News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-04-10
rrlp to mount Vernon.

the t17r1. and only one, L snouie'
choosefffle day at uount Vernon.
we started from Washington on a
clear and sunny morning. The sail
of fiffeen miles down the Potomac
was lovely, and Notwithstanding the
March weather, we sat on deck with
no discomfort. The Potomac is not
a beautiful blue river, like the rivers
of New England, but the views of
the banks as we passed along were
pretty and full OF interesting associa-
tons. We passed Alexandria, an
old placetcontaining Christ Church,
in which Washington used to worship.
The home and tomb of Washington
look much like the pictures with
which wezare I'll so familiar. The
tomb is of brick. For a moment we
regretted that more costly material
had not been used, but for moment
only. since Washington in his will ex-
pressed desire that it should be of
brick. In the front part of the tomb
are the bodies Of George and Martha
Washington. Each reposes in a
leaden casket, Enclosed in white
marble sarcophagus. On the coffin
Of Washingtc1 is a shield and an
eagle of white marble.
During tie war of the rebellion a
follower of Sc army climbed oyer
the iron gateway that formed the en-
trance TO the tpmb and stole bit of
the eagles Grkw. This is the only in
stance of depreciation.
On the floor of the tomb is a burg
lar alarm that communicates with the
Office of the Superintendent of Mount
Vernon. In the back of the tomb
the bodies of about thirty members of
the Washington family have been
placed. The entrance to this part is
locked, and the key has been thrown
in the river, SO that no other body
may ever be placed there. Monu-
ments to the memory of some of
these relatives have been placed be-
side the tomb. One of the epitaphs
is touching: sThey were pleasant in
their lives, and in their deaths they
were not divided. Her heart shall
never ache any MORE" These words
suggest life saddened by some great
calamity. The fact that the lady's
death closely followed her husbands,
gives clue to the inscription.
We linger here too long. Let US
approach the home. AS we draw
nearer we recall the history of the
house, for we know that when our
knowledge of history fits into our sight
seeing, the pleasure is doubled.
The center of this mansion was
built in 1743 by Washington's elder
brother, Lawrence, who named ii
Mount Vernon, after Admiral Vernon,
under whom he had served in the
British navy. The building was
greatly improved by Gen. Washing,
ton, who was the heir of Lawrence
1t was given by him to Bushrod
Washington, and afterward passed
into the hands of John A. Washing
ton, who sold it with the grounds adj
joining to the Ladies' Mount Vernon
Association for 5000, 900. Over SOS,
900 of this sum was given by Edward
Everett, who once said: GA visit te
Washington is but half made unless
it includes a trip to the home anc
tomb of Washington" The house il
of wood, cut in imitation of stone
Aionas the lawn are the quarters o.
the slaves A high, wide piazza ex
tends across the entire front. Th'
view from this piazza is beautiful
The house faces q wooded lawn. l
is said that some of the trees wer'
set out by Washington himself. The
lawn slopes down to the Potomac
whose muddy water is rendered more
attractive by the distance which in
tervenes. Beyond are the Maryland
shores.
On entering the hall, one of the frs
objects that attracts attention is
large key suspended on the wall il
a case. ibis is the key of the has
tile, or French prison. 1t was pre-
scented to Washington by Lafayette
and there is legend that Washing
ton placed it in its present position.
The ladies of the Mount Vernol
Association have chosen vice regent
from each State to have charge of tn
place. Miss Alice Longfellow, daug
ter of the poet, is the vice regent 70
Massachusetts. Some of the State
have chosen rooms for their specia
care. Such rooms are named for tn
States. The library is the Massachu
sets room. This room was designed
by Washington, but does not contaiI
much of the original furniture. Mos
of W ashington's books are in tn
Bostos Athenaum and much of tn
furniture of his home is in the Nation
al Museum. The dining room, o
banquet hall as it is sometimes called
has been chosen by New York. i
the center is fine model of the bas
tile. A large picture occupies niue
of one side of the wall. This wa
painted by Rembrandt Peale. 1t rep
resents Washington at Yorktown
The beautiful mantle in this room wa
wrought in Italy. On its way to thi
country it fell into the hands Q
French pirates, who restored it o
learning that it was designed fo
Washington. On the wall is thi
framed inscription "Washington
the brave, the wise, the good. Su
preme in war, in council and in peace
Washington, valiant without amb
ton; discreet, without fear; conf
dent, without presumption. WASH
ington, in disaster, calm; in success
moderate in all, himself. Who
when he had won all, renounced al
and sought in the bosom of his fam
" and of nature, retirement, and i
the hope of religion immortal life.
This tribute was written at his gray
by DR.. Andrew Reed, an Englis
pnilanthropist, in 1888, and left b
him with the ladies of Gen. Washing
toms family.
The room chosen by Ohio and no,
called the Ohio Room, was called b
Washington the East Room, and b
his adopted daughter, Elinor, tn
music room. This contains an oil
fashioned harpsichord, which was
wedding present from the General t
his daughter when she became til
wife of Col. Lewis. The west parlc
contains Gen. Lafayette's chair, pre-
snntod to the Mount Vernon Assoc