The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-07-13

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Here roses and Grape myrtle, sweet
shrubs and all the old sweet flowers
claim their right of way. A Mary
Washington red and Martha Washing
ton white rose bush, still bear their load
of spring blossoms, and furnish tiny
shoots for potted plants that find their
way all over the country, borne hither
by the tourists. Old Dutch tulip bulbs
throw off tubers that can trace their
descent direct from Holland and Wis
terra and Virginia creeper climb over
the garden walls and take peeps on
to the lawn, into which we soon issue.
At the gate Mr. Wheelan, head gardener
for the past twenty years, has table
full Of coffee beans gathered from tree
planted by Thomas Jefferson, and other
relics made from woods grown on the
place. The sun dial on the lawn marks
the time of day in front of the house
where the front door opens landward, on
which high brass knocker. polished
bright. hangs as it did when the passing
guest called at this plantation. Or was
it the friend, admirer, courtier, or politi-
clan who, then as now, found out the
retreat of the head of the Nation?
y
The Interior of the Mansion.
One enters the mansion at this door
opening into the main hall. The house
contains eighteen rooms, come of which,
the guest chambers for instance, are
simpler in finish than are the rooms of
the humblest servants of the present
time in a rich mans house. But those
were the days of simplicity. Washing
ton was one of the richest men of his
time, one of the best housed, who lived
in the height of the style at the time,
and we see what the best was compared
with the luxury of this present time.
On the first floor are the rooms of
state-the family living rooms, six in
ALL On the second, six more, one the
great mans bed chamber and Martha's
store room adjoining Nellie Custis' bed
room, the Lafayette Room, the best
guest chamber in the house, front
room over the west parlor and furnished
in high. posted bedstead of mahogany
and with toilet table on which small
swinging mirror stands on little comb
drawer. The wash bowl is sunk into a
hole on the top of the slender stand and
the ever underneath. 1t is just as it was
then, aside from a modern carpet on
the floor. Nellie Custis' room was op-
posite this guest chamber, and she
climbed into bed from fight of three
steps where billow of feather beds
rounded up high, lay ready to fold her
in the middle of them. Not much of
the original furniture remains in the
old mansion now. Much Of it was val
ued as family relics by the relatives.
Some of it, the dishes and certain arti
cles OF furniture, was deposited in the
Patent Office during the late war, for
safety; and DOW it occupies two or three
cases in conspicuous place in the an
mex of the Smithsonian Institution. 1t
is time they were restored to the old
historic house where they belong. as
other pieces are being restored by those
owning them. Several of the rooms are
furnished by of the original colonial
States, and some others where they have
a regent, which gives the place home
like appearance, although the style of
furniture is not all of that date. Simply
antique, or something historically relat.
ing to the time when this Nation was
struggling into existence. Spinning
wheels and fax wheels-types of those
times and industries.
The room in which General Washing
ton died is over the south end of the
house, and it is the most interesting,
for here are gathered many of his own
possessions when it was home. The
high posted bed on which he breathed
his last is SO wide it is almost a square,
and upon it is tufted spread made of
thrums pulled through wide linen
sheet by Martha Washington. She was
notable housewife. we'll skilled in all
the arts of needlework in vogue. She
knew how to spin and to weave although
| it is not probable that she ever practiced
either save enough to teach her dusky
maids what they did not know. In
Washington's room is great armchair,
worm eaten through the light brocade
with which it was covered. His small
round topped trunk, brass nailed and
covered with calfskin with the hair on;
his camp chest. very small affair, with
pewter plates, steel knives and forks and
bone or horn handles; his pistol holsters;
his sword sheath and some other accou.
trements. Beside there are a slender
legged little medicine table standing
beside the bed, as no doubt it stood that
sad and tragic night when he lay there
struggling for breath through the par
oxysms of the cramp which ended his
life in few brief hours. 1t does moi
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