The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-04-13

II Geurss Washington never had
lived ~ Mount Vernon. had not died
there and had been hurled in the
Ar;ipudpS there would he excus.
enough fur the wish To- the place 81
spystty times seven the number o.
pilgrims who g. yearly down the 20
'omas 'n stand on the towering hi
ard 'n book - down the reaching
river valley
~ Hurg ago On . journey down the
Potomac % fore gusr Who bad married
a. American wife was On the buat
tie Vas much more Interested ~ the
n.uut, 90 'hs ro'umacs hanks and in
'he history - ~ country beyond It's
banks and r the life history Of
Ge"rg. Washington than was his
American heIruste
nisnforrstion for Fore anera
The foreigner asked his American.
born wife Il Geur.e Washington vas
born al Mount Vernon. She answered
that he vus: which he was not by
many miles The forei gner asked his
American sife many other questions
a. each - which with almost invari
atle ina,curacy she made answer.
This was Travelled American girl
There j. fairly well grounded belief
that size had met and captiyated her
husband While she was doing Europe
IN an automobile or was rhapsodizing
on the beauties - the Rhine, the TO
or the Danube
Perhaps some DAY this American
woman viii go back Ia her husbands
land and Nill listen to his stories OF
his American "trip. and IN the enthusi-
asrn % the nature which he made man.
fest on the Potomac h. will tell the
uutruths 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 II has not fallen t.
the lot ~ every body "a see Il in
sprngtime. II Is a noble place. a fit
ting resting ground FOR the First
American II seldom falls 10 ones
lot 10 see such heroic trees There Is
q giant OAK which stands sentinel over
the first burial place ~ Washington.
The body was removed from the base
Of the oak about ninety years ago. II
never should have been removed
II is said that Washington selected
the place where his body now lies AMI
left instructions that one day change
- soyulcher should 30 made. The
oak which guarded the first grave
must have been standing FOR two cen
turtles We view from 'he place Is In
spring enough 70 klndlo the eyes Of
the dead The view from the new
tomb is fine hut IL l. nothing 70 the
grand sweep II river hilltops and
forest which appear before the eye
from the place where Washington
slept for thirty years after his death
c. VS. 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. ~ course. which attaches
to any Of the belongings Of Washing
ton. but Il seems 20 be matter OF
regret that ~ the thousands who 60
70 Mount Vernon the interest In the
mirror which Washington stood he
fore when he shaved himself. and IN
The spoon with which he ate his por
ridge II he ate p"rridge is greater
than in The forest trees under whici
he walked in the garden whose hedges
of formal cut were planted by hi
hand
There j.. however. real living In
tercs' in the library Of the old home
IL the main the books are copies Of
those which were on the shelves In
Washingtun's time. The originals, II
il said. are in several libraries Of the
country, but mainly In the Boston .
Atheneum There i an original. how
ever. which il open al the title page
So thar T. the light be good the visit 4