Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-03-28
A First Visit to the Ma tons
Capital.
ny JOHN coCKINGs.
CONTINUED.

er was cold and windy and unpleas
ant on the water, so we put this of
for more propitious skies, and in
stead concluded to make an acquaiut
ance with President Harrison. Max
ing arrangement with Mr. Cox TO
meet him after the reception, we re-
paired to the White House at 1900
a. m, and after strolling about the
grounds awhile we entered the man
sion and were ushered into the
celebrated East room. This was
the only room open on that day to.
visitors. In this elegant apartment
50 by 40 feet, we waited Till 100
p. M, and had ample time to inspect
the pictures Of Lincoln, Washing
ton, Mrs. Washington, etc, and the
magnificent chandeliers, dazzling
the eyes with the brillancy Of the
fittings, the rich aud costly carpets
on which We walked about the room,
the beautiful sofas and diyaus and
chairs on which sat and recined all
who could get the opportunity.
There were perhaps couple hun
dred people IN waiting, and at the
appointed hour the President ap-
peared, took his station at door,
aud The reception began. The visit.
ors passed in rapid succession and
everyone got hearty hand-shake, a
smile and kind word from a zen
tleman Of short stature, white
face, but Of very pleasing counie
nance and manner, hair and beard
white. We liked bis appearance
very much, aud / don't know bit he
would do for another term az well rs
any other. This is the first time
ever had the opportunity to look on
the face of President Of the
Unued States, privilege Eighty
esteemed, aud one 10 be remembered
while memory lasts; only man,
'ut tue, but exalted through the
Will OF the people to q position more
lofty than that Of any other mortal
on earth, aud being thus elevated
demands respect from those who
placed him there.
Leaving the White House we met
friend Cos, and with him we as
ceudcd the Washington monument,
the highest piece Of masonry in the
world. We went up in the elevator
500 feet; this is az high as We can
90 up, the remaining 50 feet being
taken 10 taper up TO a single stone
at the top, 500 feet from the ground.
Here are two windows on each side
from which the view il superb. The
whole city and surrounding country
can be seen laid ont like a map, with
the immense public buildings and
monuments looking like toy houses,
horses like mice and men about the
length of Your finger Across and
down ,he Potomac river you can see
Arlington flights, Alexandra, aud
miles beyond and away into Nir.
giuia until earth aud sky meet On
our way down we noticed the tablets
presented 10y the states, societies,
corporations, etc. Wisconsiu's we
notice more particularly, Of course.
II is the state arms The wind blew
sharp and cold and we had to hold
our hats while looking from the
windows ut the top.
From the monument we proceeded
to the Agricultural Department; this
was closed, so we took short look
at the Smithsonian aud National
Museum, and quit.
Sunday, March LIST. a nice but
rather cold morning, SO We prepare
for church, and what place more
appro, rate than the old church
where Washington used to worship?
So We took steamboat at 1000 a. IN.
for Alexandria, about eight miles
down the Potomac. Services had
commenced when We got TO the old
church II was the Protestant
Episcopal service SO familiar in my
yonth. but which | had not heard
for more than - years, A gentle
man in front Of us kindly handed
ms the book of Common Prayer SO
we followed through the prayers
and responses rs of old, and then
listened To sermon from manu-
scrip,. read with % rather Scotch
accent which betrayed the nativity
or lineage of the minister. After
the congregation had been dis
missed, aud while the Sacrament
was being administered, we srolied
about the old graveyard In which
the church stands, studying the
quaint inscriptions on the ancient
stones, some Of which we were told
were brought from England. One
of these, aud the oldest ! saw that
was legiblc, was dated l77l. One
tablet, after recording the date OF
birth ana death, name, etc, stated
that the person resting below was
''related To some of the most re.
spectacle families of Virginia and