The record-union., 1893-03-15

ture OF the drawing knife boxes.
tables, chairs and sideboards OF highly
pollshed mahogany, are all of the Revol
utionary period. In the parlor is an old
piano, one of the first owned by an Amer
lcan family; cabinets containing collec-
lions of historic documents and letters,
portraits of Revolutionary heroes and
fine marble bust of Washington by
Houdon.
In the library and Office are the curious
old secretary, with its hidden drawers
and quaint work manshlp, and the small
table upon which Washington wrote his
dispatches, the ink stains he made still
remaining.
The bedrooms used by Washington and
Els wife during their occupancy of the
house are fitted up i'll the same identical
fashion as they were at that time. The
hlgh-post beds, the dressing bureau,
chairs, stands and mirrors are the origi-
nal pieces and have been sacredly pre-
served throughout all these years by the
Ford family and transferred to the asso-
cation with the real estate.
The old mansion is filled with valuable
contributions of Revolutionary and ante
revolutionary relics, systematically ar
ranged and carefully guarded, none of
which Is looked upon with more pro-
found interest than the suit of clothes
with silver-hilte crossword and
buckles worn by Washington on the day
of his inauguration as the first President
OF these United States. This dwelling
was for many months the home of
Martha, the companion of Washington.
With dignity and grace she dispensed
rare hospitality under its root. There
gathered from time to time more charac-
tiers known to the military history of
our Revolution than under any other
roof in America. Here the elegant and
brilliant 10 "a
ing the long winter Of 1779, and here he
met and courted the lady he afterward
married - the daughter of General
Schuyler. Here, too. came Greene -
splendid lighting Quaker as he was-and
the great artillery officer, Knox; the
stern Steubens, the accomplished
kosciusko, the brave Schuyler, gallant
nam, Mad Anthony" Wayne, mem bers
OF the Continental Congress, and, last to
be named of all, that soldier, but rank
traitor, Benedict Arnold. In brilliant
costumes and with high conversation
these stately guests peopled the great
rooms and paced the broad halls, helping,
IN measure, to ease the consciousness of
anxious thought and great responsible
ties that pressed so heavily upon the
heart of their host and chief
in these restless modern days of hustle
and pushing forward when regard for
things of the past is sometimes smiled at
and counted sentimental, it is not to the
discredit of great people that they pause
now and then in their hurried march and
step aside from the busy marts to breathe
aroma of great events and with reverent
hand turn the pages of the past. The
history of this nation is not Of a sphynx,
holding within its stony breath secrets
that no mind can fathom, but a goddess,
hlgh-souled and clear-eyed, who pro-
claims aloud that he who runs may hear,
that the strength and flavor of pure life
is never wasted, that the influence of a
courageous and noble character is rs
resistless as the ages, and that the
sublimity of great soul is higher than
the stars.-Ida NJ. Condit in Chicago
Inter- Ocean.