Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-11-16
MEDICINAL.

|
1857, acc riding to the specifi ;arious,
aud delivered to the vestry il 1773. At
that time ten peWs were sold. Colonel
Washington purchased psw No. 5,
against the norl b wall, for G36 los, be-
sides 95 additional. This pew is pre-.
served intact, and is marked by silver
plate bearing the autograph of Wash.
ington. 1t is not rented, but is used for
visitors to the church during services.
The pews Nos. 46 and AZ, respectively,
acrf So the aisle, bear the plates of R.
E Lee, the chieftain of the Confed.
eracy, and Fitzhugh Lee, the major
general, who served in Cuba
| Lawrence Washington, the only
male child of the blood, a son OF John
Augustine Washington, who sold the
| Mount Vernon mansion and six acres to
the Ladies' Association in 1856, is
member of the vestry.
10 the chapcel are still in place two
episcopal chairs and the communion
table of polished mahogany, about
three feet by eighteen inches on the
top, and standing on frail legs. On
either side of the chanoel are marble
tablets, one to George Washington,
and the other to General r. E. Lee,
= erected by the Ladies' Memorial Asso.
citation in 1872, just after the death of
General Lee.
The central chandelier, Of brass and
| crystals, presented by General Wash
ineton, is strikingly colonial 10 styla,
| and was, from pearances, one of the
l earliest veUiures in that line of elabo'
, rate Illuminating appliances. 1t is OBJ
| solete as lighter, but luminous as
| Renaissance.
In the vestry room is large muse.
| um of paraphernalia of the church in
it's Washington days, including the first
Bible used IN the church, published in
1857, and q book of Common Prayer
| printed in the United States in 1895.
The Rev. Bergman Green, who per-
forms the pastoral functions today, is q
man of bright intellect, and fits in
style and eloquence the reminiscent
spirituality and current surroundings
| of the place.
General Washington was disci-
plined churcbman and firm believer
in the efficacy of prayer.
The traditions of the "Alexandria
church" say that Washington always
participated earnestly in the responses,
especially repeating the Lords Prayer
ard the Greed. He always kneeled in
prayer, and partook Of the communion
with Mrs. Washington and Nellie Gus
No 7 "a
After services Washington always
arried upon the lawn outside to re.
ceive his neighbors and friends iu
pleasant chat OF fifteen or twenty min.
u.es. Then, handing Mrs. Washing
ton aud Nellie into the chase or fami.
ly coach-and-iour, he mounted his ia
vorite seed, his negro attendant, Bish-
op, holding the stirrup, and tho party
palloped off toward Mount Vernon,
seven miles away.
The General, alter resigning his com
mission at Annapolis, arrived at Mount
Vernon on Christmas Eve. The next
day, with bis family, he attended di-
vine services at Christ Church, after
| which there was scene in the life OF
the great man near the church lawn
which pen is inadequate to describe,
and no artist has yet portrayed. The
name of Washington and Alexandria
as community are inseparable.
Ia the frat sale of lots by the
trustees, on July 13, l749, Law
ence Washington, one of the trus-
tees, the half brother OF the great
George, bought several lots. 10 the old
hotel, built in 1850, Washington had
his headquarters. In the Braddock
House the unfortunate general OF that
name held the council of war, with
Governors Shirley, Morris, Dinwiddie,
and George Washington, before the dis
astrous campaign to the Mononganela.
Shooters Hill, one mile west OF AL.
exundris, where Fort Ellsworth stood
in the defences of Washington during
the civil war, was selected in 1893 by
James Madison. chairman of the Con-
eressional committee to select elite for
the Capitol, as the site for that struc-
ture. which was favored by Jefferson,
but he was overruled by President
Washington as showing too much favor
to Virginia.
| In his visits to Alexandria Washing
ton always rode on horseback, followed
by black servant, elso splendidly
mounted. The General wore "cock.
ed and pinched" hat, the ''chapeau de
Brasu was not then in vogue. He was
|! fond of dancing in his youthful days,
and even after the Revolution, and was
equally fond of the Alexandria beauties:
| The assemblies in his youth were held
| at John Hancock's tavern, and Wash
ineton, except when absent on military
duty, was always on hand, the tiTst to
| arrive and the last to leave. He was
digniied and gallant. In his older
| days the assemblies became very state
| ly and were held at Wise's Tavern. At
that time the social life of Alexandria
was not surpassed except in scale Of
number even at New York or Phila
| delphia, the capital of the young repub'
| lie. Washington attended these assem-
blies till just before his death.
Prevented Tragedy.
Timely Information given Mrs. George
Long, of New Straitsville, Ohio, pre-
vented a dreadful tragedy and saved
TWO lives. a frighlful cough had long
kent her awake every night. She hao