The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-02-17

the servant to remind him that ii was time to 20
by leading up the horse and handing the bride
reins to him. The members of Washington's
family the local historian relates. always came
up in a large coach drawn by four horses II the
roads were heavy. Not nfrequently neighbors
guests in the coach
Another favorite rendezvous in Alexandra for
sghtseers Is the room occupied by the Masonic
lodge named for Washington. This lodge still
fourishes. There one may look upon the chair
in which Washington sat when he presided over
the lodge of which he master, also the Ma
sonic apron he wore, his wedding gloves 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 in the old lodge room the
last authentic painting Of him, pastel from life
made by William Williams of Philadelphia.
Another old Washington landmark In Alexan-
dria is the Carlyle house. This structure was
there when Washington young man. In
colonial days 1t was one Of the bestknown 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
torians say, was present at any unusual event.
General Braddock had his headquarters Ia the
old hotel when ne proceeding against the
French and Indians Making ones way back to
the capital city over the Alexandria Arlington
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 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 a fitting companion piece for the great me-
mortal to Abraham Lincoln soon to be dedicated.
It speaks Of the founder OF the Republic; the
her Of no of
Many projects were discussed before the Wash
ington monument was conceived and work Il
begun. At the close of the Revolution the Con-
tinenta congress recommended the erection Of an
equestrian statue to Washington. Immediately
after his death the congress- sitting in Philadel-
phia, voted to erect a monument under which
he should be buried. Another project 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
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 As miles away The memorial had its in
ception In the minds Of patriotic people who
formed the Washington Memorial association. 1t
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 II looked at times IL this project
too would have to be abandoned
Finally In 1S4S congress voted a site. The
spot chosen had been marked by Washington
himself as a monument to the Revolution which
he hoped would sometime be built The work Of
erecting the monument proceeded slowly. 1t had
reached a height OF 178 feet when the Civil war
came on II was rooted over and stood untouched
until 1870 when congress again took hold and I'M
der the spur of congressional action 1t was COM
pleted in 1885. a
The height of the monument is 555 feet and
inches From the lookout on the top the view Of
the national capital and Its envrons fascinates
million persons year.
Other unpretentous memorials Of Washington
are to be seen In the national capital