St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-29
Anecdotes of Mount Vernon

Persons familiar with Mount Vernon,
during the time of Colonel Hollingsford,
| miss the stories of the humorous superin-
tendent in revisiting it's different localities,
and feel that pilgrims who have not these
| ass ociations lose a great deal. Indeed
tie stories told at each narration with the
relish of fresh anecdote, haunt the spot
like whispering ghosts,
Who that approaches the house and
pauses at Washington's favorite resting
places can forget the reverential pride
with which the worthy Colonel repeated
the fact recorded to the glory of the ma
ton, that through the long Civil War
Mount Vernon was the one neutral spot
where Unionist and Secessionist met as
brothers, and where all sectional strifes
were forgotten.
Upon reaching the tomb, as if to apollo
gize for its simplicity, the Colonel would
tenderly say: Sand you remember Wash
ington said in his will, And the tomb
shall be of brick"
Then pointing to the eagle within the
tomb, he would tell you with a great thrill
that the only dissertation of the spot COM
mitted during the war, though the soldiers
of both armies met daily before it, was
that "a relic. hunter climbed over the gate
and carried away one claw of the eagle
"Not in malice" he would add, ''for he
boosted of it on his return to Virginia. He
took it simply as relic hunter"
Then the ColoneIs mirthful humor
would bubble over the seriousness of the
scene, and he would say, with an unfor-
gettable twinkle, 81 say distinctly, relic
hunter! was asked the other day who
Alec. Hunter was"
From this place he would point out the
ice-house which gave rise to Mark Twains
famous story of the lady weeping there in
passionate sensibility, installing it for the
tomb; and the spot where Washington
threw the silver dollar across the Potomac
clear to the other side, linking with it the
story of Mr.. Evarts, who, when asked if
he believed it, replied quickly, "Wby yes!
A dollar went great deal further in those
daysw
Wandering on he would point out the
stored shrubs and trees, the magnolia
planted the year that Washington died,
only ninety years old now, is coeval with
the century; the trees planted by the En-
peror of Brazil, Dom Pedro, and by the
Prince of Wales
There were all sorts of things taken out
of the wall after the falling of the ceiling
Of the banqueting room, in 1888 or 4, slip
pers, snow shoes, belts, skeleton of a
mouse in bottle etc., all of which were
displayed as curios.
The "hatchet story" Colonel Hollins-
ford maintained, belonged to an earlier
day than Mount Vernon, and the scene of
it he laid forty miles farther down the
river, on the farm where Washington was
born. and where the veritable Ratchet was
ploughed up from the soil.
His version of it was very different from
the traditional cherry tree story. Wash
ington, so he said, had a little colored
servant who was the partner of all his
childish pranks, and when the father SOL
emily asked about his favorite tree,
George boldly replied, "Ike did it, with
my little Ratchet"
In the ColoneIs story-bag there were
many pleasant anecdotes of Parson Weems,
whose "Life of Washington" was the de-
light of early days, and among them
there was one which he told with infinite
zest when he would find himself among
party of Churchmen.
The good parson preached on one occa-
sion at little neighboring church, about
five miles distant from Mount Vernon. The
coach was sent at the close of service, to
OAAbtS oAAO PoASoA W oAAo W1oA eAAC AdA4Ally
of Washington. Riding alone and loving
to talk, he fell to catechising John ON the
coach box.
care they religious people at Mount
Vernon ?" he asked.
"Oh, very, very, Nasal" was the reply.
"Well, what denomination are they at
Mount Vernon
"Oh, every denomination, every denom-
ination at Mount Vermont
"Ahl and what may you be, John2"
"Ma Oh massa, haint any religion at
all Use an Episcopalian."
Perhaps no story was dearer to his loyal
heart than that of the superb mantel in the
banqueting room, carved in Italy of the
finest Carrara marble. On its long voyage
from the Mediterranean shore it met with
many perils, and was captured by pirates
who then roamed the high seas in search
of plumber.
The old adage says, ''There is honor
even among thieves" and it is not proba-
BILE there beats human heart that has
not some good in it, if rightly touched. So
when these wild pirates saw the honored
name of washington" upon the box, rev.
erence and love overpowered greed, and
they shipped it at once to Washington's
address.-Mnry Lansing in Youths Com
p0nion.
The Worlds Fair Bill.
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