The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-05-12

dss os her iite Oh account al its being
the only room in tho house which looked
ont upon. his tomb. ~
Ike apartments sveHg &c upou the tsrst
Aees.ta by ~ ~ icety -..,.s.. tho secono ~
oy Is feet. The height of the frst story
Is 10 feet inches; of the second, Z feet
II inches; of the attic. feet inches.
The distance from the ground to the top
Of the cupola is so feet.
In the main hall is large stairway
four feet wide, ascending by platforms
20 the floors above.
On the first platform of the stairway
there is high old Washington family
clock, very historical relic.
This hall is furnished with antique
sofas and pictures of tho last century.
The rooms upon tho first floor are orns-
mented In heavy carved and moulded
wood trir< <ning' aud handsome NANTES,
very antique.
The Virginia building is not only an
exact representation in every particular
OF tho old Mount Vernon structure, but
everything in 1t is of the same character.
Nothing modern is seen in the building
except the people and the library OF
books by the Virginia authors. AS far as
can be done tho building has been fur
nished with articles which have been COL
lected from all over tho State, the heir
looms Of old Virginia families. and with
portraits Of tho same character. WHAT.
ever. may be lacking in furnishing the
building with articles of this class has
been supplied with furniture made after
the same old fashion.
The building is presided over by the
lady assistant Of the Virginia Board, Mrs
Lucy Pres on Bcale, daughter of Hon.
Ballard Preston and grand daughter to
James Preston, former Governor Of
Virginia.
She has for domestic service in the
care of the bulldog old Virg MIA negroes
and will undertake to represent in every
particular an old Virginia home of the
Colonial period. There is very rnrc
collection of relics OF colonial times, and
of the Revolutionary war, and everything
which is antique, amongst which is n
copy of the original will of &c, ,.ge Wash.
ington, the original being still in good
prescrvatiol and to be seen iu the CLERKS
Office at Fairfax c. H., Va.
Tho library is furnished entirely with
books written by Virsinians, or relating
to Virginia, quite large collection of
which has already been l., ccived and or
namcnted with OLD Virginia portraits,
views and other relics of the Colonial
p>riod and the last century. Altogcth
the building with its furnishings is uniqu.
md uncqualled in its character and ap-
rointmcnts, and nothing like it can be
fcuad elsewhere except at Mount Vernon
itself
A vrry interesting appurtcnance to the
Banquet Hall, is the claborately carved
mante!-n!ecc Of Carrara mtrbie with
Sienna marble columns. This exquisite
piece OF workmanship is attributed to
Canova. 1t was made in Italy, and pre-
'ented toWashington by Samuel Vaughan,
IN English gentleman. On its passage
- America, the vessel bearing it was
by French pirates who, upon
discovering its destination, forwarded
it to George Washington uninjnrod. A.
oUcu- mHuot'J t'Jsf.uti-s-si-:-A---:,t-.,aa has
mao, and has been reproduced in the
Chicago Mount Vernoa.
The ornamental mantcls AMI elab )ratc
mouldings and corniccs in the main Hall
and other principal rooms, have all been
skctchcd, faithfully reproduced
in wood in the Chicago representation.
Among the most motto :able articles of
furniture and paintings which have found
place in the modern Washington mansion
nay be mentioned rich old mahogany
side board Of Thomas Jefferson, the au-
hor of the Declaration Of In dependence,
which century ago adorned the dining
:oom at Monticello. 1t is now the prop
,rty of Rev. Alexander Spruut, of Rock
Hill, s. c., and was discovered by him
gears ago in the back porch of the house
1t the old Stone church among the noun
aims of West Augustain Virginia, where
t had been used by his ministerial pre-.
iecessors as a receptacle for rubbish. 1t
was rescued from is degradation, re.
paired aud dressed, and has taken a cor.
:espoudipg place in the new Mount Yer,
aon, which is now occupied in tho old
oy similar piece OF furniture that was
lsed by General Washington in his life
lime, and which had pissed into the
hands Of General Robert e. Lee, but was
gears ago restored by Mr'. Lee to its orig
inal place in Washington's family dining
loom.
In the banquet hall where now hangs