The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1911-11-17

all parts Of the country, cheering them
on. expressing her belief that success
might come. She went on completing
the work of organization and taking
in new vfce-regents. She suffered
greatly physically, with nervous at
tacks. commissions and headaches that
exhausted her; but she worked I'm.
ceasingly.
On March 9, 1856. she met Edward
Everett, and so great was her elo-
quence that he promised to devote to
the cause the proceeds Of his lectures
for stated period. AS result Of this
he turned over to her S69,064.
Although the association did not
have the full 100000 with which to
buy, they had more than half the
amount But Mr.. Washington's refu-
sal to sell the place. encouraged refu-
sails from outsiders to contribute
money for the purchase There were
some who pretended to doubt the sin
cerity of the Southern Matron" and
the association. Despair conquered
nearly every woman in the cause ex
cept Ann Cunningham.
She went to Mount Vernon, making
part of the journey by railroad. al
though the motion of the train at that
time aggravated her suffering. She
went down the river in boat, was
transferred to rowboat in front OF
the Mount Vernon house and was car.
ried in chair into the house. There
he fn1 Nv royfp and hfo
family. but they were obdurate in
their refusal.
Pleading With Mr.. Washington.
Mr. Washington, 1t seemed. could
not take the project OF the women Sc
riously Miss Cunningham, weeping
and bitterly cast down, told the family
goodby and was carried to the wharf
and placed in small boat to catch
steamer on it's way up the river to
Washington. But she was late and
had to be taken back to Mount Yer
non to spend the night Upon her ar.
rival in the house once more she col
lapsed utterly and had to be put to
bed.
Late in the evening, by the exercise
of her indomitable will, she recovered
sufficiently to have herself carried
down to the parlor, where she re-
newed her entreaties to Mr.. Washing
ton that he sell Mount Vernon to the
Mount Vernon Ladies' association. But
he still refused. The next morning
before her departure. she pleaded with
him again Her whole heart was in
her words. Here is her own descrip-
ton of that last interview with Mr.
Washington:
1.-THE spirit moved me as never be-
fore. never spoke to mortal as
spoke to him. told him the isles Of
the sea would send their tributes to
Mount Vernon: that he would live to
see it, though would not 1--WE both
did, for Havana and the Sandwich
islands both send contributions)
when | saw l could not shake his
resolution against allowing Virginia to
buy Mount Vernon, for he was very
indignant at that and considered 1t
would be mean for Virginia to accept
the purchase money. | went so far as
to point to him the light in which com
ing generations would view his con
duct in preventing our tribute to
Washington. l told ham his descend
ants would mourn having descended
from him
"Unawares, l had at last touched
the sore spot'--the obstacle no money
could have removed / now found
that he thought the whole thing had
been arranged between the associa
ton and Virginia to put an indignity
on him
81 held out my hand. he put his In
mine; then. with quivex:ng lips. mois
eyes and heart too full to speak. on,
compact was closed In silence"
All the purchase money was paid
in by February %. 1859. and only two
years interviewed between that time
s,nd the outbreak of the Civil war For
NAL possession Of the home and its
surrounding grounds were taken b,
the association on February %. 1860