The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-10-20
A DAY AT MOUNT VERNON.

after the session of the Regents OF
the Daughters of the American Revo-
luton, and hearing that they had left
in such perfection the mansion and
the grounds at Mount Vernon, the
home of the first President Of the
United States, we determined to spend
day in this lovely spot, which, in
the "midst of war and rumors of
war;" is far from toll and strife.
We started from the Seventh street
wharf at 10 A. M, in the steamboat
"W. w. Corcoran," built by the
millionaire philanthropist of that
name expressly for the Ladies Mount
Vernon Association of the Union.
This is a commodious steamer, on
each wheel-box of which is a wood
carving of the river front of Mount
Vernon, and On the pilot 1,o,.ee a bs,et
of Washington.
We had a pleasant ride of seventeen
miles. The river was smooth as
glass; the air soft and warm the
blue sky crossed by an occasional
feecy cloud, that gave the lights and
shadows to the green hillsides that
slope down to the waters edge.
After leaving the capital the first
object of interest upon the left is the
United States Arsenal; just across
the Eastern Branch is the Govern
ment Insane Asylum. The first land
ing is at Alexandria. This is one of
the Oldest ports of the colonies, NAM
ed in compliment to its largest land
owners. Here Washington cast his
first vote; also his last, in 1899.
From the river can be seen Christ
Church, of which he was vestryman.
A short distance below this old town,
on the Maryland side, is Fort Foote,
and little farther down, Fort Wash
ington.
Now the hosting of the flag and
the tolling of the bell announced that
we had reached the home of Washing
ton. How calm and quiet it appear
ed to us in all the beauty of the June
day! 1t seemed to breathe of that
peace enjoyed as the fruit of the valor
of the immortal Washington and SO
complete, indeed, was its restoration
that one expected to see at the door
way the dignifed figure of the Father
of His Country. No more beautiful
site can be imagined than the one
selected for'the home of Washington.
Here the river is two miles wide, and
the mansion, situated about two hun
dred feet above the river, presents
commanding appearance. Immedi-
ately under the bluff is reservation
of several acres which was formally
used as a deer park, and which in
1887 was enclosed and stocked with
fine deer by the Misses Campbell, of
St. Louis, in memory of their mother,
Mrs. Robert Campbell, Regent for
Missouri.
We were met at the landing (orig-
ina1ly constructed by Washington.
but recently extended) by the polite
superintendent, and conducted up the
hill-frst to the tomb. On our left
was wooded hillside, abounding in
sweetbrier, rhododendrons, &C., and
on OR right an open park extending
beyond the house about half way up,
in a ravine, are several weeping will
lows brought from the grave of Napo-
leon at St. Helena.
The tomb is of brick Quilt by
Washington's S executors), with arch
ed gateway and iron gates, above
which is a plain slab with this in
scription within this enclosure
rest the remains of General George
Washington" The ante-room to the
vault is about twelve feet square, and
contains the sarcophagi. To the right
is the one that contains the remains
of Washington, and the one on the
left all that was mortal of Martha,
CoDsort of Washington" The re-
ceptacles for the iliustrious dead are
made of Pennsylvania marble, and
were presented by John Struthers, of
Philadelphia, by whose own hands
the carving was done. Over the
tomb is tablet on which is inscrib-
ed, II am the resurrection and the
life; he that believeth in me. though
he were dead, yet shall he live" The
sarcophagus of Washington is plain,
ornamented only with the United
States oat-of-arms an drapped flag
and the word Washington" +" Be-
hind the ante-room is an inner vault,
containing the ashes of nineteen of his
family.
The old tomb in which he was first
laid was thought to be insecure, as it
was constantly desecrated by relic
hunters so in 1887 the body was
laid in the sarcophagus where it now
rests; the iron door of the vault was
locked and the key thrown into the
Potomac. Here they sleep their last
sleep; above them the branches of
the majestic oaks bend in whispered
blessing; at their feet the waves of
the beautiful river sing a requiem
and silently, to and fro, pass the rev.
erent visitors:
thousands of throbbing hearts, where theirs
are at rest and forever;
Thousands of aching brains, where theirs no
longer are busy;
Thousands of toiling hands, where theirs have
ceased from their labors;
Thousands of weary feet, where theirs have
completed their Journey"
The mansion house is wooden
structure, cut and painted to initiate
marble. A wide piazza, paved with
flagstones and supported by columns,
runs the whole of the east front ; and
from the west are curved colonades,
leading, the one to what were the
servants quarters, the other to the
offices. The green sward enclosed
between these colonnades is shaded
by venerable trees. The house is 90
feet long and 80 feet deep; is two
stories high, with an attic and obser-
vatory. 1t is divided by main hall,
from which on either side open the
rooms. In this hall are seen the key
of the Bastile, presented by Lafayette
TO the "great friend of liberty )" a
- &c 1000 a,orox,i.,uc Nocb