The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1914-07-17

by j. r. Jones.

10y j. r. Jones.
Likely my feelings when visiting Mount
Vernon have been much the same as a
great many other people. and though l
have been there time and again, some
thing bids me 10 return-it Is magnet
merely needle The sweet abiding
place OF Mount Vernon Is a fitting re-
minder that though the master Of the
place has been dead more than a century,
his achievements are unequaled in the
history OF the world. nation that al
ways viii endearinely call MIN the
Father OF Iii~ Country" now sends lite
pilgrims t. Mount Vernon. and they
travel along the paths that Washington
planned, or ahout the grounds he loved,
and they viii tell you that they expert
ence an unusual contentment and free
dom from the practical and troublesome
problems OF lie Familiarity with these
scenes appears To intensity the romance
and sanctity that hover about the house
OF Washington.
! believe in the advice: See everything
once---and have put II into practice.
Many gOOd things worth seeing once are
worth seeing twice and occasionally
things worth seeing twice will stand still
another Inspection. But 10 a. many
times AZ you wish. and you will always
feel All uneO.ainable serenity and peace
when you pass within the gateS OF Mount
Vernon.
| can recall a thousand big sights and
experiences OF first magnitude. and in
our own domain they include the Maine
woods, the roaring Niagara, the Great
Lakes, the Rocky Mountains: dips in
the Atlantic, the Pacific. Lake Superior
and the Gull Of Mexico. a train ride
through the Culebra Cut and q walk
across the locks at (iatun; stalking deer
IN the forests, whipping the trout streams
IN the middle west, and hauling in the
lines while fishing OF Cape Cod. or pull.
ing salmon from Lake Sehago. Bul
Mount Vernon furnishes a singular con-
trast 10 all else, for il has its individual
and peculiar way OF sending thrills thru
ones systein---it bids you pause in CON
temptation; and perhaps you murmur
silent prayer a., hat in hand you eagerl,
lean forward. proud OF the patriotic sen
sations you feel, and in the knowledg,
that you are an American, and are stand
ing before your cOuntry's greatest shrine
your own eyes beholding the casket
within the tomb that contain all that
mortal of George and Martha Washing
ton
AT the we'll where Washington quench
ed his thirst from a gourd, you produc
your modern sanitary cup, and drink th
nectar supplied from mother earth. Ii
the mansion itself you marvel before th
relics and mementoes Of the Washingto
family, and almost uncons ,iously ez
claim: Wonderful There ia one c
the five Washington swords, with tne in
junction by Washington that they mus
not be unsheathed "for the purpose @
shedding blood except it be in self de
Tense or IN defense of this country AN,
It's rights, and in the latter case to kee
Them unsheathed and prefer falling Wit
them IN their hands to the relinquish
ment thereof.
The voices hush a. the visitors pas
through the mansion when they stop be
lore a CHAMBER door over which there i
an inscription saying that Washington
died IN that room. The original be,
with its four high posts and canopie.
covering Is the same on which the grea
and good man died. His mothers desI