, 1888-12-20
Visits to WashingtOn's Quarters
and Libby Prison.
The Wild and Untamed Roar Of
the Surf.
Mr. Nye Denies the Report That He Once
Acted as Mrs. Langtry's Cook
Notes OF His Trip.
In OLE VIRGINSY. !
SEVERAL YEARS !
FGN
AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE WAR. J

AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE WAR.
Am writing this letter at Norfolk on the
seaboard, where the Lynn Haven oyster
grows rankest, and the cherrystone oyster
occupies his little bed. The Lynn Haven
oyster grows to great height here, and
tastes first rate. Yesterday ate quite
number of them by request of many citi-
zens. Heretofore seven Blue Points with
small piece of lemon would satisfy me,
but with pleasant how of conversation
and with thick.set brunette from Guiana
ever and anon knocking the hunting case
from these calm and passioned birds.
| | ate about tenement-honse full.
| Mr.. Riley is wild over the sea- the open
sea. and his thoughts take u gentle but
musical lope even in his conversation.
Last night he wrote a poem on the beauti-
full and mellow plnnk of old ocean, for he
could hear it all night as the giant waves
broke along the wild west beach. He
said that he conld write and at the same
time, all night long, hear the great bill
lows burst on the gray shore with loud,
| semi annual report.
Afterwsrd he found out that the roar of
the surf came from the steam radiator In
| his room.
| Norfolk is a clean, thriving city, settled
! by Americans. with a slight sprinkiing OF
colored people. We spent the Sabbath
lntTt anu NlSllti NJ
the navy yard, where we had a good time
and became thoroughly familiar with
navigation.
At Richmond we visited, among other
things, the old stone house which was oc'
cupied IA one of the large collection of
headquarters used by Washington. The
house was shown US by II bright little boy
kind Of Virginia bright, as the tobac-
co-dealers would cali HIM, presume. He
is tne.looking young fellow, with the
nirth and music of the African tingling
! in his veins, together With the proud and
navy blue blood of his other parent. The
muatto aud octoroon are very popular all
through old Virginia. They are very
bright, some Of them, and what like best
about them is their utter modesty in
speaking of their ancestors.
The old stone house Is u queer structure
and would rent for about 81 per month.
Washington did not care very much for
style in his headquarters. He never
wanted to be out of a headquarters. So
be had them established in all the grow.
ing towns of that time Frequently he
would secure headquarters in town and
then would not visit them at all. IL was
so in this case. Washington was u plain
man and simple in his habits. He was
only extravagant in the number OF his
headquarters, and we can forgive him for
tnhU now tDuC ne is gone.
In the back yard. the little boy showed
US big tree planted by Washington him
self. Washington, Jefferson and Monroe
planted all the large trees in Virginia
with the exception of three. On the trunk
OF this tree are two large iron
staples or handles. now almost
buried in the trunk. The little mulatto
boy says they we're probably driven
in there tor the English to tie their horses
l. IL. l.
quarters to surrender; or perhaps In after
years slaves were tied to these big iron
handles when they were whipped. Posi-
oily Washington used them in place of a
shawl strap in bringing the tree down to
Richmond to plant. In fancy now | can
see the father of mis- country just as he was
about to become so. He gets off the train
from Washington, ID. c., and carrying in
one hand small portemonuaie containing
a manicure set and powder rag, while in
the other he holds by these iron handles
the small tree which he purposes planting
in the rear of his headquarters.
Going to the Exchange hotel, he regis
ters and inquiries OF the the clerk in charge
if they have WashinRton's headquarters
in Richmond.
But all this is Just fancy, for George did
not, as matter of fact, have any head
quarters here in Richmond at all. He
bought site for one but never built on it.
Libby prison is soon to be removed from
Richmond to Chicago. We visited it.
do not know what price was paid for it,
but whatever the sum, , would rather
have it than the prison. The work of
taking it down brick by brick, num-
bering each and putting it back in
the same place, taking out the mortar,
grinding it up and using it over again.
numbering each shingle. board and nail
hole so as to put it back exactly rs it
was before. will be gigantic one. More
over, the inner wall is covered with the
names of numberless autographs of pris-
oners written with pencil or scratched in
| to the hard bristles by those who are liv.
| ing to-day or gone to their reward. 10
will be almost impossible to remove
the wall and preserve these names, which
really make the prison valuable az a relic.
Besides, there are many names covered
up by repeated whitewashings since the
war. and every day q new one is discover
ed 10y carefully peeling of the thick coat
Of lime which hides the inner wall.
Since the war Liboy prison has been used
az repository for fertilizers. 1t now has a
breath which will advertise its arrival in
Chicago without loss of time. II the peo-
pie of the North do not visit Libby prison
it will not be because they are ignorant of
its whereabouts.
1t IL a solemn place 10 vislt even Tor
little while. The three Of US together vis-
| tied the various doors. Mr.. Riley. the
writer, and a large, earnest OdOr. There
are still many marks of the old.time incar-
mutton, such IA the checker boards scat
tered on the floor and the fox and geese
! diagram.
| In the evening we met Governor Fitz-
hugh Lee aud his family together with
theater party including the son Of General
Robert E. Lee. Governor Lee was deeply
impressed With u.s.. but he controlled it