The morning times., 1896-06-14

s"eu'ieli anniversary or the adoption q
the Virginia Bill of Rights, one of the mos
remarkable constitutions ever drafted, an
the event was celebrated with patriots
pilgrimage To Gunston Hall in Fairfa:
county, Virginia, the family mansion hous
of George Mason, the author of the docu
ment, by the United Societies of the Son
of the American Revolution.
There was good representation in tn,
party and the steamer Manchester wa
charted for the occasion. 1t was uHusuall,
distinguished in personnel. The pilgrim!
represented the progeny of ancient line
age who held in their hands the life ant
liberty as well as the happiness OF tbei
people; they, too, represented the nobilit,
OF patriotism, the progeny Of a band ol
pioneers who subdued the wilderness and
claimed Gods land for the truest form,
of personal liberty the world has ever
known.
Representative of the George Mason fam
Ay on this pilgrimage was Washington Mel
son Toler, of Virginia and this city. Mr.
-oler is son of the Oldest living Co.
scendant OF George Mason His neither
IS still hale and well at eighty six. and
is a grandchild bf George Mason's eldest
san, who, i'll the English style current
IN the family bore his fathers naGe
II is Mr.. foler's pride that the illustrous
Mason helped more than any other man
to direct the liberal tendency of George
1Washington's mind when the intimate
contact with Lord Fairfax, the Tory, was
doing all in his power 20 influence the
then queens governor for conservatism
and royalty: that he is the author of a
document held in some eyes as more re-
markabie than the constitution. and that
lie framed tie policy of the colony of Vir-
ginia in its most trying hour
The occasion was of mulch Significance
to every one present. 1t was not only the
anniversary of a great event and the full
fiiment,o of one of the patriotic obligations
of the societies represented to make nil
grirnageS In historic spots and restore
them when neglected, but il was the
first united trip of the two societies of
Sons whici, have heretofore been divided
In organization though united in purpose.
DOWN THE RIVER.
So propitiouS a neighherhood for the in.
epiration or Il patriotic temperament can
scarcely he imagined as THAT which nanks
the broad Potomac from Washington to
Funston. As the steamer leaves her dock
the e We is at once claimed by the Lee home
on the western horizon- Asthe boat plough> /
proudly ahead it seems to he taking you ;
back year by year for every foot of the his
toTic shore. Presently before you is old Alex |
Rndria, fairly teeming with history. The |
hills roll by and the eye is fed with the /
glores of an incompatible natural dis
play. while the Imagination Is fcdwith the /
glories of the days precious to our country. /
Mount Nernol's white walls peek through /
the green trees to tile right bank; before you I
are out OF sight of washington's home Mar |
shall Hail en- the Maryland side claims |
the interest.
Here the river is in its full ma jesty of
breadth and the hills rise greener and |
higher from the pebhiy beach. The forest |
lands roll back like green carpets. and the
big birds soar above in a sweeping chal-
lenge TO any intrusion upon the declyed |
preserves which have reverted to them |
again in their wildness. The breaks in
the regularity of the shore are frequent.
making back waters in the river and long
jutties of timbered peninsulas. one of these
to the right is the ancient site of the Fair
fax estates. In tho heart of the now wild
forest are the ruins of Belvoir Manor. and
wild weeds and clinging vines half hide
the vestiges of the Old English hall. even To
the explorer who penetrates this presentdo
main of lizards and toads and snakes.
! IN SIGHT OF GUNSTON.
Now some one more eager of the present
pilgrimage than thoughtful of shadowed
ruins cries "Gunstonv' The boat is pass
ing the mouth of another bay, whichstretch-
es back to the right like the mouth ofanother
great river. Before was long streak
Of yellow beach, ribbon of brown clay
bank and The green lands OF Virginia in IN
sven recession
These are the present Guustop estates
AT the right, on the highest point, not a
hundred yards from the river, is a frame
though over a mile and a half from
the boat. This cottage is ''Benvenue''
and from its prominence speaks a frank
welcome to the estates. 1t is u modern |
house, and is more noted as the home of |
the Kesters, the draniatists than anything
else.
A few hundred yards TO the right the eye
picks, among the tree tops, a white tower.
Even this is not the hall. but an artificial
to wer, built nearer the river to afford the
residents OF GuDston view of the river |
and the lands roundaboUts that the posi-
ton OF the hall does Got give. This is one
OF the mistakes Mason made III selecting his |
site. He did not put the hall near enough |
TO the river to be the Conspicuous thing OF
beauty it should have heen made for the
passing ships, or to give the occupants |
view or the Incompatible pano-
rama, spreading on all sides from the ad-
jacent points. Benvenue Cottage was
built by later master of the estates to
correct this error of situation
Glimpses of the ha Il itself are only caught
al intervals asthe eye steadies and The speed
Ing boat opens new avenues among the
trees There is no landing opposite the
hall and the steamer goes down the river
nearly nile, where Il long dock CONES out
I
10 W siding to the main channel.
RECEIVED BY THE NATIVES.
Some courier of the pilgrims must have
blasted the trumpet in token or their
for there was quite n gathering, |
for this neigliborhood-at least twenty |
five. Many of them were the usual
hangers on. One was an old chap, in |
yellow breeches that had the cut of paia- ,
mass. and an old blue coat which had the cut
OF the earliest Mason about it. They say
he has been at the landing to see every
boat come in these twenty-ninc years,
and only heard of the pilgrims coming by
The merest accident. Had he missed it the
are awful to contemplate
Another original was native who looked |
as If he might belong to Mark Twain's
gentry, but had, in some in
explicable way, become lost and only |
settled near the Potomac because the
water reminded him continually of what
he had vowed never TO touch. A spry
sprig OF revolutionary achievement ad-
vanced on the native in hope of little
sport.
How are potatoes, friend?'
Fine" replied the native, iaeonicaiiy.
Then, after n pause. lie continued; "All |
raise d 20 through a sieve"
The livery resources of Gunston neigh
borhood were called into service, and |
were massed in the said plaza at the end |
OF the landing. A careful invoice dis
covered about dozen spring wagons aud
springless wagons.
Most OF the pilgrims, with nice sense !
Of proportion. or disproportion. made no
.laim for place in the convcyances, but,
10 the trne spirit OF their ancient proto-
types, footed the distance which lay be-
fore them. A few, however, with no !
precedent in ancient record mounted 4
cycles and pedaied over to the he'll. The
Ir.:.-