The Greeley tribune., 1908-03-12
MT. VERNON
An IDEAL COUNTRY ESTATE
RICH HISTORICALLY.
Supt. c. Z. Carter Visits Plaza
On Rscsnt Trip to Washing-
ton and Describes the
Same.

Editor Tribune: To complets u
trip to Washinteon, d. c., ons|
should 80 via the all.rail routs
through Alexandria, Va. to Mt.
Vernon. This is our nations shrine
of patriotism. There is no grave ID
the New World to which so many
make pilgrimages. There are about
on an average two hundred daily per
year 60 to see the place where this
great virgin'an planter lived in
colonial luxury.
The mansion house of Mt. Vernon
occupies = beautiful site overlook
Ing the Potomac river The wood h.
cut and painted to resemble stone.
The house Is capacious, being 3ox9e
feet, two stories high, and contains
. large attic. In front 10 plaza Is
feet deep aud 25 feet high, With
square pillars. This view Is com.
monty seen in pictures Of Mt. Yer.
non.
Washington's home is now pre-
served by the Mt. Vernon Ladies'
Association Of the Union. Tn.
house was constructed by Lawrence,
halt brother Of George Washingtoue
in l743. 1t Was then known =
Hunting Cresk estate, but Lawrenos
Warrington named it Mt. Vernon
after Admiral Vernon under WHOM
he served In . war against spain.
When lawrence and bis daughter
died, George WashilGton inhseits4
1.-THE enknes ind WooG thexo 70 ~
seoa altar his Dastags - lisa F.
| tA1med as Mt.. Vernon until called
to lead the armies Of the Revolution.
After the surrender of CORVALLIS 1t
Yorktown he returned to this home
lie loved so well-then again to Mt.
Vernon after his two terms % presi-
dent of the new nation.
l don't want to omit mention OF
lady whose name to me Is synony.
nous with true patriotism, Ann
Pamela Cunningham; for it was she
who saved Washington's home for
our nation. 1t is beautiful thought
too, that she was from South Caro-
lima.
In 1855 John A. Washington got
into debt, and wanted to sell Mt.
Vernon: so Ann p. Cunningham be-
gan the tremendous task of raising
500, 900 to purchase this estate as a
mecca for those who enjoy the fruit
Of George Washington efforts, who
lived there in noble simplicity and
died there in glory and peace. Ed
ward Everett helped by giving $685.
900 from his lectures on Washington.
Washington Irving gave $500; thou
sands of boys ana girls OF our public
school gave 5 cents each. So in 1860
Mt. Vernon became the property of
this Ladies' A Ssociation. Because of
this patriotic achievement the home
! anu VI liz r 0LuCt VA OOi Souu
try have an added interest.
Here l pause to commend that
patriotic impulse, indefatigable
courage and noble achievement by
the women of America who did this
act of love and gratttude-and who
as the days come and go still enter
with wreaths of flowers to deck the
tomb OF the man who cast an eternal
glory on humanity.
The home of Washington contains
many things Of public interest, OF
which cannot write at this aime; (;
but | shall mention the five swords
donated by Washington to his
nephrws. This gift impressed me
because Of the injunction accompany
ing the gifts. read from his viii
a clause which tells his nephews to
not uusheath the swords for the pur-
nose OF shedding blood, except ii be
In self. defense, or in defense OF their
country or It's rights. In the lat'ef
case to keep them unsheathed ana
urefer falling with them IN their
hands to the reliuQuishment thereof
The east parlor and music room'
,ibrary, Mrs Washington's s'tt'ns
room, the rooms in which Washing
ton aud his wife died, the room IN
which Lafayette slept when he Wis
,ted this country IN 1924 all possess
,,,,r ,ttractiveness because OF
thetr colonial equipment aud MS