Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-16

ChiNA WAKE FROM MT. SERNoN-AN HISTORIC
cANDLEsTIcK.
For many years washingtons long-skirted
blue coat, with buff trimmings, buff waistcoat
and small clothes, hung in a case in the patent
Office. Like the unfinished Washington
monument, they became butt for
irreverent humorists. Now the suit of
clothes forms the central object of
interest in the extensive collection of Wash
ington relics in the north hall of the National
museum. The approach of the centennial of
the Inauguration of Washington as the first
President of the United States has revived the
dormant interest in all that relates
to the personality of the Father of
His Country, and the cases containing
these relics are at present among the chief at
fractions Of the museum. Washington and
vicinity is rich in relics and traditions of Wash
ington. There is Mount Vernon itself with
all the curious and valuable contents of
the old mansion, and in several de-
partments of the government records or
articles are preserved that have been rendered
sacred by Washingtons hand. In the State
department .Washington's sword and the gold
headed cane bequeathed to him by Benjamin
Franklin, and much priced by him, are kept.
In the registers Office of the Treasury is guarded
as precious record the book in which Gen
washington kept account OF MS expenses our
ing the revolutionary war. Among the old
families of Washington and Maryland many ar
tcles can be found, honored as old heirlooms,
which tradition says belonged to Washington.
A LIFE-sIzE STATUE.
The objects that have come into possession
ofsthe government from time to time, and have
value as relics of Washington, have nearly all
now been deposited in the National museum.
and are likely to be the first things that a Wis
itor VIII see upon entering the building. The
cases stand Just at the left of the main
entrance. At one side, on a tall pedestal stands
a plaster figure of Washington himself, the
original model made for the Newburgh monu-
ment by William Rudolf O'Donovan. This
figure Is of interest because. unlike many other
statues of Washington. it is supposed to
be historically accurate in point of size
and other bodily characteristics. One foot is
advanced forward, the head is turned slightly
up, the left hand grasps the scabbari of his
sword, which is partly raised, while the right
grasps the hilt as if about to draw
the blade from the sheath. The head
is small and well poised the
body long, with narrow shoulders and broad
hips. The head and face were modelled from
Houdons celebrated life cast. and the proper
lions OF the figure were settled upon after
study of three full-length portraits OF Trumbull,
and the statue by Houdon in the state
house at Richmond. The statue is made. so far
as the studies could determine, exactly life
size. The figure stands about 6 feet in its
plaster shoes. The hands and feet though not
awkwardiy large, are of good size. and the fig
ure Is 1.-the and athletic, but not stout.
THE COLLECTION OF RELICS.
The relics contained in the large cases near
by form an interesting study aside from their
association with George Washington. One
whose imagination is easily stimulated can look
right through these cases and away back into
lout IL.
old Virginia home surrounded by an estate of
baronlal extent, see the wide halls and fire
places. the quaint furniture, the great lantern
smoking and haring in the entry, the heavy
family coach, with its carved and painted pam
els numbering up to the door. and perhaps the
bequeued and belaced and small-clothed pro-
prletor himself, sitting at his ease in great
carved chair with an uncomfortably stiff back.
The many smaller articles in the collection
suggest rather complete picture of the fur
nishings of the mansion of Virginia gentleman
of means. at the close of the Revolution. There
are many little household articles. doubtlessly
much priced by Martha Washington, that have
an chronological value now, as showing what
people did in those days for lights, for kitchen
utensils, and for dining-room and parlor furni-
ture.
THE SUIT OF CLOTHES.
The clothing of Gen. Washington. honored
with case by itself, comprises the uniform
worn by the general at the time he re-
signed his commission as commander-in-
chief at Annapolis, Nd, 1888. Any young
lieutenant recently from West Point would
outshine the general to-day, so far as gorgeous
ness of apparel went. The coat is of dark blue
cloth, with turned cuffs, buff facings. and
ornamented with a row of large
round fiat buttons having no design upon
them whatever. There are with it long walst-
coat of buf-cloth, with rows of smaller brass
buttons, and knee-breeches of buff cloth. with
two buttons at the knees and two large ones at
the waistband. On the bottom of the case are
carefully laid a dress vest Of buff cloth
spangled and embroidered along the edges of
the collar and front and at the pocket flaps, and
a pair of buff wooden 'smalls." pair of
breeches of buff silk. also worn on dress occa-
slons repose beside the dress waistcoat The
long blue coat measures feet from the collar
to the edge of the skirt. The measurement
across the shoulders from seam to seam is but
l4$4 inches.
THE LEWIS COLLECTION.
Many of the relics in the cases have been in
the possession of the government for nearly
half a century, and there is but scant record of
the manner in which they came down to their
present place of honor in the museum
A large part Of the exhibit comprises
what is known as the Lewis
collection, purchased by authority of an act of
Congress. approved June 20, 1878. from G.. W.
chiefly of household effects, were continuously
in the possession of the Lewis family from the
time of Washington's death until they were
transferred TO the government. They were re-
ceived from Washington by Mrs. Lewis, who was
his adopted daughter and married Major
Lawrence Lewis, his nephew. Mrs. Lewis pre-
served them in her possession until her death
in 1852 The list embraces mirrors chairs,
portraits. candlesticks fOotstools. tables. mu-
steal Instruments, oil paintings, glass
and china ware, and many little
articles that formed the lares and penates of
the household at Mount Vernon. There is a
plate chest given to Washington by his brother
Lawrence, who was an officer in the English
navy, and brought by him from England The
collection embraces, also, a half-length portrait
of Washington. now in the Interior depart
ment, and which family tradition said was
the best likeness of Washington ever painted.
There is an old ledger in which General
Washington kept record of his private
business for twenty-one years. A large
part of this is in Washington own handwriting
and confirms the school reader story about
Washingtons neatness as a penman. The ac-
counts go into the minutest details of daily
expenditure, and even keep record of
the generals gains and losses at cards.
for on those days it was customary in a friendly
rubber to have ''hmit." Two interesting ar
ticles are exquisite miniatures of Gen. and Mrs.
Washington painted on wood by Trumbull. and
still retained in the heavy old-fashioned
gilt frames, now dingy with age, in
interesting picture is an engraving of the dow
ager countess Of Huntington. presented to
Washington by the countess herself,
who the family tradition SAVE claimad