The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-29
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Mt. Vernon.
A correspondent of the Cincinnati Com
,n,rri1I writoo

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Com
mercial writes
l suppose that you all know that the
Ladies Mt. Vernon Association" bought
the place in 1858, for 5000, 000 The pur-
chase comprised the mansion, the tomb.
and 2OO acres OF the original estate. The
mansion was built by George Washington's
elder brother, Lawrence, who settled here
IN lI43, and named the estate in honor of
Admiral Vernon, under whom he had
! served in the West Indies. The summit
| OF the elevation is crowned with the Mecca
Of "Washlngton's Tomb" We
peer through the iron grating and trace
two sarcophagi, one containing the re-
| mains OF washington, the other those of his
faithful wife, Back of the collins is an
iron door closing the tombs of several
relatives and friends. How quaint the
mansion appears. 1t is wooden struc
ture, two stories and an attic in height.
ninety-six feot in length, with a portico
extending along the whole front. The
pavement of this por;lco is made of square
stones brought from England. An arcade
leads to the kitchen, where there is fire.
place large enough to roast n whole OK, the
old crane being in place. a gun.rack over
the high mantel-board was wont to receive
tilO inaSttl WttIODS WHS0 ne returned
from the chase, of which he was very fond.
The outbuldings are convenient and nu-
merous, the bricks for the barn being
brought from England. Every effort is
made to preserve the original appearance
of the structures When single blows
Oil another exactly the same makes good
the loss, and, since the thirteen states have
been invited each TO take room in the
house, and collect as far as possible therein
the personal property of Washington at the
time of his death, we may hope TO see
marked improvements. The gardens are
beautifully kept. Hedges of box three or
four feet high, have been growing for one
hundred years. The greenhouses are filled
with flowers, the bouquets for sale being
for the benefit of the association. The
state drawiDg-room contains very fine
sculptured mantel of white marble, brought
from France; a model In terra Gotta of the
Bastile (the huge KEY of which hangs in
glass case on the wall of the entry y the
harpschord of Nellie GUSTS cabinet of
Washingtonian mementoes, among them
pair of pointed -toed, tny-heeled slippers
belonging to Mrs. Washington chair in
one corner is shown as real passenger in
the May flower. a life-szed portrait of the
general on horseback, when yet in vigor of
early manhood, painted by Rembrandt
Peale, has lately been donated TO the asso-
citation, and hangs in this room. The
council chamber has been somewhat mod
ernized, but the succeed ceiling resembles
flat frosted cake, ornamenied by confec-
TONERS apprentice, and the queer little mir
rOr remains the same. The library is re-
markable Tor its numerous closets. The
picture above the mantel conceas shelves
where the silver WAS kept. " e ascend the
old-timed stairs, pass the tall clock, and
stop in front of Ldayette's roo. 1t Is
furnished Just as when he slept there, and
the open door is guardt d by pioket-ga'e.
Not long ago some lady crept in over the
pickets, snatched the shoppers from pair
of antique coll que bottles, pocketed the
sham sheet from the bed. and then
couldn't get out until Mr.. Hulhugsworth
unlocked the gate and excused her from
the trouble of carrying away the shoppers,
but she bore off the Immortal sham.
We now approach the Dom from which
Washington passed t the land of spirits.
The bed and hangings are only fac.s SMILES,
for relic hunters demolished the original.
Even the new one has 10 be provided with
bed cord every season, while the tussels of
the curtains are tattered and torn. After
his interment this room was closed two
years according to custom. His loving
wife bctook herself to an attic chamber,
just over this room, and in that apartment,
whose only attraction was that its sole
window overlooked the grave, the faithful
Martha remained unintermittently until her
death, which occurred in eighteen months.
There seems to be no method of warming
this chamber, while the sloping ceiling
gives it an air of poverty totally incon-
gruous in connection with the other parts
of the mansion. The lower corner Of the
door was cut off to allow the ingress of
her favorite cat.