreatea.
d living Generals, do not believe thai he ba'
'ame excited, or forgot to take his morn;no II
,ide over the fields OF Mount Vernon, 70 seo 7
low bis wheat or corn came on. Abon NJ s re- +
nan. nan tnere must have been a native and IN S
' 90 good sense, equanimity, and nat.
: . 1ss. He was truly great man." INV S
amer sad to me one day. He had seeD o =
4, 4. asni i.oo once-it was in Alexandra
~ SUut i.eS' ana probably on the generals lasi
Isit tnere. My father was then about tan 7