Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-08-25

the other perfectly plain. Around
the tomb are monuments to members
of the Washington family. The vault
seems sadly in need of repair. The
plastering has fallen from the ceiling
in several places, and the floor is yell
low with age. But the key of the
tomb has been thrown into the Poto-
mac, and it cannot be entered.
At the very top of the hill stands
Mt. Vernon mansion, large, old
fashioned edifce of eighteen rooms
1t faces the river and commands
line view. The porch, which covers
the entire front of the house, is paw
ed 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 dining
room, the library, and one or two
rooms in the upper part of the house,
are all that are left open. Each
apartment has been taken in charge
by state, and efforts are being made
to regain the furniture, books, etc..
SO as to present the house to the pub
lie just as the Father of his Country
left it. In the broad hall hangs, in a
glass case, the key of the Bastile,
presented by Lafayette to Washing
ton, and placed there by his own
hand. In the dining hall is minia-
ture representation of the Bastlle.
Some of the rooms are nearly COM
plete, among which may be mention
ed that in which Washington died and
that in which his wife breathed 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 husband
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-coyers
heavy with embroidery. Other COM
partments are also almost destitute
of furniture. The house, as may be
imagined, is replete with objects of
interest the bed in which Lafayette
once slept; the harpischord on which
Martha Washington once played and
the chair brought over in the
Mayfiower, which is, by the way, a
very comfortable arm chair, in spite
of its puritanical stiffness. There are
many things reminiscent of our grand
fathers days; the old clock that was
too high for the shelf the great fire
place and d-fashioned crane, the
bedsteads with posts almost touching
the ceiling, and draped with heavy
hangings, and the quaint old chairs.
In one of the rooms is q mantel pre-
scented by France to Washington. II
is SAID that it was captured by pirates,
who, on learning its destination, for
warded it to him. 1t is of marble.
very curiously, and deliberately cary.
ed. 1t is covered by fine iron graf
ing, to protect it from relic hunters
the traces of whose sacreligeous may
be seen in places on it. In many
rooms are pictures and busts Of
Washington, who, while he lived
never allowed q picture of himself o.
the battles in which he took part, to
be brought into the house. An artist
once painted picture of a certain
battle, with Washington on a white
horse, occupying a prominent place
in the center, and sent it as a present
to Mt. Vernon. The great man, wher
he saw it, ordered it out of the house
adding, II did not ride a white hors,
that day."