Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-07
THE MOUNT VERNON ASSOCIATION.


The Annual Council to Be Held in June.
The Ladies' Mount Vernon Association will
meet in annual council on the I'd of June at the
home Of Washington. II is expected that all
the vice regents will be present The first
business to be transacted will be the election
of the regent to succeed the late Mrs. Laugh.
! ton, who filled that position SO accepkbly for
SO many years. AT a meeting of the vice re.
gents held last November Mrs Townsend, the
vice regent of New York, was appointed regent
pro tenn. The vice regents are never replaced
for year or two after their death by law OF
courtesy and respect to their memory, but in
the case OF the regent she must Immediately
be appointed, as she il the financial head OF the
ASSOCIATION.
VICE REGENTS WHO WILL BE HERE.
Mrs. l.. Al. ID. Sweat. who is the vice regent
| OF Maine. is now in town after a six weeks
trip to Mexico and with her husband leavet
here on sunday for her home, but expects 10
| return in time for the council. Mrs. Hearst
the vice regent for California. is also expected
| here in a few days and will remain until after
the council
AN INTERESTING RELIC
Since her appointment she has given gen.
| erously to Mount Vernon, and at this meeting
| will present chair that formerly stood near
| city from an old colored woman, the daughtef
of II woman who was servant at Mount Yer.
non, and in one OF the Washington biographies
is mentioned rs having been present at his
deathbed. The chair in question had
usually Bible on IT, and when Wash
lngton was dying his wife read
from the opened book passages of the Holy
Scriptures. After Mrs Washington's death, eigh-
teen months later, most of the furniture of this
bed room fell to the share of Mr.. Gusts. who
took it to Arlington. He also took this servant,
and when her first child was born at Arlington
he gave her its freedom. Again, in the distrbu-
ton OF his effects. several pieces Of the Mount
Vernon furniture was given to the woman, and
but one article, the old chair, has remained in
the possession of her daughter Lucy Harrison
the first negro child born at Arlington. now
living III this city. and about ninety years old
Her statements about the chair have been
corroborated by many other particulars, and
her long life has been spent entirely
between Alexandria and this city, where
she has been well known. Mrs. Hearst paid
one hundred dollars for this oaken chair. She
also had the many coats OF paint scraped off
and brought 1t back to its original thoroughly
comtor table appearance. II is her desire that
The chair be placed again in its old-time place,
at the head OF Waslington's bed. and that one
OF the family Bibles be left open on it, pre-
cisciy as the tradition says 1t used to be.
MRS. LETTERS FIND.
for the original furniture of the mansion, and
has procured set of the drawing room chairs
a most interesting find
During the past year. by the direction of the
last council. thousands of dollars have been
spent in providing every possible precaution
against fire. A chemical fire extiugusher has
been built in deep tank in the circle near the
kitchen. which has cost alone 5000. Besides
this water pipes have been carried to the top
Of the mansion.
ONE OF THE SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED
at the coming council will be to make all neces-
sary provision for the proper reception and
comfort of the visitors expected during the
encampment week next September. Mr..
Dodge the superintendent, thinks that 10000
persons day may be safely expected.
The past year has been an extremely pros
porous one in every respect for Mount Vernon,
although death has iemoved so many OF the
faces grown SO familiar around the council
table.