The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-10-03

on our way up the hill and broad graVeico
walk which leads to the mansioh'--
Directly on lhc Avenue to' ner,
and about onc-.h'rd ~ the 'dis-
lance from the pier we came in hoht Of
tue ve.y plain brick nausolenm thai
cover. the remal1s OF Washington, II
resemble. the pictures you have seen of il,
but is entirely unworthy Of its high posi-
ton. We approache. the iron-atticcd
door which protects the entrance and, with
uncovered head, reverently looked into
the interior and saw, the two masonic
marble sarcophagi, on one of which, was
simply inscribed tho wotds r Wssbins,on,''
on tb, other, Martha, the wife of Geo.
Washington" How brief, and yet how
comprehensive. After lingering at this
ha'lowed spot for feM minuts,, we con-
t'nued on i[yhi ed the on family tomb,
where Washington was f.st buried, nov a
mere n,ch Of bricks, enclosed and fast 60
ing TO decay. From here we wendell our
way to the Mansion Housc--tie home of
Weshington--situated on the crest of the
hill and directly overlooking the broad
Potomac, whose waters wash It's base.
The house is of wood, min ety-six feet long,
two stories in heghth, with pillars in froat
and cupola on top, and q in only toler-
able state of preservation. We were po-
litely shown't through all the rooms that
are thrown open 10 the public. Visiting
first the library, which, like all the rooms,
remains in the same condition they
were in during the lifetime of Washing
ton, except paint and whitewash. The old
fashioned fireplace ia this, and the other
rooms, are protected from the curiosity
| hunter and vandal, by an iron wire frame
surrounding it. In this room, we noticed
a plaster cast of Washington's head, taken
during his lifetime. In the dining.room,
the most pleasant and best preserved room
in the house, we saw harpsichord, lin
shape like grand piano. given by Wash
ingtcn to his adopted daughter, Elenor
Custiss. In another room, we we're shown
a 'ock of his hair, a suit of his clothes, an
old pair Of holsters and part Of his camp
squipage, and other articles Of interest, in.
Guiding favorite chair, in which he used
tosit, and which, for few minutes, wa,
a "favorite" seat with Us /.aftsl
our long and active walk up the
hill and about the grounds. We
were then shown tho huge iron key Of the
old " bastile,' presented to Washington by
General Lafayette, also the bedroom occu-
pied by Lafayette on his visit to Mount
liVernoi. 1t now contains none of its orig
inal furniture except small looking glass
and dressing case. The last place Of in
terest we visited In the house was the room
in which Washington died, q plain, low
studded, unfurnished room (the bed and
other furniture which were here at the
time, are now in the patent ofice).' The
heavy, old fashioned sash and little quaint
little .panes of glass, looking out on the
the beautiful river beneath. His room is
in the second story, and has nothing in it
excepting framed copy Of the Gazette, in
full mourning, published on the day of his
death, December l4.h, 1899, and contain
ing o full account Of the same. Tho flower
| garden ia the rear Of the house is in good
taste, and contains hot honse full of choice
plants for sale, and nearly every lady o.
our party carried away with them a small
pot of flowers us memento of our visit
As we had no lady in charge, VIC procured
as a souvenir for ourselves and friends,
some buckeyes from an old grey headed
negro who picked them from under the
house chesnut trees, with which the estate
abounds On registering our names on the
register kept for that purpose, we told the
colvred janilor, who had beea our guide,
that We had seen all expected except two
things, and if he would show US them we
would depart, more than satisfied. One
was the I" stump" of the cherry tree George
cut down, and the other the wicked little
"hatchet with which the dreadful deed
was accomplished. The darkey said "dey
wasn't OAR" Tho whistle of the boat ad-
monisbed US that our time was up, and w
were soon en- route for the city, much
pleased with oar up lgrimage," which W,
coasidc, the duty ofevery true American
to make n. least one time in his lfc.
The next day our first visit was made t
the White House. The "east room is a,
ways open TO visitors; the Others wer
closed, but we were told by the usher tina
We could procure n permit to visit tien
: by applying TO Gen. Dent. We went u
a flight of stairs into. his oilics, and foun
chat his oval bighness was undergoing
tonso-ial operation in aa sdjoiniog apart
4 mepi, ana when he had finished the same
graclously bestowed me favor upon VI
We We e 'ael AXE IA cha &c and show
in succession The cas-. oon, 4 cen room
blre room (whe, e re pes. deaf and Ill
lacy stand in recep. on and receive the!
guests, red roo n and dning room-a'l i
the different coiors, Don witch the room
take their names. !, The led room W
were shown q magnificent clock, pre,en e
by Napoleon /. TO Wa,ii ,gton; ilso
most magnificent pair of vases, given I
Frapk'in by the citizens OF Paris. In III
east room, tie larges. OF the suite, th
floor is covered with tbe famous cerpe
. | al hy Tho all N , % IT,, boz 90 ~,