Milford chronicle., 1892-06-10
MARY WAsnNeroNls LONE.


a Visit TO the Grave Of the Mother oi
the Father Of Hts Country
Driven by de man what knows mo-
bout F'ed'icksbu'g n emmy oder coach.
man bout cher about here), il the evil
dence Of brother hackmen be Of value, we
seek the burial place Of Mary, the mother
Of Washington.
The legend Of the unfinished monument
is familiar to us all, as is the history OF the
various attempts to revive in the hearts Of
the American people active interest in the
work Of repairing the wrong done to
motherhood and to the memory Of our
greatest chieftain. Yet We are conscious
Of shock whom the carriage draws M
within few fl the grave. A square
construction, SCI composed Of I'M
mortared blocks O. supports Co
rinthian pillars set ~. buttressed
corners. There are two coln upon each
OF three sides; from the fourth. one is
missing A marble obelisk, blackened by
mold and stained by the SHOWS and rains
OF fifty nine years, lies upon the eroundat
the base Of the memorial, Chcaven save,
the mark.
The Intelligent coachman says his piece:
"Marthy, or Mary Wash'n'ton. or what
ever dey call 'er, been buried under dat ar
movement. Some folks say twas mighty
han'some movement bout bundled vear-
ago. Oder folks say tain neber been fin
tsh' no time Don look like t eber will be
finish now. ki-yil When folks been dade
q bundled years nobody gvine ter take deS
trouble ter put up tombstone for EN-
We are wiser than he on the last head.
The recurring consciousness OF this salves 4
the modification and pain induced BY the /
sight Of the disgrace, and the recollection
Of the abortive enterprises for the removal
q the blot from the national escutcheon.
We do not add to our cicerone's stores OF
general information our knowledge that
the ground on which we stand, and the five
acres Immediately encompassing the grave.
are the decided property OF the National
Mary Washington Memorial association:
nat colleetionsare steadily If not rapidly
being made by the organization for tho
ERECTION Of new and fitting monument;
hat the faith il ultimate success OF the
women who have the movement IN CHARGE
las never wavered since they set their
learts and heads upon rigbting Mary
Washington In the eyes Of a republic that
srather unthinking than ungratoful.
Our busy fancies fall to work instead
lpon the shadowy outlines Of the pile chat
5 TO doaway with the fact and the memory
I the crumbling fragment before our
oddly eyes. Two Of us sit upon tho half
nried obeisk, third walks about the {
uin, thrusting a tentative cane into inter
rices and shaking a mournful head. The
entacles Of wire grass are digging out the /
isintegrated MORTAR tufts Of sheep mint,
ruised by the intrusive ferrule, breathe
a rank plant that may develop
Ito "iimsen weed" leans impertinentlv q
1ward us from the earth deposited upon !,
he top Of the memorial by the winds Of
KY years, save one Sir Oracle IS look
lg over the wall into the small burying &
round behind the incomplete torfss, as {
otionless as the marble.
The cornerstone OF what we sc was laid e
-ay z. 1888, in the sight Of I5,6c0 peoDle. D
s President Andrew jackson deposited +
2 engraved plate Ia the followed block.
: is reported to have predicted TINT the
merican pilgrim viii, ia after ages, come
? TO this high and holy place and lay his
md upon this sacred column. May he re. d
u the virtues Of her who sleeps beneath. se
ID depart with his affections puriiled and e
$ piety strengthened, while be invokes th
essinss upon the mother Of Washing ID
n. marion Harland in Harper's Bazaar. 70