Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-15
CITY AND DISTRICT.
MOUNT VERNON REGENTS.
The CounCiI-Roon Invaded by the
Daily Tbrong of Visitors.


EVy0E OWE TIE PROSPEROUS CONDITION OF
rHFIK TKUsr-JAY soULDs GIFT AND TIE NEW
pEEE PaRx-aBoCT TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND VS.
HOBS LAST YEAR-
There T. one thing that puzzles the average visl-
Tor 10 Mount vernon nowadays He sees In the
landue,-room OF the Old mansion long table.
row OF oId-fsshiOned high-baek chairs are ranged
along each She. ON the table In front CT each
chair arr a mass Of papers. portfolio ofosome
Kind sad other business-liNe implements Some
oftEe chairs are empty and others are occupied
ty lades who are busiy engaged In writing on
perhaps chatting with some friend The ladies'
seem to be very much al home. and are without
wraps or hats. As the visitors peer into the room
and tread on each others heels IN the anxiety Of
people who want to SEE before anything has a
chance 10 Get away they are naturally unaDle 10
uuder-ta ana this long table arrangement Nv hat
j. thl,7r l. the whisper that goes around
"iney arr the regents, perhaps some one VINO
knows l. Ubllging enough 10 scy.
There Is pause long enough TO allow this bit Of
Information 70 he properly digested, and then
again the whisper gOe, around
.'Buf no are the Tegent-?" Ia the explanation
that f,i,l1ws N j. soon developed that a Compare
lively small proportion Of the visitors know that
tine property - managed by an association OF Ia
diss. over thirty years ago the properly was pur-
chased ~ voluntary society or ladies, who were
animated with the patriotic purpose OF preserving
10 fuIUip grneTUlOn- the place which was for so
many We r. no home OF Gen. Washington and
,pntiin- his tomb. just now, as the readers OF
TIE STAR are aware, the ladies OIL the association
are hosting their annual session at Mount Yer
non. They ICLVe their homes and the du-
freS which occupy their time and de-
vote each year ten days or two weeks
10 the affairs OI the association. During this time
the ladies I've 10 Mount Vernon, occupying the
T.-tV.s wuia have been lifted up through the ef-
Jgts % the ladies and the Kindness and generosity
friends They remain In session during the
dsy. with only the interruption OF two hours,
whic the sltOTs landed BY tie boat are on the
ground. Thi, interval Is Necessary because the
rYOm where their sessions are held Is open 10 the
TIbic. IL Is the largest room In the house and H.
ceiling l. ~ interest because Of the delicate plastic
gruahentatlon which Funs around 1t. and Is a
fn- specimen OF the colonial style. There Is
aisp IN this TOoIu the handsome carved marble
which WIS made In italy and presented 10 Gen.
Washington. While the council Is In session the
great wire screen that protects the Isantel pieces
from The greed III the relic seeker Il removed. SO
are the iron fences that separate the music room
and the parlOr from the nam hall The ladies de-
sire free access 10 the room used by them while
IN session and rely upon their watchful eyes TO
prevent any injury. 80 far the contents OF these
TOOns have rot been touched
SOCIAL CALLS THE REGENTS.
During the sessions Of the council a large num-
Der OF the friends OF the yice-regents come down
10 see them pay the brief visit which the trip
81 the boat allows. Yesterday was no exception
10 tHe rule, and the council liable was practically
deserted after the arrival OF the boat. The ladies
were showing attention 10 their visitors. Among
these may be mentioned Mrs Don VI. Dickinson
and her mother, Mrs Platt, Mr.. and Mrs. Nathan
ApplrtOn. Miss Emma ThursOy, and Miss Letter.
lac regent Of the council, Mrs. Lau hton, occupied
her usual seat at tue head of the table. and with
her private secretary was Duslly engaged
WITH The correspondence. Others OF the ytce-re-
gents were In their places, and these ladies kept
pretty steadily al wOrk IN spite OF the fringe Of curl
O, faces that surrounded them. one honest patriot,
after having all that was TO be seen. retired
10 the council room, anu observing vacant chair
- the table and some writing maj erial bethOught
himself Of letter lac had 10 write. Without dis
tGrbiug anyone by asking questions ne pushed his
Ega Bat back on his head. and sitting down at the
COUNCIL Table wrote his letter. The regents ana
tar Vice-re.ents appeared To lie unconscious OF
JAis INVASION OF their domain, and the average
visitor probably cOncarred In the opinion evidently
he'd Oy the letter-writer. that this room must be
.. kIEd OF hotel writing and reading room. In
Fact, On another occasion wnen the table was
made Use OF by visitor. and lie was impressed
that M had lady's seat, he calmly inquired
where the mems writing table was.
IHe ladies' don't mind the exhibition OF these
peCuariti.S ON the part of visitors. The fact Is
mat all The members OF the council are In high
god humOr. There are several reasons Tor this.
IN nrst place there Is Larger represent alton OF
members present than has been the case fOr some
year Then, In the second pace the affairs OF the
association are IN a hlgHly prospeTOu, condition.
The LADIES say That the house and grounds are In
line order, aud are loud In their praise OF Mr..
Harrison ii. Dodge, the superintendent, whose
good taste, as well as efficient management
- seen IN every part of the place Mount Vernon
IN its spring dress is attractive place to visit
Ors, anu the luxurant trees ard green lawns share
with tine river view the praises which are heard
ON all sides. There is nothing new at Mount ver-
non in Ihe official sense, Everything Is restored
- tnIt n the general a. he Is generally called by
the Mount vernon people In familiar conversation,
shOuid return 10 this scene OF his earthly lie he
would have no dlfneuIty IN nndng his way about
The place.
TaE DEER PARK AND OTHER IMPROVEMENT
The pretty summer-hUuse on the brow OF the hill
overiOoking the river, although recently CON-
struCted % brand-uew lumber and newly painted,
nJJ new, II l. simply restoration OF the house
WiiIcl was built Uy Cen Washington The same
- true OF Tic der park, which occupies what was
formerly that portion of the front lawn extending
nom the brow II Jhe hill 10 bank. WASH
lHstCn had deer park then, but Years ago the
renee LlsapIy AIRED and 10 design OF IL was pre-
"A yer rI4ira
anu Oil-Ia-hIOned design for an iron fence, and
there u stands In harmony with It's surroundings
There are now about eight deer In the paTk, and
a. II has only been complete curing the past year
u l. one Of In" new uTes UI the place. The
Fencing was put up at the expense of the sons OF
Mrs.. kOuert CampoeIi, Vre-TygtnJ for Missouri
now deceased, as "A MEMORIAL Ol her ana her work
The children seem 10 be perfectly delghted with
the derT, and cluster around ne Ience and tempt
tAe uuId animals win punches or Juicy grass.
Two VI the deer are 20 tame TO cUme 10 The
fence and take food from the hands OF the visitors
IL has SlIetiy been discovered that the deer have
NJ app lite iOr empty lunch baskets, and have
never cultivated a taste Tor tobacco ia any form.
Durlng the past year there has Oeen another i'm
lOTiaut event IA Tue lie OF the association and
jnat Il The acquisition OF some thirty acres
81 Land IL H. along the southern boundary OF the
PROPERTY. Sometime ago Mr.. Jay Gould came up
tDE IlNer IN his steam Yacht. He stopped at Mount
vernon and seemed To 6e much Interested In the
Oh pace. lie net Mr.. DOuge, the superintendent
VINO accompanied him IN al, tour VI observation
Ind entertained him with the rich fund Of inior-
nation a. MS command. In the course OF the con-
NrTsatiOh Mr.. Dodge showed him how near the
boundary line OF the estate came TO the house ON
f.e south -iue, and said that some Que might pur-
'4a>e J4e high ground, anu 10y turning IL INTO a
summer resort, Ut ia some other way, they might
prove 10 Dc sery annoying To the interests OF The
lSsJvI.ItiOn- Mr.. Gould listened and said notnInx
put JCst a. he was ieaying he said 10 MI. Dodge:
You say that you can Guy that piece OF land!"
"les, tnink can" was the reply.
"Neil, then, buy ~ and send the Dill TO me was
the telesTaphlc response as MI. Gould boarded his
yacht.
The land was purchased for something over
$500. and The title deeds present Ell 10 the
aides OF the ASSOCIATION with the Compliments of
Mr.. could
TBs COST OF KEEPING THE PLACE TIP
There l. now belonging to the property over 233
acres Of land, anu about 80 acres are now being
worked up into proper condition for agricultural
purposes. 1his will add TO the revenue " hich nv
The way Is quite an Important feature Ia the work
81 the ASSOCIATION. They have TO keep the old place
up, and IL takes about $4,000 year 10 DO It. IL
y estimated that there Is an average or sixty per-
sons day visit Mount Vernon. Nhi,s the place
isOpen all the year round 20 visitors yet during
portion " the whit mt Is impossible the boat to
run, owing 10 the riyer being chOked with lee But
practically all the travel 10 Mount Vernon Is con-
med 10 four months in the year. namely, AprL
Nay, september and october. During the past
month OF April mole prisons went 20 Mount Yer
Ion than during the preceding fiye months. some
Gays Ia the IAN, winter ami early spring only three
or four persons 90 down, and the day Garfield
vas loaUgurated Is remembered by the Mount
vernon p-Ople, because only one passenger
was aboard when the boat lett for It's daily trim
During the year 10 IL estimated that about 20 aiO
carTed by the boat in Its regular trips and In adj
- xVt.f tor-