The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1931-08-20

learn the reactions of first visitor
to the beautiful place. We saw the
grounds George Washington laid out;
we saw the room in which he ate
his meals; we saw the room in which
he died; and we looked through the
iron bars upon the stone receptacle
in which his mortal remains are en-
cased. 81 feel" this Nebraska friend
of mine said, 81 feel kind of dazed
All this causes a feeling of awe to
spread over me. This is all sacred,
it seems, and we should bear our
selves in a reverential manner as we
move quietly along"
I think those words rather voiced
my own feelings the first time
visited Mount Vernon more than 20
years ago, and they represent my re-
actions in all the various times
have ever visited the beautiful Vir-
ginia estate. l never go there but
what it seems l would like to remain.
Indeed / should like to know how it
feels to spend night amid these
peaceful surroundings.
You may visit Mount Vernon again
and again, and each time you will
see something you do not recall hav-
ing seen before. On this occasion /
noted fowling piece which George
Washington used on some of his
hunting expeditions around the great
farm, when wild game abounded
there. I noted some fire-dogs be-
side fireplace, gifts from Lafayette
to Washington. / looked upon a
tiny ring which had been worn by
Mrs. Washington, the ring original
ly having been breast pin. The
key of the old French Bastile always
interests me. 1t seems to be the
symbol of tyranny's overthrow.
Lafayette presented the key to Wash
ington when the French revolution
was accomplished.
1t is an interesting ride from
Alexandria to the old home OF
George Washington and one who
knows the modern highways which
Mr.. Babcock is building in Minneso-
ia, wonders bit at these roads
which stretch ahead in serpentine
manner. Evidently when the perm
anment concrete ways were laid out
the engineers decided that the old
country lanes were good enuogh and
apparently they eliminated not turn
in the road and cut down not a
grade of the rolling highway. Twist
and turn and turn and twist one
spins along on the rubber, with
scarcely a point in the seven-mile
stretch where there is a straighta-
away for a quarter of a mile. For
fast going, this is not so good, but
for picturesqueness, it is not to be
surpassed.
Visitors to Mount Vernon, who
have never seen a radio station, have
their opportunity on this ride, for
one comes upon Station WJSV,
Mount Vernon Hills, Virginia" on
the trip to the home Of the Father
of His Country.
Visit Mount Vernon again and
again, and you will marvel at the
foresight manifested by the builders
Of the home, for a more magnificent
panoramic view can not be imagined
than that which is obtained from the
front yard of the Mount Vernon
homestead, as it stretches downward
to the deer park and thence to the
tapping waters of the Potomac far
below.
/ happened to gaze at a sign on
the great old barn, whose roof on one
side veers down to within three fee,
of the ground, and I came to know
that the structure was erected il
1882, nearly two centuries ago. But
it is well preserved and so is the
smoke mouse and so IS the coach
house, and so are all the other build
ings about the spacious farmyard.
You would be surprised at the vast
amount of space to be found within
the walls of the house. You visit
room after room on the first floor
the second floor and even the third
floor, and they are not small apart
ments either. People in those days
constantly expected to have visitors
dropping in on them and they were
always prepared to escort them to
one or another of the various spare
rooms where they could enjoy a
nights lodging.
l was interested in viewing Wash
ington's library and noting the many
volumes on history and on farming
which are to be found there, all in an
excellent state of preservation.