Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1882-07-20
Selected Sforn.
VashingtOn's Home.

W III NC Ieau Win lnleuSGSL lLl eTeSJ. IL
seems that all the affairs ST Mt. Yer.
non are attended to by ladies'. The
price paid for the plantation in 1860
was 100000, not a large SUN, con.
slderlng the he value Of the place and
its accessibility to Washington, and
not only has every cent oe the indebt-
edness been paid, but it is more than
self supporting. Every visitor is
charged a dollar for entering the
grounds, which considering the many
thousand visitors annual, is in itself
a handsome income.
Generally visit to Mt. Vernon is
looked upon very much as a visit to
ones great aunt which has more of du-
ty than pleasure, bat, without being
either antiquarian or genealoglst,
there is an extreme interest, unlike
that attaching to a museum full OF Gen.
Washington 8 old clothes, investing
the place. So far has it been restored
to Its original condition that the whole
home life of Gen. Washington and his
beautiful shrewdish wife is revealed
The house itself is keptin beautiful
repair, and every chair and table, book
aud picture, is pnt with conscientious
regard in the exact Place it occupied
during the lifetime Of the general. As
one enters the hail, with its broad
AIKEN stairway, the people IN those
times had royal disregard for space,
and did not mind capacIous halls and
inuumerab.e stairs; besides, "dry.rub
Ding them gave employment to the
Idle fancy darkies. The lirst object
to be observed is glass case hanging
up, holding great iron key--the key
Of the Bast!le--sent to Washington by
Lafayette.
over the door Of the stale dining
room is a brass bound field glass, laid
on It's wooden perch by the hands Of
General Washington himself and rev.
erentI y allowed to remain there ever
since. No hand has touched it, except
to dust It, for nlnety-seven years. The
state dining room contains the ceIe.
brdted portrait of Rembrant peale, OF
Washington on Horseback, y and the
equally celebrated one by Gilbert Stu
art, | uelieve, Of the "Court of WASH
lnytou, in which the general and
Mime. Martha stand on dais, while
the flower of the Confidential army
and the beauty Of Phil ,delphia cIus-
ter around them. Ia this loom is a
very elegant antique marble mantle
WAIch WAS sent TO Washington
but captured by BArbsry pirates.
When they found out for whom it was
intended, they put it on sailing YES
sci and sent it back to Gen. Washing
ton with their compliments, no doubt,
but III It's vlcIsSItudes the marble got
a tremendous crack down the middle
Ia another little room called Nelly
Curtis sitting room, is the harpslchorl
presented to her by Gen. Washington
on her marriage. The harpsichorl is
an immense machine, as large as a
modern grand piano, and the most in
terestsng thing to study in the world.
1t has three banks Of keys like an or
gan, and is set like box upon its
frame. The sounds that come from
tins ancient and weezv instrument
would have frightened Jesse James in
to convulsiors. Beside this eXtraor-
binary contrivance, the room is full oI
beautiful old mirrors and cushions ana
all the brio a-brsc that young ladies o!
100 years ago fancied. There are two
beautiful chairs, the pale blue covers
Of which were embroidered by the fin
gers Of poor Nelly herself; and in tn,
grounds IS a beautiful rose bush, where
it is said, she received her first offer
and amy young woman who walks
around it six times Can coax an otlel
from any man she fancjes.
Tho grass around the magic bush, il
is hardly necessary 10 say, Is entlrel.y J
worn away. We'll, when one goes up
stairs, there is a perfect labyrinth =
old, ,fas llou4d rooms, An instance o