Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-07-10
y WALHALLA CAROLINA, THURSDAY JULY TO- 1879

his room was closed. The widow then be-.
took herself to chamber jdst above, where,
eighteen months afterward, she left this
world to rejoin her spouse in the land of
spirits. The washsstand is ON original
pieco of furniture. All else has been re-.
produced with great fidelity. The lady
visitors take much interest in a hole cut in
the door to furnish FREQ entrance and exit
for tho family cot. Lady Washington is
said to have constantly sat at the window
from which she could view her husbands
tomb.
The servants on tho estate are the de-
sccndants of Washington's BODY servant
and butler, named Ford aud johnson, re-.
spectively. They are the best-bred and
most aristocratioaly respectful negroes ]
over saw, They furnish lunch to visitors
and are engaged in various functions about
the plaoe. They consider themselves, I om
told, tho cream of their ruoe, and do not
associate familiarly with common folks of
either color.
The flower garden and conservatory are
admirably kept. The hedge was plautod
by Washington, and vigorously aourishcs.
AT ono time Mount Vernon was offered to
Congress for $4,000 and declined 1t was
finally purchased for 100000 from Mr..
John Augustine Washington. who was
killed in battle at South Mountain. Ed
ward Everetts lectures produced $68 ,404 so
Ut the sum required The revenue is now
ample for the support and improvement of
tho properly, and there is no debt
The Superintendent, Col. j. MoAenry
ilollipgsworth, is Mexican war veteran, ,
deduced from Revolutionary sires and CON
neoted by blood and marriage with tho
most distinguished families Of MARYLAND
and Virginia. He is an enthusiast about
his business, is every way qualified for it.,
and adds 90 attraction to the historic SPOT,
l have to thank him for many courtesics.
l am told that while many thousands
from sbe East and West and the Pacific
slope visit Mount Vernon, very few visitors
from the South put in an appearance.
This is shameful. Washington is our horo
and belongs to us as much rs Lee does.
But there is ono compliment paid the
South, and that is entire freedom from
iconoclasm and petty theft, which became
so hagrant ond frequent that barriers had to
be erected against the sacrilegious forays OF
male and female robbers. l trust tba,
when the South sends her sons and
daughters by hundreds, if not thousands
here, what is true of their honesty now
will remain conspicuousy to her credit
then.
Just before the timo of departure, Mrs.
Pickens sat down before "the rickety, ram
shackle, whcczy spinct," in the Council
Room, and played thereupon "diy dfa,w-
land" Then VIC were invited to step out
upon the side piazza, where Washington
used to smoke his pipe after dinner, and
partake Of ''lunch" that makes nv mouth
water ns | think of it. We had tarrapin
stow, Maryland style, luscious broilcd
chickens, vegetables of various kinds,
winding up with raspbcrries and cream.
Aud such cream! The Ayrshire COW that
produced the tactical fluid is famous thor.
oughbred, gives five gallons of milk per
day, and would make Major r.. p. Branch
gesslculato enthusiastically and talk like q
Congressman does to his constituents
Llttlo. did think, few months ago,
that | should be sitting at Mount Vernon
on Washington's porch, eating the sublime
terrapln of this gastrinomio paradise, with
the majestic Potomac flowing by, sparkling
In the sun and bravo with white winged
vessels. It almost took my breath away,
aud nearly made mo "swcll head.' Ii
some one had not seriously told mo that tho
vistas through which I behcld the magniil-
cent river had been out by Washington
himself with his little hatchct, I might havo
"dropped into poetry" instead of into
terrapio. AS it is, have given you an
immense amount of prose and fear that
your readers will wish / had made short
rhymes instead of this long lottcr.