Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-22
hind the trainers back and he Is re-
quired TO be extremely alert TO prevent
their treacherous attacks.
Valley Forge.

Valley Forge Il a manufacturing
place, and there il constant hum Of
machinery from the paper, -four and
woolen mills. The neat little houses of
the factory hands are gay with flowers
and vines, while the handsome residence
of the mill-owner towers castl Like
above them. Past all these dwellings,
at the end of the street, stands the old
fashioned stone edi6ce hallowed by
Washington's presence.
IL is a plain, somewhat contracted
looking house, this Valley Forge shrine,
after the usual type of ancient Pennsyl-
vania homesteads, with queer roof
over the door, without either posts or
pillars, shaped like the sounding boards
in old-time churches. The small-paned
windows are long, and end in low, deep
window seats that could be sat in with
ease; but they are not cushioned or
made the most of in any way. The en-
trance door opens in halves. and two
broad fiat stones lead TO IL.
Nothing has been changed in the old
house since Washington left IL, with
the exception of paper and paint; but
it strikes the visitor as decidedly bare
looking, and by no means attractive a.
a place of residence. The admission fec
of ten cents is appropriated by the Cen
tennial committee for the furnishing
fund, their intention being to furnish
the back room on the ground floor.
known as Washington's private Office,
with articles gathered here and there Of
the date OF Washington's residence, and
as nearly MS possible a fac-simile of those
in use at the period, the original furni-
ture having slipped down the back
stairs Of time without leaving q trace
behind.
AS yet, however, nothing has been
accomplished, and very little of interest
is to be seen in the way of relics. The
back room is the chief point of interest;
and one of the deep window-seats is a
box. the lid Of which is labeled Wash
ington's private papers, 1877" this re-
ceptacle having probably been made TO
avoid surprises.
cannon ball, the old anvil used in shoe
ing the horses of Washington and his
troops, and an ancient fireplace with
"backs and jamSs." The iron back of
another fireplace is Unexpectedly dis
played outside of an entrance door
which opens into a narrow passage.
This back, of German manufacture, is
quite work of art, and evidently in
tended as representation of the miracle
in Cana of Galilee, the queer figures and
water jars being supplemented by
German inscription, In which the words
"Wasser" and "Wein" are quite dis
tinct, also the reference to John, ii.l-ll.
The most noticeable article of furni-
ture in the room is an "old clock on the
stair" which seems its legitimate
place. 1t was not used, however, by
Washington. having been imported
from England by the grandfather Of
the present venerable occupant in l7S4.
The old Potts mansion has been pur-
chased by the Centennial and Memorial
association, and in the deed of trust the
ground belonging to 1t is carefully es-
timated at two acres and eight perches.
The long, low, stone barn that stretches
across a large portion of one side is
rough and plain-the same in appear
ance as when Washington stabbed his
horses there. Art has done little for the
immediate surroundings, except TO in
troduce the impertinent whiz of the
factory opposite.
A portion Of the old intrenchments,
which are some little distance of, still
remains, and in the woods near by were
the miserable barracks where the Con-
tinental army nearly froze and starved
during the hard winter OF l777-'76.-
Hdyper's MG9dzi'se.