The Ordway new era., 1921-02-18

the servant to remind him that 1t was time to go
by leading up the horse and handing the bride
rens to him. The members of Washington's
family, the local historian relates. always came
up in a large coach drawn by four horses If the
roads were heavy. Not infrequently neighbors
were guests in the coach.
Another favorte rendezvous in Alexandria tor
sightseers is the room occupied by the Masonic
lodge named for Washington. This lodge still
fiourishes. There one may look upon the chair
in which Washington sat when he presided over
the lodge of which he was master, also the Ma
sonic apron he wore his wedding gloves, a pair
of spurs he wore, pruning knife he used on
the Mount Vernon plantation. and penknife
which his mother gave him when he was boy.
And there is to be seen in the old lodge room the
last authentic painting Of him, pastel from life
made by William williams of Philadelphia.
Another old Washington landmark Id Alexan-
dria is the Carlyle house. This structure was
there when Washington was young man. In
colonial days 1t one of the best-known hotels
In Virginia. The fine folks Of the Old Dominion
gathered there for balls and dinners and for good
times generally, and Washington the local his
torfans say, was present at any unusual event.
General Braddock had his headquarters in the
old hotel when he was proceeding against the
French and Indians. Making ones way back to
the capital city over the Observation-Disclosures
road numerous landmarks may be seen. This
highway leads by Arlington, the resting place Of
the nations heroes, and to Georgetown
AS this old highway brings the traveller around
the brow of hill four miles southwest Of the
national capital the Washington monument looms
up across the low land and the Potomac river.
From no point In the environs Of the national
capital does the monument appear to greater ad-
vantage-a magnificent reminder Of the good
works Of one typical American. This monument
is fitting companion piece for the great me
mortal to Abraham Lincoln soon to be dedicated
1t speaks of the founder of the Republic; the
other of the saviour of the Republic.
Many projects were discussed before the Wash
4 ington monument was conceived and work on II
begun. AT the close Of the Revolution the Con-
tinental congress recommended the erection Of an
equestrian statue to Washington. Immediately
after his death the congress- sitting in Philadel-
phia, voted to erect monument under which
he should be buried. Another project was to make
the Capitol building memorial to him. Trav-
elers may to this day have peep at a vaulted
chamber directly under the rotunda Of the Capitol
which was designed a resting place for the
body of Washington.
The Washington monument is the most con-
spicuous work of man at the national capital.
The dome of the Capitol and dome Of the Con-
gressional library and the new Lincoln memorial
stand out with boldness, but the monument over
tops them On clear day the monument may
be seen from the crest of the Blue Ridge noun
tains, 45 miles away. The memorial had Its In
ception In the minds Of patriotic people who
formed the Washington Memorial association. It
was proposed to charge membership fee Of 81
and the money thus contributed was to be used
in the erection Of suitable monument to the
hero Of the Revolution. The money came in
slowly and 1t looked at times as II this project
too would have to be abandoned.
Finally In 1s4s congress voted site. The
.spot chosen had been marked By Washington
himself a monument to the Revolution which
he hoped would sometime be built. The work Of
erecting the monument proceeded slowly. It had
reached q height Of 178 feet when the Civil war
came on, It was rooted over and stood untouched
untfl 1915 when congress again took hold and un-
der the spur Of congressional action Il was com
pleted IN 1854
The k6isht Of the monument Il B1B feet and 8
inches. From ths lookout on the tcp H. view o6
the natisnal capital and IL envirpns fascinates
miliion persons = year.
6thsr unprstsntious nemeriele q WasAlnoteA