Evening star., 1935-02-17
Mt. Veru0u
Continued From Third Page.

hall, Mrs washingtons sitting room and the
library, all on the first floor.
When Col. Harrison H. Dodge who
has been superintendent Of Mount Vernon
for half century, asked what he con-
sidered the most important relic at Mount
Vernon, he promptly replied, "Houdons clay
bust of Washington" That bust, made from
life by the French sculptor in 1785, while he
visited Mount Vernon is accepted as the true
likeness of George Washington. The plaster
cast which Houdon made from it and took to
France, enabled him to give true features to
his famous Houdon's statue of Washington.
According to Col. Dodge that clay bust and
the globe in the library at Mount Vernon have
the distinction of having been in the mansion
continuously since they were placed there in
George Washington's time. It is probable that
the key of the Bastle which was presented
to washington in 1879 by Lafayette has also
hung in the historic house ever since WASH
ington's time, for a magazine article written
on Mount Vernon in 1856 describes 1t as hang
ing there in its glass case.
AS the furnishings of the mansion we're not
willed to Bushrod Washington with the house,
but were bequeathed to members OF the CustiS
family and others. there was almost nothing
of the original Washington furniture in the
house when it was purchased. Fortunately,
many authenticated pieces of Washington'S
furniture have been restored in late years to
their original setting. OF the six well-furnished
bed rooms on the second floor, "WaShington'S
room," where the First American died in 1899,
attracts unusual notice. When crowds are not
too large to tax the strength of the stairs to
the third floor, visitors see the spare rooms
where many notables have been entertained
in the past but they are most interested In
Mrs. Washington's room. The view from IL
one window was the cause for the devoted
Martha WaShington's choice of that bed room
after George Washingtons death. It allowed
her to see the tomb where her husbands body
lay.
Pilgrims to the national shrine either begin
or end their visits at the tomb of George
Washington, which he himself planned and to
which his body was taken from the old family
it was placed in its present sarcophagus which
is seen in the anteroom of the vault beside the
sarcophagus Of his beloved wife, Martha. The
tall, white-haired George Seals, who was born
OF slave parents on the estate, has guarded
the tomb for many years. Its first protector
was Edmund Parker, who Is said to have been
almost constantly on duty at the little sentry
box during his service Of about 40 years. With
his death in 1898. the last Of the Mount Yer.
non slaves passed away. He had considered Il
an honor to tell visitors to the tomb that In
the vault at the rear Of the sarcophagi of the
illustrious Washington and his wife, about 50
washington relatives were buried. After the
burial OF John Augustine Washington's widow,
Mrs. Jane c. Washington whom Parker helped
to entomb in the family vault, the key was
thrown into the Potomac. Washington's de-.
sire to be buried at Mount Vernon where the
other members of his family had been inferred
was respected even though the sarcophagus
prepared for him by the Government of the
United States remains empty in the crypt n
the Capitol.