, 1880-05-10
Valley Forge.

Valley Forge is a manufacturing
place, and there Is q constant hum OF ma
chinery from the paper, -four, and
woolen mills. The neat little houses Of
the factory hands are gay with flowers
and vines, while the handsome resi-
dence of the mill-owner towers CASTLE
like above them. Past all these dwell
ings, at the end of the street, stands the
old-fashioned stone edifce hallowed by
Washington's presence.
It is plain, somewhat contracted
looking house, this Valley Forge shrine,
after the usual type of ancient Pensyl-
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 aro long, aad end
in low, deep window-seats that could
be sat in with case but they are not
cushioned, or made the most of in any
way. The entrance door opens in
halves, and two broad flat stones lead
to it.
Nothing has been changed in the old
house since Washington left it, with
the exception of paper and paint but
it strikes the visitor as decidedly bare
looking, and by no means attractive as
place of residence. The admission
fee of ten cents is appropriated By the
Centennial Committee for the furnish
ing fund, their intention being to fur
nish the back room on the ground-foor,
known as Washington's private Office,
with articles gathered here and there Of
the date of Washington's s residence, and
as nearly as possible fac simile of
those in use at the period, the original
furniture having slipped away down the
back stairs of time without leaving
trace behind.
AS yet, however, nothing has been
accomplished, and very little of inter-
est is to be seen in the way of relics.
The back room is the chief point of in
terest and one of the deep window
seats is a box, the lid of which is
labeled Washington's private papers,
1777," this receptacle having probably
been made to avoid surprises.
We are also shown a Revolutionary
cannon ball, The old anvil used in
shoeing the horses of Washington and
his troops, and an ancient fire place
with backs and jambs." The iron
back of another fireplace is unexpected
ly displayed outside of an entrance
door which opens into narrow passage.
This back, of German manufacture, is
quite work of art, and evidently in
tended as a representation of the
miracle in Cana of Galilee, the queer
figures and water jars being supple
mented by German inscription, in
which the word "Wasser and
=" Vein are quite distinct, also the
reference to John, ii. II.
The most noticeable article of furni-
the STAIR" which seems its legitimate
place. It was not used, however, by
Washington, having been imported
from England by the grandfather Of
the present venerable occupant in
1884.
The old Potts mansion has been pur-
chased by the Centennial and Memorial
Association, and in the deed of trust
the ground belonging to it is carefully
estimated at two acres and eight
perches. The long, low, stone barn that
stretches across large portion of one
side is rough and plain-the same in
appearance as when Washington stabbed
his horses there. Art has dons little
for the immediate surroundings, ex-
cept to introduce the impertinent whiz
of the factory opposite.
A portion of the old intrenchments,
which are some little distance off, still
remains, and in the woods near by
were the miserable barracks where the
Continental army nearly froze and
starved during the hard winter of 1777-
7S.-EL1A RoDNAN CHURCH, IN Har-
per's Magazine.