Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-04-14

This comment has been made and
printed upon this subject:
ut is regarded by army medical Off
GERS as highly probable that full in
yestigation Of this subject may bring
to light a positive scientific explana-
ton of some part of the restlessnesS
that has been evident among the for
mer soldiers since the war. 1t may
well be, it is said, that the struggle
left its lasting mark upon thousands
Of men who underwent severe nervous
strain"
Surgeon General NJ w. Ireland has
said concerning this matter that an
analysis of the records probably will
show that physical deterioration was
more marked in the commanding per-
sonnet of the regular army than in
the emergency forces, because rela-
lively larger percentage of the for
mer was charged with greater respon-
sibilities entailing excessive strains,
both mental and physical"
Mount Vernon in sprinetime.
Bands of pilgrims to Mount Yer
non daily are increasing in num-
bers. The writer does not know
how many thousands of Americans go
yearly to the place where George
Washington lived, and died, but the
number is something enormous. AT
this season of the year with the
spring getting into its full beauty the
visitors to Washington have the best
of all seasons in which to make the
journey to the home of the Father OF
His Country.
If George Washington never had
lived at Mount Vernon, had not died
there, and had been buried in the
Antipodes, there would be excuse
enough for the visit to the place OF
seventy times seven the number OF
pilgrims who go yearly down the Po-
tomac to stand on the towering hill
and to look off down the reaching
river valley.
Not long ago on 4 journey down the
Potomac foreigner who had married
an American wife was on the boat.
He was much more interested In the
beauty of the POtomac's banks and in
the history of the country beyond its
banks, and in the life history of
George Washington than was his
American helpmate.
INSTRUMENTATION for Foreigners.
The foreigner asked his American
born wife if George Washington was
born at Mount Vernon. She answered
that he was; which he was not by
many miles. The foreigner asked his
American wife many other questions
to each of which with almost invari-
able inaccuracy she made answer.
This was a Travelled American girl.
There is a fairly we'll grounded belief
that she had met and captivated her
husband while she was doing Europe
in an automobile ar was rhapsodizing
on the beauties of the Rhine, the Pc,
or the Danube.
Perhaps some day this American
woman will go back to her husbands
land and will listen to his stories of
his American trip, and in the enthusi-
assn of the nature which he made man.
ifest on the Potomac he will tell the
untruths concerning George Washing
ton which he learned from his Ameri-
can wife.
Mount Vernon has been written
about by almost everybody who has
seen the place. 1t has not fallen to
the lot of everybody to see it in
springtime. 1t is a noble place, fit
ting resting ground for the First
American. 1t seldom falls to ones
lot to see such heroic trees. There is
a giant oak which stands sentinel over
the first burial place of Washington.
The body was removed from the base
of the oak about ninety years ago. 1t
never should have been removed.
1t is said that Washington selected
the place where his body now lies and
left instructions that one day change
of sepulcher should be made. The
oak which guarded the first grave
must have been standing for two cen
turtles. The view from the place is in
spring enough to kindle the eyes Of
the dead. The view from the new
tomb is fine, but it is nothing to the
grand sweep of river, hilltops and
forest which appear before the eye
from the place where Washington
slept for thirty years after his death.
G. WIS Trees and Library.
The visitors who go to Mount Yer
non peer into the tomb and then
straightway go to the house. There is
an interest, of course, which attaches
to any of the belongings of Washing
ton, but it seems to be matter of
regret that of the thousands who go
to Mount Vernon the interest in the
mirror which Washington stood be-
fore when he shaved himself, and in
the spoon with which he ate his por-
ridge, if he ate porridge, is greater
than in the forest trees under which
he walked in the garden whose hedges
of formal cut were planted by his
hand
There is, however, a real living in
terest in the library Of the old home
In the main the books are copies Of
those which were on the shelves in
Washington's time. The originals, it
is said, are in several libraries of the
country, but mainly in the Boston |
Atheneum. There is an original, how
ever, which is open at the title page,
so that if the light be good the visit
ors who pass along the rail which
guards the library may read Washing
toms name written in his own hand,