Evening star., 1939-06-10

necked gown, Great Falls and Har-
pers Ferry.
They came out on the spacious
lawn bordered with majestic elms,
tulip poplars and oaks.
They paused briefly in the mu-
scum over the Washington family
Bible and prayer book, the wedding
gown Of Nellie Custis. the pointed
toed slippers worn by Martha Wash
ington when she sat before the
open fire on chilly evenings at Mount
Vernon $50 years ago.
Citizenry Gathers at Mount Vernon.
AS early as 1890 the Mount Yer
non grounds were in readiness.
with cordons of police and soldiers
from Fort Belvoir. Va.
Photographers had already estab-
lished themselves on the special
stand overlooking the tomb of
Washington, where the King was to
lay wreath. On each side of the
entrance to the tomb was a large
American flag.
Already. sightseers, hoping for a
glimpse of the royal party, had be-
gun to gather along Mount Vernon
Memorial highway. Many were eat
ing luncheon at various points.
One group of women, disappointed
at missing the King and Queen
Thursday at the Cathedral had mo-
tored to Mount Vernon to make
second attempt.
Ships Exchange Salutes.
Meanwhile, as the presidential
yacht Potomac passed the Wilson
liner City of Washington midway
between Marshall Hall, Md, and
the Seventh street wharves on the
way to Mount Vernon from the Navy
Yard. the two ships exchanged
courtsy blasts of whistles.
King George and Queen Elizabeth,
sitting in the bow of the Potomac
with President and Mrs. Roosevelt,
James A. Farley postmaster general
and other officials and members of
the royal encourage, waved a greet
ing to passengers on the pleasure
boat. President Roosevelt smiled
and raised his hand in salute.
At l pm. the presidential yacht
hove into sight around bend in
the Potomac and proceeded to the
dock at Mount Vernon. 1t was met
by Mrs. Horace Mann Towner, re-
gent of the Mount Vernon Ladies
Association, accompanied by C. c..
Wall, superintendent of Mount
Vernon.
Landing at 1:26.
AS the ship docked the American
colors were rung up on the after
staff and another American flag,
which had been on the gaff, was
lowered.
been on the upper deck of the yacht
was lowered at 1:25 pm, the So
called bitter end piece was placed
at the end of the companionway on
the dock, and at 1:26 the first men,
bers of the party set foot on the
dock.
The first to walk off the pier to-
ward the Mount Vernon estate were
Sir Ronald Lindsay, in formal
clothes and top hat, in company
with Postmaster General Farley in
a straw hat. At the same time a
bugle on board the ship sounded
attention and Queen Elizabeth and
Mrs. Roosevelt left the ship.
She was followed by President
Roosevelt minute later, and the
King came Immediately after.
Most of Party Walks Up Hill.
The King and President Roosevelt
got into one of the White House
cars, with Brig. Gen. Edwin NJ Wat
son, secretary and military aide to
the President, and drove up the
winding drive leading directly to the
tomb, arriving at 1:35.
Mrs. Roosevelt and the Queen
followed in another car. The rest of
the party walked up the hill from
the dock.
After the car bearing President
Roosevelt and the King came to the
edge of the brick pavement in front
of the tomb the King and President
got out. Then, on the arrival of the
others, the King, the Queen, the
President, Mrs. Roosevelt and others
of the party paused. The Queen
asked Mrs. Roosevelt some questions
about the tombstone of Jane Char
lotte Blackburn in front of the
Washington tomb. She was the
wife of John Augustine Washington.
The wreath was picked up by
King George, while the assembly
maintained solemn silence. He
walked slowly to the tomb. entered
the gateway and laid the wreath
slowly at the foot of the sarcophagus.
Carnations and Orchids.
The wreath was made of lilies,
white orchids and white carnations,
with background of green and yel-