The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-28

WASHINGTON CIrY.--Dear Children: This
is our last stopping place our way home,
and [ expect you are tired OF hearing of nv
travels, but you will soon have q rest. Phia-
delphia and New York have their attractions,
but Washington is the most beautiful city III
the United States. There was an old gentle
man that came here not long ago for the first
time. and a lady friend took him up to tho
capitol, and while he was walking oyer the
beautiful grounds, he looked around with
great admiration and turned to her and said
IF this is Washington, what must heaven
be?' Now, he did not mean TO be at all irreve-
rent he only wondered if there could be any
thing more beautiful or lovely than the scene
spread out before him. The capitol stands on
the highest elevation in the city, and can be
seen from almost every part. The grounds are
beautifully laid off and the walks and drives
are paved with asphalt and kept as clean and
smooth as parlor floor. The flower beds
were bright with blooms, and tho butterflies
and hummiug birds were reveling in their
sweetness. From the bright sunshine and gay
flowers, you come now and then to lovely
shaded grotto, where feathery ferns grow in
wild profusion, and the water uickles over
messy rocks, making sweet music as it ripples
along over its pebbly bed. These beautiful
grounds are always full of gaily dressed visitors
and handsome carriages. Persons passing
through the city usually visit the capitol first,
as they are anxious to see the place whore our
laws are made. The capitol is on Pennsylvania
avenue, Qhe most beautiful street in Washing
tom as also the white house and many other
OF the government buildings. OF course you
know the white house is where the president
lives. We had the pleasure of being there
during one OF his receptions and going over
the white house and visiting the grounds. In
front OF the house the lawn is beautifully kept,
and there are handsome shade trees and foun-
tains playing all tho time. Back of the house
the grounds are still more charming the lawn
extends nearly to the river, and the view
through the large shade trees of the beautiful
Potomac is lovely indeed. On the left side of
the house is the flower garden, filed with
every variety of plants and such roses as one
seldom sees. The part of the garden devoted
to roses alone, is larger than the usual size
flower garden the roses are trimmed up from
the bottom and only allowed to bloom and
bush at the top of the stem. The effect is
beautiful. On the right side of the house is
the large conseryatories and green houses
cannot hope to give you any idea OF these
have read SO often of the white house genserva-
tory and the beautiful plants that L was
anxious to see them they far exceed my ex-
I6CtdtlOu dLu t1dh Is saying " great uedl.
There were plants from many countries. some
very rare and valuable; large tropical plants
that made you imagine you were in another
country, and bright and gorgeous flowers to
keep up the delusion. would have liked to
have had some of my boys and girls with me as
l walked through the treasury building. AL
though there are many places of interest to
visit in this building, there are two that would
have particularly interested you; one was the
vaults where the money is kept and the other
the life saving service room; this would have
delighted the boys. Some Of you may not
know what this means, so | will explain: All
along our sea coast are established what is
known as life saving service points, places
where the government keep men and means,
to render service to vessels in distress, or in
case of storms and shipwreek. In the room L
tell you olive were shown miniature boats like
the real boats used for saving the lives on q
vessel in distress, and had it all explained to
us the different kinds of rockets that are
fired, a white light to denote one thing and a
colored another. We also saw the method of
the life saving service in England, France and
other countries, and were proud to note that
the method of our country far exoelied them
all Our boys would have been greatly inter-
ested in this room But / have not time to
building. The Soldiers Home, Arlington,
Georgetown and many other places are of
interest. The Washington monument is the
most beautiful in this country, and indeed /
don't know where / woald finish were / to try
and attempt to tell you all the Smithsonian
institution, the Coooran art gallery, and many
other places One could spend month just
studying few of these places. But | must
tell you of the most delightful day of the
whole week that / spent in Washington.
had forgotten TO tell you OF the chief thing
that made my visit here one Of SO much
pleasure. / was joined here by "bncle WILL"
and together we enjoyed all the sights to be
seen. One morning he said to me: Suppose
we spend the day at Mt. Vernon" to which j
very readily assented. This lovely spot was
the home of tho father of our country, and
here he is buried. The place has been bought
and is in charge of an association formed OF
ladies from the different states III tho union.
1t is visited by thousands every year. The
"Mt. Vernon association" as it is called, owns
a steamboat called the civilian Coeoran,"
and all who visit the place must go on this
boat as the other boats on the river do not
stop there. This is done to give them a cor
tam revenue with which to keep up the place.
Tho boat leaves at eight o'clock every morn
ing and returns at FIVE in tho afternoon, giving
visitors four or five hours at MI. Vernon. 1t
is usually crowded every morning; nearly
every one takes a lunch along with them and
can enjoy real picnic. The Potomac is a
beautiful river and as the boat moves smooth
ly along you enjoy the scenery on both banks
of the river. Yon pass the navy yard, Fort
Washington and some other forts. Alexan-
dria Is place of much interest. We saw the
church and pew where Washington sat, and
many other places Of historical interest
Alexandria is an old, sleepy-loOking place. it
looked as II it had been set down outside Of
the world, and while the rest Of the world had
been progressing and improving, this place
had stood right still for hundred years and
never advanced a step, and / don't think 1t
really has. We reached Mt. Vernon at ten
O'clock. When the large crowd left the boat
there were carriages to take those who wished
TO ride uD to the house, which stands on very
high elevated point about quarter of a mile
from the landing. The morning was so cool
and pleasant we concluded 10 walk. Along side
Of the road is plank walk, which makes it
very pleasant and easy to ascend the hill, and
it is perfectly shady all the way On the way