The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-09-22
A VISIT TO ARLINGTON.

Arlington Mansion, once the palatial
and hospitablc home OF Robert +. Lee.
II is visible from almost any point in
Washington, although scverel miles dis.
tant on the sunny side of the Potomac.
Its massive white Grecian columns,
half hidden by the native forest on the
north and south, are unobscured by the
evergrecns and few monarchs of the
primeval Virginia wilderness which sur
vive on the gentle, undulating slopes
from the heights down to the silver
line that divides Washington from the
Mother of Presidents. The beautiful
Capitol and the Arlington Mansion
face each other, and present the most
attractive views from their respective
cminences. Looking from the western
windows of the Capitol, across to the
crescent hills that skirt the Virginia
side of the Potomac, Arlington first
attracts the eyes of the observer, and
the distance of several miles is none
too great 10 lend the grandcst enchant-
ment to what was the proudest of South
ern homes but twenty years ago. The
ravages of the gnawing tooth Of time
the widened seams between the once
faultleSs lines OF masonry; the blistered
and scaling co,ors which deform the
surface OF pillar, wall and door; the
countless marks Of decay which tell the
story of the deserted home and the stay
Of the strangcr-all these are effaced
from the picture by the distant gaze,
and Arlington looks as beautiful and as
home like as it was when Lee made his
last sad journey across the river as an
officer of the army that pointed to him
as one of its brightest ornament.
had visited Arlington but once be.
fore and the day was a memorable one.
Charleston, the mes, in which treason
had long been Matching rebellion, had
just been captured after many disastrous
failures to possess that Confederate
stronghold. While standing on the
broad, unevenly-,iled por,ico OF Airing
ton, looking out between the great col
umns to the Capital that seemed then
for the first time in four years TO be
safe from the insurgent, the hour of
noon was struck by the signal gun OF
Fort Whipple, hard by, and as quick as
sound could fly to report the command,
thousand guns responded from hill TO
hill, shouting their hoarsc song of vic
tory over the Lost Cause. What ap-
peared to the casual observer rs simply
cluster of wooded ridges along the
Virginia shore, belchcd forth their COL
s.N IL. k.,n eA tn
world the glad tidings that free govern
mcnt had not perishcd from the earth.
Nearly half generation has passed
since then, and change has wrought
sublime achievements in all sections
during eighteen years Of peace; but
Arlington is only eighteen years older,
rs is told by the ceaseless Offices of de.
cay, and there the story ends. Its his
tory has not abatcd in public interest.
Ii is still the one home, next to Mount
Vernon, around which cluster the fond
est memories OF Washington, and the
sad retribution that followed the cs.
arrangement of Lee from his country, is
known in every section and cline. His
memory is cherished in Virginia and in
the South in wealth of affection, and
rs the clouds of passion are clearing
away in the North, there is naught but
respect and sorrow for the Christian
soldier who so loved State rs to be
misguided to causelcss war that widened
into boundlcss bereavement and desola-
tion.
There are few evidences remaining
of the Notifications which displayed
bristling guns when last journeyed to
Arlington. The rudcr of the structures
hastily erected to serve the purposes Of
war are seen here and there with decay
stamped upon them. Not until the
well-beaten road turns into the pillared
gate that opens the National Cemetery
are there signs of care and industry !;
but the long regular white lines which
traverse the carefully garnished lawns
tell a strange and sad story of wars
multiplied retributions. Throughout
the winding roads which gradually
ascend the heights TO the Arlington
Mansion the gravestone is never out OF
sight and around the gardens up to
the very pillars of the home of Lee, the
dreamless couchcs OF Union officers are
spread rs il their dust was to stand as 4
line OF eternal sentries about the tenant
less halls. of the Confederate chieftain.
Twelve hundred warriors people this
beautiful City of the Silent, and the
Blue and the Gray sleep their long
sleep together-heroic enemies in the
fame OF battle, they have gained the
peace that is TO be unbrokcn. One
third of the whole number are the name
less tombs of the unknown, but their
rest is undisturbed by the pity of the
stranger or the sorrowing of loved ones
who mourn their unshrincd dead. In
one central vault the long-unearthed
and scattered bones Of over two thous-
and fallen soldiers have been gathered
for sepulchre. Who they were when
they braved the deadly strife whether
they were friend or foe, none can tell.
All around il on the many commanding
eminences may yet be seen the crumb-
ling earth-works Of the most unbroken
chain Of Notifications that more than
half surrounded Washington but they
are ungarrisoncd now, and the drum
beat no longer breaks the morning
silence on the Virginia side Of the
| Potomac.
The Arlington Mansion and its sur.
rounding buildings have suffered nc
changes since lee went TO Richmond
| in 1901, never to return TO his home,