McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1915-07-02
A Trip to Mount Vernon.
BY Mrs. ID. ID. PITTMAN.

"Where Potomac's stream is flowing
Virginia's borders through,
Where the white-sailed ships are going,
Sailing to the ocean blue.
Sixteen miles south of Washington,
on the Virginia shore of the Potomac
river. stands the Mansion of historic
old Mount Vernon. In all our coun-
try there is no spot so sacred to pa
triotic Americans than the home and
tomb of Gen. George Washington.
The memories Of a pilgrimage to this
spot will linger long in the mind of
traveller when the memories Of other
scenes have faded.
The ideal was to approach Mount
Vernon is by boat. This affords a
most beautiful view of the Mansion
and It's surroundings as seen from
the river. From the boat. one passes
along a shaded road tn the rock-paved
steps leading past the summer house
to the front lawn of Mount Vernon.
Here the view Of the broad Potomac
is grand and majestic. Lafayette
pronounced Mount Vernon one of the
most * ;cs: beautiful spots in the world.
Entering the Mansion. the traveller
passes through the various rooms.
On the first floor are the Banquet
Room or State Dining Room; the Mu-
sic Room or East Parlor; the West
Parlor; Washington's Library; the
Family Dining Room; and Mrs. Wash
ington's Sitting Room. These rooms
as we'll as the ones above are furnish
ed now exactly as they were in the
days of Washington. Oh the second
floor are several spare chambers; La
fayette's Room; Nellie Custis' Room;
and the room in which Washington
died. Here is still the bedstead upon
which he breathed his last. In the
attic are spare chambers; the Linen
Room; and the room in which Mrs.
Washington died three years after
the death Of her husband. Many in
teresting pieces of furniture and rel
les are to be found in all those ,an-
cient rooms. Among these are a suit
of Washington's clothes; his ring and
watch; his swords and gun; a marble
mantle-piece carved in Italy and pre-
sented to Washington; rug made by
order of Louis XVI of France for a
present to Washington; a model Of
the Bastille and the seven-inch iron
key to the Bastille, given to Wash
ington by Lafayette; the $1,000 harp
sicord given to Nellie Custis by Wash
ingtJn as a bridal present; embroidery
done by Mrs. Washington, and many
Of her personal possessions. These
are only few Of the hundreds of in
teresting things in the various rooms.
The flower gardens, orchards. veg
etable garden, and numerous out build
ings, are all now just as they were
when our nations Father resided there
except that at some places brick
walks have been substituted for grav-
eled ones. In the spinning house,
among the wheels, reels, looms, etc.
is a piece Of carpet in the process Of
being woven, that was in the loom
when Mrs. Washington died. The
kitchen is connected with the Man.
sion by a collonade. The kitchen
tables and cooking utensils of Mrs.
Washington's time are all just as they
were then. A person Of ordinary
height can stand erect in the great
fireplace Of the kitchen chimney,
The barn is built Of bricks imported
from England. The coach in which
Washington travelled is still kept in
| the coach house.
South Of the buildings and grounds
is the tomb Of Washington. Two
marble sarcophagi are seen within tht
anti.chsmber Of the large vault. Tht
one on the right contains the re
mains Of Gen. Washington; the othel
those Of his wife. Over the door o.
the tomb are the words, Il am tn,
Resurrection and the Life. He tina
believeth in Me, though he were dead
yet shall he live." In 1881 a dastardi'
robber attempted to steal the skull o
Washington, but was unsuccessful
Afterwards a new and more secur,
vault was built and the remains trans
ferred to it. The vault was locke,
and the key thrown into the Potoma'
River.
Leaving the home of Washington
by trolley, one may stop at Alexandri
ten miles north of Mount Vernon an