, 1876-11-20
MT. VERNON.
A Chicago Lndy's Visit to tho
Tomb or Washington.
Potomac Scenery -.- Alexandria sac Mrs.
8urratt-.-Arlington Heights.
Tho Home OF George and Martha Wash.
ington...A Queer Mistake.

Special Correspondence of TAs Trtauns.
WASHINGTON, D. G., November, l878.-Wlicn
tile morning cotnes that We are To 20 and make
some interesting visit to which VIC have long
looked forward with antc,pattnns of pleasure,
the state of tho weather Is always tho first con-
s!dcrat!on. Tho prospccta were not 80 very
cheerful last Saturday morning when we stepped
on board tho pretty steamer Arrow, at tho foot
Of Seventh street, for d sail Of seventeen mics
down the Potomac To Mount Vernon, the home
and rcsttng.placc Of Washington. Yet "a we
smiled along VIC could now nnd tllcn catch bright
g1!mpscs OF sunshine, which aided indcscribabc
beauty to tho varied autumnal ttnts Of the for
csts on tic Maryland atId Virginia shores. The
many places of Interest between Washington
and Mount Vernon nre so marked and we'll
known II Is not necessary to tnakccapccal mcn-
ttun OF tlcm all. After passing tAe Goscrnmcnt
Arsenal, with Its elegant grounds and plies Of
ordnance, We are shown The spot where
Mrs. suRRArr AND THE cossrinATons
were executed for tho murder OF President Lin
coin. a little up the Btrcam-lhc eastern
branch Of the Potumac-is plainly seen the
Washington Nayy-Ynrd, and f,nc view Is had
Of tho Insane Asylum, situated on charming
wooded hillside, 80 retired and beautiful It
seems cn,incntly fitted for sur,l All Institution.
AS VIC pass this punt Arlington Heights APP
pear, and Just over the bridge VIC get fine
view Of the home Of the late Ger. Robert Lee.
We stop a few moments at Alexandria, with
81 little of tho active spirit Of '70 about It that
IL appears destined to rcman rs II is-almply
relic Of tic old Revolution. II wo keep our
eyes III tho right direction, VIC shall see old
Christ Church, where Washington wors,liped,
who was chusen oic Ut its first vcstrymun, and
pail the highest price for q scat, which w.s
thirty pounIls and sumo shltfngt. Washington
Free School Is mother result Ut his generosity,
HIN. An old house built Of brick, used fur
d hospital during tho Revolution, rcmains;
also the house In which Ellsworth wns killed III
our last War. AZ Fort Foot ard Fort wash
troops were sccn 'istlessly ratroling. the works,
Nhilc aomo were anxiuusly wuitlug for tho conf
Ing Of the mail, which the Arrow delivered.
Next comes In vIUw
1nH Mr. VERNON MANsloa,
situated high ahove the river, ind surrounded
with lovely groves of trees. Jnst rs We we're
about to lnnd, thu clouds, as II In sympathy
with somo OF the tourists, began to weep, 80,
M MWhile we were dotains;i, v9ts wa taken for
up tho l,tll to the tomb Iii the prcttlest, most
harmless little shower / ever saw, THEN II
broke away, to the clear blue sky, aud tho sun
sflono out 1t seemed 10 Me-llevcr SO lovingly.
The remains Of General and Martha Washing
ton were taken from their wooden caskets Il,
tho fall Of 1887 aud placed in mnlblc oncs which
stand Side by side, exposed TO the air, 50 that
they may. lc better preserved.
who clis,cd over the iucloaure and broke oil II
piece from TIC talors OF the eagle on the
mother higher gate las been nsi!!cd, hut
fa ws en a sos 1o s,e ay 3 soms
everywhere reminded not to touch the shrub
berry. wonder wlInt hns become Of that
FRETTr CLUSTER or AUTUMN LEAVES
that STOOL on tIp-toc to rcacll, md would harc
ehnt ~ the back wllcn r'iat's rotcc crle4
never stopped to aak. As all leaves hayo their
time to fall felt Justified, and mentally paid
was, II he were present In the flesh ho would
tell us to llclp ourselves. "All's well that ends
we'll" ! cdn.mtt.cd no other aagrant depreda.
tions, mud afterwards found as beautiful and
The very appearance Of this sacrcd old 6omo in
which Washington ltyed gives ose comfortable,
lonc-liko feeling. The porch overlooking tho
river Is n!nety-two feet in length, and the flas-
very nucs. worn. Tho scenery from this sIdc Is
varied, and grand beyond description. There
Rro many r0uins In the house, and nearly
all eontain, interesting relics IN ths
Frencl, prlson-thc l,astlse-in a glass casc,
and ou tic wall hangs the original koy Of that
prison, protected with elass, and hns never been
touched since PLACED there by Washington.
that "cane &C over scr' IN IN tho Mayewc" Which
looks exnetly like tAu old.fnslioied cl.a!rs our
own granparcuta used. Now, when VIC ascend
tho Grst staircase
VIZ sror w1rl1 nnvrnnscg
before tic silent clock 1f the distinguished
patriot, aud thInli ntar of. OF tho chambers,
tllc one we approach Will. tho most sulemnity Is
that In which Washington dlcd. II nnw CON
tai.s tho identical bcdstca1 upon wl.Icl. he died,
| near the hcad, Is the mcdiclne.stantl then h's
bureau, two other tables, md three cllalrs The
old nautelptccc contains nothing but trio vases,
Two giltlel brack kcts hang on tho wall. Thn
protected by a high wire screen. W., would
suppose TINT depredattons would never ho com
mtlte.l here, mud, while tic furniture Inns bcca
we'll protected, portion Of onu Of tho doors has
hatel,st. , 81 On = tie west sldo Of ills
room Is linen closet and a
dressing -roorn With SO mnpy shelves wo uro re-
minded of nm 0ll-iashloncd New England pan
used tllis room aftcr tic General 'sicat, and Ills
| wife,, ,Martlla-who survived him u little less
tlmu two years, chose thereon directly oYor this
In tho third story. It is vcry, snnll, with low
ceiling mud no fireplace; but hero sto watched
anil wnitesl through tlle heat Of summer aud tho
cold Of winter, because II wns from this window
only that she could sec tho tumb Of her hus-
banI. 1t Is now richly furnished alter LILO
original style by ......-.-.
aliss. MITCHELL, or wIscoNs1N.
| Hero in tho hail. Md OIL tho winding stnis-case
taL leads to tlc cupota aro names recorded of
visitors from all parts Of the country. Near tho
delightful lawn of twenty acres sanlls tlno
magnolia trco, also two anl A,,d t,yo poplars,
| pIailtcd by the hand Of Washington. BeneatI,
them seats ars plase1 where thu weary pilgrims
| foreign land, and learned from Ills atteniAit
that he ysas Syrian, all the WY from Jerusa.
Of the spirit of peace and good Will toward HIN
for coming to our Centennial, and M. forget.
Ing our American Alecea. 1io was
dressed In blue trousers, so full
that they rcsembled gowns fastened at tho
ankles, lIa woro long, black sack, no hat Of
any description, but a 1arge silk handkerchief
with cords and tassc1s wound somewhat grace.
fully about hts neck and shoulders. Yellow
was the prevailing color for ts portion Of his
outfit, With stripes Of blue and red. liz had
keen black eyes, with queer Ettle m,lstaene,
not 30 very different from tho young man Of thu
period, after all. notlycd
HE WAS TAXING NOTES