The Washington herald., 1913-02-16

WashinCton's face-reproducing his fca-
lures with absolute accuracy.
Home again after his retirement from
the Presidency Washington wrote: Il
can truly say j had rather be at Mount
Vernon. with a friend or two about
me. than TO be attended at the seat of
government by the officers OF State and
the representatives OF every power in
Europe"
Again. In 1877: Rural employment..
while I am pared. which in the natural
course Of things cannot he long. will now
take the place OF toll. responsibility, and
the solicitude attending the walks OF
public life
For many years before his death Wash
ington seems to have had almost con-
stantly in mind the prospect of his de-
parture from this world. 1t was prob
ably on this account that he took SO
marked and personal an interest in the
proposed removal of the old family burial
vault, which stood near the edge OF the
bluff overlooking the Potomac. beneath
n grove of trees, and at no great dis
tance from the mansion at Mount Yer
non. 1t had been undermined to some
extent by an underground stream-which.
by the way. has threatened such dam
age within recent years. causing small
landslides, that a tunnel to carry on the
water has had to be constructed, at a
cost of 5000
Less than six months before his death.
he wrote: THE family vault at Mount
Vernon requiring repairs. and being i'm
properly situated besides. I desire that
a new one of brick. and upon a larger
scale. may be built. in which my re-
mains, with those of my deceased rela-
tives tnow in the old Vault. and such
others of my family as may choose to
be entombed there. may be deposited
The spot indicated for the new vault
is to-day occupied by handsome mauso-
leum, through the iron gate Of which
may be seen two sarcophagi hewn out
of single blocks of marble containing the
bodies OF George and Martha. Both.
however. were originally placed in the
old vault, and were not transferred for
more than thirty years.
Mount Vernon. when Washington first
occupied 1.-THE mansion. that is to say
was much smaller than 1t is at the
present time. 1t was not until after the
Revolution that Washington added the
library at the south end and the "ban-
quet hail. at the north end. He also en-
larged the estate considerably by pur-
chases Of land. Notwithstanding the
freedom of his hospitality. and his lib
erality in other respects, he was always
when he died he was probably the rich
est man In the United States. his wealth
amounting to nearly 81, 100000. In the
iron chest already mentioned, no less
a sum than sc9.466 was found.
An entry toward the end Of his diary,
and dated February II. reads: went up
to Alexandria to the celebration OF my
birthday. Many maneuvers were per-
formed by the uniformed corps. and an
elegant ball and supper at night"
Washington, be 1t observed. was born
February II. But this was "old STYLE"
and equivalent to February q by the
calendar We use nowadays.
1t is highly probable that Washington
would have lived many years longer II
he had had the benefit Of such medical
knowledge as we possess nowadays. But,
attacked by a bad cold. which affected
his throat, he was literally bled to death
by the doctors-such being the customary
method of treating all kinds of COM
plants in those times. The attendants
who prepared his body for burial found
fastened about his neck a miniature of
his wife which he had worn for forty
years.
in the city of Washington. at the age
of, eighty y-eight. a man named John Lane.
who was the last person then surviving
who looked upon the face Of the Father
of His Country. Ten years old at the
time, he was present when the body was
removed to the new vault at Mount Yer.
non, in 1884. The exercises on that oc-
casion were largely attended. and, the
top Of the coffin being lifted, one Of the
underta kers held the boy up in his arms.
SO that he might see. RENE BACHE.