Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-05-15
The Alexandria Museum.


wandering among the moth-caten. moldy.
ouaint-looking relics that constitute the Alex
apdria museum. One feels rs If he had step
ped out of the present age and gone back near
" century, and the feeling OF gloom that
oppresses one on entering. the room Is not
likely to be dspelled when he looks upon such
articles as the bier on which the body Of
Washington was borne to the tomb, and the
crane, that foated from the door of his home
TO tell the sad news Of his death. There are
also portions Of Il settec: which once stood in
the hall of the old Mount enon mansion !:
a common, rough wooden chair in which the
''Father of his country must haye been eX-
ceedingly uncomfortable: us the back is per-
pendicular: small wash-tub, resting on roll
icrs, in which his washing is supposed to have
been done, and his battle saddle. Another
saddle of crimson velvet, heavily embroidered
with gold. is displayed as having been present
ed to General Washington BY 4 Turkish Sui
TAM \ picture of Martha Washington. in her
Youthful DAYS. looks down from the mrlsty
| walls out of a furnished, gildcd frame The
expression of the face is gentle, intelligent: but
not beautiful The eyes are i soft, rich hazel
and mass Of dark hair is rolled back from the
forehead and crowned with massive head
dress, ornamented with jewels. The dress is
| dark green girled at the waist wi tn 4 narrow,
| cold band, The neck is hcart-shaped, with
white lace gathered in it, fastened with jew
elcd pin; and the sleeves are similar to those
worn now, being half tight to the elbow, with
deep rutflc on them, beneath which hand
some lace falls over beautifully rounded arm.
Some crimson drapery is gracefully, thrown
over the right shoulder, and as much, OF the
dress as is seen could almost pass Tor fashion
| I % hn IlV
n;cturc is an antique clock, which once struck
the the hours in Washington home. The hands
that made the clock have long since moldered
in the grave. and its owners have gone where
thee need no timc-piccc to tell how the hours
90 w The old clock remains, but its work is
done. The music of its tick is silent us the
music of the lives of those who listened to it
long ago. If the old clock could speak, how
many tales it would tell of ancient gandcur, OF
courtly DANES and gallant cavaliers. Of brilliant
balls. with their spirited minutes and reels,
and Old Dominion dinners. where t0aSts Were
something more than forms, and the corusca.
tions of wit We'd in briancy with the sparkle
of the rare old wines.
One is reminded Of the time that must come
to us all, when we begin to 90 down the slope
of the hill, and the world has ceased to dazzle
us with its glitter by reading letter Which
was written by General Washington to some
Alexandria gentlemen, and which is hung in
an old moth eaten frame, beneath the pictures
of General and Mrs. Washington. 1t runs:
MOUNT VERNON, Nov. T., 17%
| GENTLEMEN; Mrs Washington and self have
been honored with your polite invitation /" the
| assemblies in Alexandria this winter and thank
| YOU for this mark of your attention But, alas I!
| our dancing days are no more. We wish, how
ever, all those whose relish for 50 agreeable and
| innocent amusement remains, all the pleasure
| the season will afford them
| [ am, gentlemen your most "hcdIcnt and
| obliged humble servant,
GEORGE WAsHIEGT"%.
| This letter was written only month before
the great man passed away
| In the museum is rusty model OF 4 corn
| planter, invented by George Washington Park
| Custis at Arlington. in 1870; the model Of the
first French guillotine. Which recalls all the
horrors Of the bloody-by gone days, when even
rulers trembled on their thrones, for fear OF ITS
in the /. s. at Portsmouth. New Hampshire
Congress presented the tirst-built American
ship to the French Government. The model
was made by one of her officers. and sent Ia
General Washington. There is, also, the
model of the Triumphal Arch, through which
General Lafayette rode at Alexandria, in 1921
and stuffed eagle that was perched on the top
of it. The arch was wreathcd with evcrgrcenS
and adorned with flags and bore the inscrlp
ton, 'Wclcome Lafayette; a nation $ gratitude
thy due Some of the flags that foated over
it are still displayed but their bright co9rs are
dimmcd by time, and they are solled and torn.
\ leather satchel, similar to 4 soldiers h9ver-
sack, hangs on the wall 1t is said to have
been carried by Mustapla Basha, Dcy Of Al
riers. during his pilgramage to the tomb Of Ma
homct. According to custom he had to put
aside all the gorgeous insignia, 0troya!ty when
within ten miles of the city, and continue the
tourney to the tomb on foot. carrying tins
satchcl, filled with necessary provisions, Oh his
back. :.
\ bust Of the celebrated chcvalier, John
Paul Jones, which was presented to "aShlhE-
ton by General Lafayette, and adorned the
dining-room at Mount Vernon, is III quite a
good state of preservation.
There are many Indian articles in the room.
to which scraps of bloody or romantic history
are attached. Among them are L bow and ar.
row to which square pieces Of red cloth are
fastened, that were given by an Indian priest.
previous to any perilous undertaking.
There are also two mantlcS. made OF buffalo
hide, one of which belonged to an Indian queen
of the Sioux nation, and was only worn on pub
lie occasions, as q war dance. the tortlring to
death of prisoner, the celebration Of Il mar
riage, or the offering up of a sacrifice to the
Deity: the other belonged to l'rlesteSs OF the
Sun of the great Usage tribe, and only adorned
her dusky form upon occasions of the greatest
solemnity.
Another relic, to which an interesting histo-
tory cngs, is an old battlc-wom havcrsack,
that belonged to Il British sergeant of marines,
who had fought under the Dukes Of York,
Wellington and Brunswick, and who swore that
no American should take him prisoner alive.
During an engagement near the Patuxcht he
killed an officer, who attempted this. and shot
at several others. He was pursued BY deli.
cate youth, whose only weapon Was 4 small
sword, with which the brave young American
soldier, Alexander Hunter, tced him to the
ground and the British sergeant died. The
Southern chivalry, with their usual love for
bold defiance in every form, proved their ad
miration for the fearless British soldier Ivy bu-
ryng him with all the honors of war
Several portraits in gilt frames adorn the
museum walls Among them are those of Will
liam Penn and Lord Fairfax The old Ou,kcr