Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-02-09

Va
took az to the old Key mansion. This 10
In the hands Of . memorial association
which Is striving, by the sale Of certifi-
Gates OF membership ct 10 cents each, to
raise $4,000 with which to purchase the
mansion and furnish 1t according TO the
date OF that time. II is to be national
institution to perpctuate the memory OF
the author OF our national hymn, and IL
to come from the nation. No larger sums
are accepted.
l took page, which contains thirty
names in all. II get twenty nine more
subscribers, / have an engraving OF the
scene on board ship IS the "Star spangle
Banner" was being composed, made out
to me or any school or order may choose,
and this page goes on record as from
Maine. There are only three pages from
Maine so far, which made me feel small
In fact, had ! not mentioned living across
the bay from Bar Harbor, / think the
mind Of the worthy secretary would have
questioned my being . citizen OF the
United States.
The association Is but little more than
year old, and SO far is only paying rum
ming expenses. The secretary and his as
sistant are very enthusiastic. Ifthey can
but get the ear Of the people, the rest will
be easy. The only thing Of interest in the
building, aside from this object, is Q tab
leau, life-size, OF Betsy Ross completing
the first fiag), Washington, Ross and Nor
ris.
ftAp No. l-,.,. L.
US to the national soldiers home, which is
a city within itself-churches, postoffice,
library, hot houses--no good thing is left
out in the entertainment OF the nations
| guests.
From the home we went to the Catholic
monastery. Again we call down blessings
on the drivers head, for this is for us
wonderful experience, from the time the
aged Father welcomes us and sends q
monk to show us through. We are
greeted by sweet and distant music steal
ing in. The monk lighted our tapers and
| explained the different sepnlchres, took
| us into the corridor and showed us the
| open courtyard with the well in the CEN
| tire. He gave US silver souvenirs from Je-
rusalem, and good wishes for safe and
pleasant journeys to our distant homes.
Tuesday morning, instead Of trying to
get in to Belasco theater where the con-
vention OF governors was held, we had q
guide show us through the public rooms
Of the White House, state, war, navy and
treasury departments. The ambassadors
were coming from the state department as
we were going in. The guide raised his
hat, and, as he said, "France spoke to
you"
We went into the National museum, but
here, as in the Smithsonian institution,
| days are need. In the afternoon We Wis
tied the dead-letter office, where one is
simply amazed at the amount OF mail
handled and the articles in the museum
which have either been taken or gone
astray in the mails, from false teeth to
rattlesmakes. The dog which travelled
all over the world in mail cars and
steamers is mounted, and literally covered
with medals. We also visited the Lincoln
museum in the house where Lincoln died
on being brought from the theater.
Wednesday morning we went by trolley
to Mt. Vernon-a fifty-eight minutes ride
into Virginia, down the Potomac. One
can look into all the rooms in the man
sion, but invading tourists have made bars
necessary in recent years. As one looks
over the terraces through giant trees to
I UNCOVERED walls and the peaceful river,
and hears no sound of strife, one does not
| wonder Washington left his home for
/ political life with regret. Here is his
\ tomb, and here he yet speaks in the silent
I language OF the dead.
| We stopped, on our return, in Alexan-
dria, which Mr.. Durney says has not
changed for the better since the war. We
see the Marshall house, where Col. Els
/ worth was shot while taking down the
confederate flag; Christ church, where
| Washington worshiped; the masonic tenn
| pie, built in 1888. Another guide took US
| through the old Carlyle house, which re-
( mains in its original state. Until within
about year people have passed it by as
| being haunted. The fort was built in
| 1915, when the Potomac flowed around it..
The house was built on the fort in 1872.
| Washington received his first commission
in 1855 in the "blue ROOM.
The whole house is full of traditions of
the history Of the nation then unborn.
The vaults and jails where are human
bones and last used for combining negroes
before being brought out to be sold, are
little too creepy for for long tarries. The
land has been built up until one can
not see the river. We were told q
British ship was sunk in the next street
below.
A visit to the Smithsonian institution,
with Belasco theater in the evening,
finished the day.
Thursday forenoon the proprietor of the
Metropolitan hotel had arranged for our
meeting the President, through a friend
in the executive Office. Mr.. Taft was abb
sent at the funeral of the Brazilian am
bassador. Our card, however, gave US the
xysos 49, he 20 oft To-