Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-07-19
MOUNT VERNON.
Geo. Washington's Last Resting Place Visited
by c. E. LaVigne and Wife, 4th of July.

tomb, on the 4th of July, and we take
the liberty of publishing it. Itfollows:
We appropriated our 'Indepen-
dence' holiday the glorious Fourth)
to trip to the home and tomb of
Washington, the spot mentioned in
story and history as a shrine OF
patriots. | considered it an excellent
time and a fitting occasion for our
first visit to this hallowed ground.
Mount Vernon is OF the Virginia
shore of the Potomac river sixteen
miles south of the capital. Your
children boarded the excursion steamer
Manchester at 10 o'clock on the
morning in question and soon found
ourselves, with two or three hundred
other persons, delightfully."- sailing
down this quiet, historic stream.
The river is wide anG deep, has a
smooth surface like a placid lake.
All kinds of steam and sail craft, little
private yachts, big freight SchOOners,
row boats, tug, etc, were moving one
direction and another dressed in bright
marine cOlOrS. while all the excursion
steamers for different down river
points, were loaded with holiday
humanity. Twas hot, but the river
breeze famed us into comfort as best
it could. Among the points of inter-
est passed en-rOute were the Arsenal
Grounds where were hung the men
who conspired against the life of
President Lincoln: the Anacostia
river, up which the British fleet sailed
in the war of 1872: Bellevue, the
naval storage magazine: the old city
| of Alexandria, where is located Christ
| church, editice in which Washington
worshipped, his pew still retained in
its original form and place, although
| the balance of the seat in the church
are new ones and of modern style;
Fort FOOte with its rampartS and par
apetS just visible-this fort is where
distractions were placed in the
| Potomac to stop the progress of the
Confederate Ram Merrimac; old Fort
Washington with its frOwning battle
mentS protected by mass of climbing
vines, the massive stone walls standing
just as rigidly as they did in their
| youth, yet withal at rest and in peace,
like the "Father of his Country
sleeping on the opposite shore little
farther down. We have been looking,
as we steamed midst these rich
historic associations, first into the
farms and land stretches of the state
of Maryland on the left bank, and
across to the blue hills of Virginia far
away on the right bank-in toto a
| most interesting diversion of scenic
happiness and nature lOvelineSS. AS
| the boat left Alexandria and wound
| it's way around the graceful bend of
the river, a last glimpse of Washing
ton city was given. and there in that
center Of fine buildings and splendid
foliage from which we had SO recently
departed, stood three crOwning
scntinels in bold outline against the
sky-the golden glittering dome of
| Congressional library, the rich white
dome of the Capitol, and the towering
| peerless shaft of white marble, the
| Washington monument. Between our
| boat and the 'Sentinels" plowed
another majestic white excursion
steamer proudly following on, the
whole scene framed in foliage green
and sky blue horizon. Here was
chance for sentiment to diSrObe, here
the place for finer feelings to give eX-
preston in tingling of blood in its
courses through the human frame,
| here the place for master artist to
paint study containing the three
proudest legacieS of the proudest
government on earth. This view, to
me, was material addition to the list
which fortune has so literally assisted
this poor young man in lnScrlblng on
memOry's tablet. | will not forget it
| soon.
But bark. the steamer bell. Toll.
toll. toll. In low, impressive sounds it
tells the approach to Mount Vernon
and thus hOnOrs greatness. The river
widenS here with a deep bay to the
right hill rises abruptly from
yOnder shore over the bayou, and in
the midst of the rich foliage on this
hill nestles the home of that man
who was ''First in war, first in peace,
and first in the hearts Of his country
men," What a secluded, retired spot.
How reStful in all its surroundings.
How beautiful and how thoroughly a
home. The true abode of repOSe.
Suggestive of it's own purposes and
fully dedicated to them, just like the
man with whom history has made us
familiar One more look up river.
In the haZy distance still can be seen
the monument of Washington sixteen
miles away. In its stability it will be
seen there 40 years hence. Then we
| land and are at the threshold Of that
old Virginia farm from whence came
a leader of men. He was here l4O
years ago. He died here 106 years ago.
His monument, his home, his tomb
are before US, the substantial echoes
that will never die as generations
upon generations Of grateful Ameri-
cans make the pilgrimage which l am
now feebly attempting to relate. But
come with us up the hill and along
the rustic sidewalk until IN the
myriad of trees we find three particu-
| larly interesting ones growing near
| together. The first tree in question
| is great elm, planted in 1876 by Dom
| Pedro. emperor Of Brazil: the next d
| British oak planted by request Of the
! Prince of Wales: the next maple
planted by the Temperance Ladies Of
! America. And here iSa plain structure
/ Of rcd brick, with an open arch in
| front and d gateway Of iron to keep
out the intruder. 'TiS the tomb of
| Washington. 1t is about the size of the
| Gardner vault at home, but not quite
such an extensive front. Across the
| front Of the tomb, above the arch, is
white marble tablet inscribed "Within
| this inclOSure rest the remains Of
General George Washington" In
silent reverence we stood before this
simple repository containing the dust
of our beloved soldier, statesman,
| farmer and for several moments gazed
| like fixed statue at the little room
behind the iron gate. What did we
see? We Saw Il little floor Of pebbles
and stones, On standards were two
pure while marble sarcOphagi, each
hewn from single block of stone,
and in these sarcOphagi were intrusted
TO final kceniny The dust Of WaShing-