Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-08-28
Washington Letter.
(FEoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE
August 10Th, 1894.

August 10Th, 1884
All tourists who come to Washing
ton want to visit Mt. Vernon, and ev-
cry day except Sunday, the Steamer W.
W. Corcoran, departs with passengers,
for the last home of George Washing
ton. Last Tuesday at 10 a. M,
boarded the steamer. To the accom-
paniment of music by band we sail, d
down the river, leaving the Capitol,
leaving the Monument, which can be
seen until within a mile of Mt. Yer.
non, leaving all Washington behind
Passing Alexandria, Fort Foote, and
Fort Washington (the latter in such a
state Of decay that it is utterly useless
as a defence) we reached, after a Jour
ncy of two hours, our destination. Dis
embarking we followed the winding
shady path up the hill. until we reach
ed the TOMB OF Washington. II Is "
small brick grotto. Looking through
the double barred gate l saw two mar.
bic sarcophagi; one with the national
coat of arms engraved in marble, and
the other perfectly plain. Around the
tomb are monuments to members Of the
Washington family. The vault seems
sadly in need Of repair The plaster
ing has fallen from the ceiling in sew
eral places, and the floor is yellow with
age. But the key of the tomb has been
thrown into the Potomac, and it cannot
be entered
At the top of the very hillstands Mt.
Vernon mansion, large old fashioned
edfce of eighteen rooms. 1t faces the
river, and commands fine view. The
porch, which covers the entire front of
the house, is paved with stones brought
from the Isle of Wight. Most of the
rooms are closed and visitors are
obliged to half satisfy their curiosity
by looking over iron gratings into them.
The state dining hall. the private DIM
ing room, the library, and one or two
rooms in the upper part of the house,
are all that are left open. Each apart
mcnt has been taken in charge by a
state, and efforts are being made to re.
gain the furniture, books, etc, so as to
present the house to the public just as
the Father of his Country left it, In
the broad hall hangs, in a glass case,
the key of the Bastille, presented by
Lafayette to Washington, and placed
there by his own hand. In the dining
hall is miniature representation of
the Bastille. Some of the rooms are
nearly complete among which may be
mentioned that in which Washington
died, and that in which his wife breath
ed her last. The latter is an attic
room, one of the worst in the house,
and chosen by its occupant because
from the window the tomb of her hus-
band could be seen. Her sitting room
is furnished in what appears to be the
latest style, with velvet carpet, plush
chairs and sofa, and table covers heavy
with embroidery. Other compartments
are almost destitute Of furniture. The
house, as may be imagined, is replete
with objects of interest; the bed in
which Lafayette once SLEPT, the harp
sichord on which Martha Washington
once played, and the chair that was
brought over in the Mayfower which is
by the way, a very comfortable arm
chair, i'll spite of its Puritanical stiff
ness. There are many things reminis-
cent of our grandfathers days; the old
clock that was too high for the shelf
the great fireplace and old fashioned
crane, the bedsteads with posts almost