The Washington herald., 1907-07-28

| real thing IN a Few minutes When we
! entered this man became our guide. He
/ had longer story and larger vocabu-
/ larry than our dusky guide, al pointed
out some very interesting features Of the
Carlyle house. In the first place, Carlyle
house was made famous because 1t was
the stopping place OF Washington when
! in Alexandria In one OF the rooms he
/ received his first military commission,
/ being made a major by Gen. Braddock
before the latter marched out on his IL
fated expedition against the French and
/ Indians.
The Fate of Braddock.
Through that door," said our new
guide, "Gen. Braddock marched with 200
troOpz when he went TO attack Fort Du-
quesne. 1t would have been better for
him If he had never gone" As Braddock
was killed in the mountains the state
ment was quite true. Il was contrary TO
Maj. Washington's advice that the expe-
dition was undertaken. While Braddock.
was in Carlyle house he held a council
with the governors OF six Colonies, q
meeting which afterWard resulted IN q
resolution that taxation and representa-
tion are in their nature inseparable.' Tell
Of the Carlyle house our guide said that
here may be said TO have been the place
where the Revolution was born
The guide also explained that the Car
lyle house was erected upon an old fort
built by Capt John Smith in 1615" This
would be quite interesting. save for the
fact that Smith tells of only one expedi-
ton Up the Potomac River, which took
place in 160S. and that he left Virginia IN
1903 never again TO return" and makes
no mention of fort in his story II must
be that some other pioneer built the fort
The walls OF the old fort are standing and
seem 20 have no particular connection
with the house. Taking Us through that
portion Of the building which was the
fort. he explained that Carlyle had a tun-
mel to the river. so that he could escape
from his enemies, the Indians. He also
showed US a couple Of cells which he
called iails. and related hair-raising sto-
ries III connection with them. When the
early settlers went away 10 their farms.
or upon other expeditions. they would
lock their wives and children in these
jails. TO keep the Indians from killing
them. Even this precaution would not
suffice, for often upon returning they
would find the entire family killed. He.
did not say how the Indians got into the
jails, which were windowless dungeons
John CarIyIe's Body.
He showed US the kitchen, which was
-4eTa in the basement With large fire.
place, which the cOlonists used for cook
Ing. In the next room he showed US
whore there had recently been found the
remains Of a man while the excavators
were at work There is no doubt that
that man was John Carlyle" said the
guide, and that he had himself buried
there. In those early days they buried
the dead in the cellar"
On what is called the east front OF the
Carlyle house that portion facing the
river Is door with a keystone over il
in which We're cut the letters - s. c."
and underneath them 'T75Z," showing that
John Carlyle built the house in 1852 ON
the old fort which John Smith had built
80 years before" said the guide really
think they might have had John Smiths
name and date on the fort. but perhaps
that is asking too much.
Finished in Mahogany.
Passing through the rooms in the upper
part Of the house there are some interest
ing features. The whole house Is finished
in mahogany, door fittings and every
thing Of that kind. IN one room were
some relics. There was the stock Of an
old gun and three owls mounted on bits
Of wood. Quoth the guide: when Wash
ington used to come here the owls some
times disturbed him at night. He took
this gun Chere ne brought the old stock TO
his shoulder). ami pointing It out of the
window shot these owls. You see they
are fastened 10 bits OF a cherry tree.
These are taken from the cherry tree
which Washington cut down. and here is
the hatchet he used at that time" and he
held UP a rust-eaten hatchet 10 prove his
story.
Passing into another room he pointed
out solid mahogany staircase, and OF
the authenticity Of this there was no
question. The wood was there and the
CLEAN in the eyes Of Mrs. D. showed that
she was looking at real treasure in the
antique. On that solid mahogany stair
case, said the guide. was where WASH
ington first saw Sally Fairfax and asked
her to dance the minUet with him before
he had even been introduced That same
night. on that same mahogany staircase
he asked her to marry him and she de-
MED him. 1t was Washingtons first and
last defeat. He was nineteen years old
at that time"
Closely Identified with Washington.
Alexandria IS closely identified with
George Washington in every respect. Hers
he was worshipful master Of a Masonic
lodge. This was his town. his seaport
Here he met his friends and escorted them
to Mount Vernon, his home. There is a
street named for him, and his statue
stands in the center df il. looking To-
ward the home he loved so well. II IL
because of Washington that the place
attracts pilgrims from all parts of the
United States. The people who are visit
ing the jamestown Exposition and who
go 10 Washington. take in Alexandria on
their way to Mount Vernon. The guide
of the Carlyle house told us that he had
taken 1000 people through the house dur
ing the past eight weeks As he had IN
account for 10 cents for each person.
suppose he was not romancing about that.
The guides are all doing pretty Wei.
seemed prosperous and said he
had made S4 during the two days previous
to our visit, and was soon to go TO the
jamestown Exposition.
Coming out into the open air from the
Carlyle house. We were again Joined by
who said:
I'll now show you the OTest frame
house in town, built in 17S1; the orest
frame house in town"
"And then what?" We asked.