The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-08-27
Continued from last wcek.)
The Washington Monument.

ital Of our country, and not the least
of these is the high obelisk known as
"The Wasl .ngton Monument. This
memorial was begun in 1913 by popu-
lar subscription. The war between the
States interrupted it's building and af-
ter that, Congress appropriated money
for it's completion. This monument is
sos feet high and one can make the
ascent by elevator or the 900 steps
around the side. We chose to go up
by the elevator. You take your
turn" in seeing places and first come
first served is invariably the rule
there. So we took our places in the
waiting line at the base OF the monu-
ment and leaned our weary bodies
against the huge stones. One fellow
got very indignant when he tried to
crowd in and go up without waiting
but the guard. who showed his Irish
origin, told him in no gcntcl tones, he
could wait his turn or go on his way.
He chose the latter, so saw one man
that did not go up the monument
When VIC began to move slowly up
ward I'll be honest enough to admit,
that was one trip wished | had not
made, for like the old negro preacher,
though, while the cables crcakcd. Of
that blessed old terra Gotta on which
we stand" | didn't enjoy that ride
up one bit, but the view Of the city re-
paid me-. coward though was. We
looked out towards the city and ii is
Il chcckcrboard arrangement all right.
The autos ami street cars looked like
the playthinys that Santa Claus brings
to good little children. | gaZcd out to-
ward the Potomac and ihc hundreds Of
mellow bugs" that we used to watch
in The sDrinG branch. In the very top
Of The Donumrnt SlanCs an old soldier
with telephone receiver held to his
ear. | shall always regret | did no,
ask the old man who he was .elc Jhnn-
ing to! Nov lust wouldn't yu1 like 10
know There were post cards Tor
sale up there and the revenue for them
went to tho asylum fOt the blind in
the city. In all our sightseeing we
could look and see the monument and
always there was the stream Of hu-
manity lined up at the base waiting
their turn" to go up.
The Museum.
| heard the little boy the other day.
while making toad frog houses"
0inRing and all the words I remember,
naa was chanting that somebody or
something was "knocked-knecd, bow
legged, crippled and blind! ! sat
down and laughed, for that was about
my state Of physical being when en-
tered the Museum and Of all places
that surely is one that one would need
all Our faculties-so much to see.
However, physical endurance has n
limit, so when I entered the portals Of
that most wonderful building, with
statues Of great men about, I delib-
erately sat down and pulled off my
slippers to rest my weary feet and
shut my eyes to all the grandeur of
y
to go on. had at last met my Wa
terloo again! While | sat with closed
eyes I communed with myself thusly:
Why in the world didn't we come here
first? There Is so much to see and
learn here. In this building we go
back to the beginning Of civilization
and come on up, and here sit too tired
to move or look. So tell you readers
to profit by my experience and when
you go to Washington, go to the Mu-
scum first. bethOught myself If the
splendid peaches had bought on my
way down and while resting I re-
freshed myself with the delicious
fruit. Feeling very much revived
put on my travelling shoes and sailed
forth I saw an Egyptian Mummy that
lived with the Pharoah's OF Egypt
saw in glass cases the exact replica
tion OF the families Of the carth-the
Hottentot, the Malay, the Filipino, the
Eskimos, the Indians, all in their ma
ptive surroundings-sO real and so
{life-like that 7 fancy I have been in
far-away lands-thc products OF 9th
er lands and countries, the products Of
our own land. One large hall being
given over to the minerals Of these