The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-11-12

Virginia, to see the last will
and testament Of George Wash
ington, and now write description Of II,
its present appearance and condition and
where it Ia now kept. Fairfax Court House,
the county seat Of Fairfax county, Va, is
nearly four miles distant from Fairfax, q
station on the Southern Railroad, and
nearly midway between Washington and
Manassas. and is reached by stage from
Fairfax. AT a.ed stage driver meets the
train and for the last Thirty years has never
failed to land his passengers on time, ex-
cept once when the deep snow hampered
him, and it is related that this one mis-
hap nearly "busted" his heart.
When reached Fairfax station | saw the
stage, two horses and driver all patiently
awaiting for passengers intent on going to
the old, time honored historic county seat
of Fairfax county, Va. Court was in SEES
sion and three lawyers from Alexandria,
Va, were my stage companions. They
the depot and had climbed the hill, the
stage stopped at the postoffice, the driver
delivered the mail pouch to the postmaster
clambered to his seat in the stage, and
there he sat like patience on monument,
waiting for Uncle Sans servant to deliver
him the mail pouch. 1t seemed to me that
the postmaster was very deliberately tax
ing his own time in changing the mail
Perhaps | was little impatient at the de-
law, but after Is minutes wait he appear
ed, chucked in the pouch and we started
for Fairfax Court House. The lawyers
soon commenced chaffering the aged stage
driver, and devised ways and means to
construct q trolley between the railroad
and the county town, thus doing away
with the stage, the horses and the driver,
and asking him what he really thought OF
the project. He did not take kindly to
the proposition. They then quantity &C
oused him with endeavoring to stop the
march OF improvement, but he only said SO
his horses, ''get up"
The ancient court room is now under
going repairs and the session of the court
is, for the present, held in the new build
ing occupied by the Clerk and Register OF
Wills. The will of George Washington is
in this building. 1t is in portable wal
nut case, - inches in length, II inches il
width and A inches in height, glass lid
with small brass hinges and locked. The
size of the paper upon which the will was
written, as nearly as | could measure ii
from the outside Of its case, is 7xs3 inches,
and was originally pure white in color hui
has become slightly yellowed by age. The
paper is unruled. Washington left blank
marginal spaces on each side OF his will,
nearly one inch in width, and numbered
every page at the top and signed his name
at the bottom of each page. The will con
tains twenty or more clear, distinct and
blotless pages of Washingtons hand writ
ing, and Is recorded in Will Book II, No
/, pages to Ia inclusive. His hand
writing was plain, neat and faultless. The
ink is black. Time appears to have had
but little effect, if any, upon its distinct
ness Washington omitted to complete
the date to his WILL as the 10! owing copy
of the last clause of his will shows:
"In witness OF all and each Of the
things herein contained have set my hand
and seal this ninth day of July, in the
wear one thousand seven hundred and
ninety X and Of the Independence Of
the United States the twenty fourth.
G. WASHINGTON. 90