The Newtown bee., 1904-02-26
TOWN TOPICS
E. L. JOHNSON IN WASHINGTON.

E. l.. JOI1T1SON IN w WASIlH\NlOl\. WRITES INTERESTINGLY OF HIS E4
 PERIENCEs AT THE NATIONAL CAP
 TEAL.
 Washington, D. C.,
 February 19, 1904.
 MT Editor: By your invitation l write you few lines this morning as to our whereabouts. We left home Tuesday morning last with the ther- mometer at eight degrees below zero, on our long journey to the Pacific coast. If good wishes from our towns people and kindred, for a safe jour- ney, pleasant visit and safe return count for anything, am sure we cer- tainly have reason to hope that all will go we'll with us as time goes on. Though the weather was cold, our hearts were warm in view of such pleasant send off as was given us. In New York we bought our tickets for California, with stop-over in Wash ington for four days. Leaving by the Pennsylvania road at 3. 45 p. m. on the Congressional express, train made up exclusively of vestibuled parlor cars, we were soon flying on our way. At Philadelphia night closed in upon us and at 945 we arrived in Washing ton, and were soon in good hotel and ready tor the rest that was so much, needed. Wednesday morning we went out, to find everybody in shiver over the fact that the thermometer regis tered seven degrees above zero. The air was crisp, but the sun shOne all day, with but little wind, and no snow to be seen except here and there little bits that were lying in the shadow of fence or high building. At 10 o'clock we went out for sight seeing, among the government buildings, after first spending couple of hours in looking over what is called the Oldsoyd Lin- coin Memorial collection, consisting of over 5000 articles pertaining to the martyred President. This place must be visited in order to be fully appreci- Os in order to defray the expenses of pre- serving the house until such time as an appropriation is made by the gov ernment to throw the house open to Il the public. It is the same house in which President Lincoln died, and di- rectly opposite Ford's theater, where President Lincoln was shot by J.. Wilkes Booth, in the private box, a few minutes past 10 o'clock on the night of April IA, 1868. There we find the original black locust rail split by Abraham Lincoln in 1880, with an af- fidavit by John Hanks attested to by Gov Oglesby of Illinois, dating back to 1860, five years before the Presi- dents death. But, far more interest ing than that is the family Bible out of which his mother read to him when he was very young boy. The Bible is over 100 years old, and on the cover of this Bible Lincoln wrote his name , when not over nine years of age. The afternoon we spent in the Congression- al Library, leaving there in time to take trolley ride to Georgetown, and out ..on the aqueduct bridge over the Potomac, and looked off towards Ar lington, where once was the home of Gen Robert B. Lee, the part occupied oy him being known as the Custis estate, which was confiscated by the government of the United States at the outbreak of the Civil War, and later dedicated as national cemetery for the reception of the remains of the soldier dead, where every man who has ever served in the army or navy, regu lar or volunteer, has the right to select a site for his last resting place. But little way from the aqueduct bridge still stands an old two-story brick . house, now converted into store house, on the side of which is lettered "The Key Mansion." The thoughtles! would pass it by, but that dingy, hal deserted building was the home O.
 Francis Scott Key, when he wrote th' words, later set to music, "The Sta + Spangled Banner,'' words that vii = ring down through the ages, so long al D this republic shall endure. Nearly op e posite is the unpretentious house tha
 was for long time the home of Emm; D. N. Southworth, who has con tributed so much to our light litera 1 ture The Congressional library in al of it's appointments and architectur
 is beyond my description. It must b seen to be appreciated. Not onl. seen, but whole week spent in an' .. about it is all too short to get even tn 2 outlines of it's beauty and grandeur e and when we speak of it's contents, o s. literature, science, sculpture and art y ones admiration is lost in wonder, lov and praise. Thursday morning W
 were off bright and early to see wha
 we could of the government buildings
 going first to the White House, som
 part of which is open to the publi
 every day in the week. Passin
 through the corridor of what is calle
 the cloak room, accommodating abou al 1000, we saw two china cabinets COT
 taining china belonging to each (
 seven of the Presidents. This chin
 exhibition has been devised under th
 supervision of Mrs Roosevelt, who's
 consideration for the public is alWay