The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-02

Eyes, and SIX years later he was
chosen President of the new nation,
and that took him from his beloved
home-how many years, ChetP
Bertha held up four fingers, and
the small boy responded, "Four;"
adding, "She tod mel"
Good boyp cried Walter. "You
give your older brother a good ex
ample"
"Now 1 think we are ready for our
visit" said Miss Lyon. I'VE started
from Washington and went by steam
er sixteen miles down the beautiful
Potomac, stopping finally at the
wharf, and walking directly to Wash
ington's tomb
as it in a gardeus" asked Chris.
"No, but large, beautiful lawn lies
all around it. In fact, on either side
the slope extends, with trees here and
there, and the old mansion at its
height"
Tell us about the tomb, please"
said Walter.
cit is built of brick, and has wall
around it with double iron gates.
Looking through these we saw the
marble sarcophagus which contains
his dust. On the lid are the arms of
the United States and the single
word Washington His wife is
buried beside him. An old colored
man who had been on the estate a
great many years was in charge, and
watched to see that no one touched
or defaced anything"
"Did you get anything, Miss
Lyon7" asked Chef.
A faint flush rose to that la US
cheeks.
81 cannot tell lie; SO must con-
fess to plucking four-leaved spray
of myrtle from vine that was in the
path. The autumn leaves were fall
ing, and we all gathered some. Here
are mine," and she showed the dried
souvenirs from the sacred spot.
But now we must hasten on to the
large white house, with it's piazza,
supported by eight pillars twenty
five feet high. You think that is
high piazza, but it is also nearly the
height of the house, which is but two
stories. Standing upon the piazza,
the view is very beautiful. The lawn,
with its fine trees, slopes down to the
river which winds and shines as it
flows past the estate; and beyond
you can catch glimpses of fields and
forests and far-away hills. 1t was al
most enough to make Washington
good and great to live there, think.
But / must tell you that this home
would have gone to ruin if the wo-
men of America had not bought and
preserved it. They have refitted all
the rooms, but I can tell you only
about few of many things in them"
"Teacher said Nellie GUSTS harps-
ichord was somewhere it there2"
interrupted Beth.
"Yes, in the music room. 1t looks
like baby piano; but Washington
paid thousand dollars in gold for it.
Before it was placed in this room
and no one is allowed to go into it
now, only to look in visitors had
taken the ivory off the keys and torn
the inlaid brass work from the Frame"
"What shamep exclaimed Wal
ter.
"In the banqueting hall was
carved marble mantel, the work of
great artist. Bits of this were broken
off. One gentleman secured the
horns of COW and had them mount
ed for shirt studs, but his conscience
troubled him 80 that he had to con-
fess. But the dainty marble COW is
still minus her horns"
"What did you see that you remem-
Der as best of all2" asked Beth.
zone thing was in this same large
hall, where 80 many noted people
have feasted. It was the painting,
Washington before Yorktown by
Peale. At the right of this great
picture hung an old mirror; and look
ing into that, Washington and the
horse he rides look truly alive. The
guide said it was an accidental dis
covery, but 1 felt that l had seen
George Washington through that
wonderful reproduction. But of
course the room where Washington
died is the most hallowed place. 1t
is a medium-sized chamber, with
small dressing-room opening from it.
In it are many things that were there
nearly a hundred years ago-the very
articles used-and the bed stands
where it stood then. We saw the sec
rotary, his old leathern chair and