The state herald., 1901-06-21
vandals at Washington.

Nearly every tourist who visits
Washington wants TO take away n
souvenir. Souvenir stores in the ma
tional capital are as plenty as saloons,
but your true souvenir hunter wants
something that he has culled himself.
BY preference he will hammer, hew
or slice II Off from some monument or
landmark. That is why II costs Uncle
Sam fortune to guard his treasures
Of history, wonder and beauty. What
ever public building you enter, your
cane, umbrella, or whatever you may
have that would make good ham,
wer, is taken from you and checked,
and at the Congressional Library and
Corcoran Art Gallery you are watched
very closely, lest you might get an op-
portunity to use your heels. These
two places are particularly enticing to
the vandal, with all their statuary and
carved marble.
Unfortunately the Washington Mon
umcnt has not been so well guarded,
consequently 1t is badly Scared by
the depredations OF the souvenir
ficnds. Inside 1t is very dim In spots,
the light being supplied by an occa-
sional incandescent lamp, along the
stairway. II is In this atmosphere that
+. vandalism fiourishes. Like white
squares and the blacks OF huge
checker board stand the memorial
slabs presented by the states In the
Union at the time OF the monuments
erection, md by the societies and or
ganizations OF the nation wishing their
names TO he immortalized Mt the ma
tional capital. There are more than
$50 Of these. and many Of them are In
distressful condition Of mutilation.
Missing heads, arms, legs and drapery
from statuary bear eloquent witness
TO the appreciation OF visitors who
were so favorably impressed with the
monument that they couldn't tear
themselves away without taking sor,e-
thing with them 10 remember Il by.
Just exactly what value, real or senti.
mental the left ear lobe OF the God
dess Of Prosperity, for instance. can
have for any person is hard for sane
man TO understand. Somebody got IL,
however.
At Mount Vernon there is small
army of spoilers" on the lookout for
the worker OF souvenir inlqulty. A
| quarter admission Is charged and the
money goes to defray the expense Of
guarding the place. In washington's
old home there is one thing that strikes
the notice by It's contrast TO the pre-
vaillng simplicity. II Is the carved
mnn'elpiece OF carara marble In the
dining room. One who Is not van
dal cannot gaze upon II without an
alternating the whole race OF relic
seekers. Even with watchers In every
room some individual managed to get
In his work." and knock of the head
OF n galloplng deer In the center OF
the group. The animal remained head
less for months. Then one day back
came the head In n little box post
marked Paris. The culprlt had real
lied the evil Of his ways. the ylilalny
OF his vandalism. Said the accom-
pnnylng note, 1T did no, occur 10 me
In my own country. where everything
Is so perfectly preserved. the outrage
that It Is TO muiilatc historic places
for rclice. Here nothing is preserved:
everything Is chlpped and marrcd and
broken by travellers like myself. I re-
turn herewith. etc" Slrncd-not nj all.
| The head was stuck on. the glue
stained the marble. and the milk white
deer has n yellow streak around his
neck.