Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-10-21
Montgomery and Surroundings.

Mr.. Editor A flying visit 10 Washing.
ton and Alexandria,, a few days ago, in com.
pany with two youthful friends, impressed
me with the fact of how those are favored
who have homes in this county. In all of
my rambles throughout our great country
certainly have never viewed more beau
tiful region than Old Montgomery, clothed
as she is at this season in her many colored
autumnal garb. The far.distant regions
washed by the Pacific, with all of their
boosted grandeur of landscape, cannot com,
pare favorably with the charms of nature
which our own cline possesses. With the
delightful mingling of mountain and plain,
OF forest and meadow, and river and brook.
let, there can be nothing more attractive
than the country which passed under our
vision on this trip. 1t would be hard to
find more healthful region. The eleva-
ton is all that could be desired, and the
water could not be purer or better.
To these natural advantages we must not
forget that we are within one hours ride of
the nations capital, and the patronage of
the government Of the United States is some.
thing that should not be overlooked-it is
simply immense Every year shows great
improvements in the public buildings Of the
Capital. The immense Library building
iepibiy hPpiOhNuluB WHGu HI-
ished, will be one of the finest in the world
The buildings of the National G apital seem
designed more for utility than for show :;
they contribute more TO the understanding
than the pleasure of the eye, but their sym.
metry and vastness Of proportions do please,
nevertheless, and the artistic blending of
nature and art has given Washington the
well deserved reputation of being the most
attractive city in this country, if not in the
entire world.
To those who have not the means or the
time to visit tropical countries the thirty
mile ride of the Montgomerian to Wash
ington will give him clear idea of what
the productions of these inaccessible regions
are. In the cOnservatories of the Botanical
Gardens and the Agricultural Bureau the
visitor may saunter beneath the loaded
branches of orange, lemon, citron, banana
and lime, and while the tempting clusters of
the muscatel, tokay and hamburg hang in
tantalizing nearness TO his lips they must
ever remain as foreign to his taste as ever
were the fabulous productions of the gar
dens of the East to that of Tantalus. To
those who desire pleasure only from the
qualification of the appetite, the ripening
tropical fruits to be seen in the conservato.
ries OF Washington may afford no pleasure
bub W thOoC VIM bhhO plChSuIB iIOul ODSCT-
walton alone these beautiful fruits and plants
must ever make Washington favorite re
sort, and am sure several hours in the gar
dens of Washington gave my little friends
and myself as correct knowledge Of the
growth of tropical fruits as if we had visit
ed the famous groves and vineyards Of the
Pacific slope.
But In Washington, as well as in all other
cities, perhaps, there are amidst the general
brightness some things that disgust the
senses of the visitor AS in the case of the
Washington Monument, which remained in
an unfinished condition for about one half
of century, to the disgrace of the Ameri-
can people, so the unfinished historical
painting which enriches the rotunda of the
Capitol, promises 10 remain in the same con.
dition beyond the days Of those now living.
For long years in the lifetime Of its author
Brumidi, the fresco dragged its slow length
along, and now that the old Italian is gone,
the scaffold on which he worked hangs there
as an unsightly monument 10 the gifted old
artist, and is calculated TO give the uninitiated
the impression that he is gazing upon huge
nest hung there by some prehistoric mon
ster TO belittle the claims Of Americans 10
anything like national pride and progress.
Cannot some enterprisng young patriot be
induced 10 climb up TO that scaffold, tear IL
down and draw curtain over that unfOr
tunate frescop Prudence, If not national
pride, ought To induce our people To have
that miserable structure removed, for the
shouts Of triumph Of those who shall Assem-.
bic TO greet our Cleveland on the next 4th
Of March may bring the rotten fabric down
on the heads Of the innocent and un wary.
Comus, Md. Y.