See America First

of a hill we had a glorious view. From the ravishing beauty of the scene, our minds fell to musing over that other race who had dwelt here, whose destiny the comi

the heavens, darkness began to creep over the land like a premature twilight. The songs of the birds that had been so noticeable before were hushed, the passing breeze

began to leap to the earth in angry flashes, or spread through the masses of rolling clouds like golden chains, or leaped and darted like the lurid tongues of serpents. The trees rocked and roared on the hills about us; now and then one fel

autiful than ever. It was as if Nature had made a fitting frame for the endless variety and beauty of the picture she had painted. The birds came forth from their leafy coverts and shook the water drops from their feathers while their notes rained like "liquid pearls" around us. As we watched the fading hues of the lovely bow and listened to the bird song that rose and fell in tides of r

sifted through the transparent leaves and spread itself in a mellow glow upon the ground beneath. Never did light seem so impressive as that which streamed through the forest and lit up the hills

the shimmeri

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ddock to prepare for the expedition against Fort Duquesne. This town was twice taken by the Confederates and when occupied by the troops o

ad always reigned here and it was with a feeling of rare delight we approached the charming Wayside Inn, peeping from its gracefully overhanging elms. After procuring rooms for the night we went in search of the spot where Barbara Frietchie lived. The day had been extremely oppressive, but since th

with their

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Barbara Fri

three score y

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ne of the finest statues our country affords. The grace and beauty of that figure, as if still pointing toward his country's glorious emblem, causes the heart of the beholder to swell with emotion. We seemed to catch from those l

, oh, so gently, over this hallowed spot. A robin repeated his evening song softly from a maple near it, and a mourning dove began his meditative cooing. Slowly we left the secluded place where the hero and heroi

d associations thronged through the galleries of memory to see printed there, radiant and

ectural objects in the world, dominates the lovely city. This beautiful structure, which covers an ar

ne-half thousand tons. It was erected at a cost of six million dollars, and required eight years for its construction. To the north, nearest the Union station, which, too, is an architectural dream, is the Senate wing of the Capitol. The se

paintings and beautiful statuary. This dome is a little higher than that of Antwerp Cathedral, where you look upward one hundred and eighty feet, to gaze upon the glorious Assumption by Corneil Schutt. Passing through the corridor you come to the old House of Representatives, now the H

eeding president is administered by the Chief Justice of th

Then, too, what are crumbling moss grown castles in which dwelt those robber knights, along the Rhine, seen through the glorious perspective, made radiant with American ideas of the present century! What wonderful crops from the fertile brains of men have been produced since the beginning of

building is the most inspiring and marvelous combination of gold, silver, rare marbles and mosaics on as gigantic a scale as is to be found in America. Buil

red slowly through this beautiful abode of the Nation's heroic dead. At one place we paused before a fuchsia-bordered plot of ground, where we read from a tablet: "To the 4,713 unknown dead who slumber here," and opposite this a coleus-lined space "dedicated to the 24,874 known dead," who offered their lives, that the black stain of slavery might be removed from the land. As we looked at the stretches of grass and flowers which shone in their midst, at the myriads of leaves upon the trees, the birds, the bees, and

orcoran left the American people when he deeded to the public the Corcoran Gallery of Art to be used solely for the purposes

born and a look at the wonderful works of art to be seen here will convince t

oleon First," and Powers' "Greek Slave," while among its canvases are Mueller's "Charlotte Co

her country possesses such vast stretches of prairies, magnificent rivers an

"Sunset in the Woods": "The material for my picture was taken from a sketch made near Hastings, Westchester county, New York, twenty years ago. This picture was commenced seven years ago, but until last winter I had not obtained any idea commensurate with the impression received on the spot. The idea is

eat boulder." It is indeed a wonderful creation filled with the mystery and silence of approaching nightfall. As you gaze at the seemingly deepening gloom, you feel the very spirit of the violet dusk. A wood thrush is ringing her vesper bell softly. A marked stillness

he common scenes of woods, meadow and stream, which so few rea

to have caught some of its fleeting beauties and transferred them to canvas. This picture had a startling effect upon Europeans when it was ex

rmandy. As you gaze at the vast stretch of marshy country, with stone roads, marked by milestones, you begin to appreciate the wonderful genius of

he Louvre. How much better it is to see part of these magnifice

ee them, but the "Venus de Milo" and the "Winged Victory" stand out in memory among the innumerable works of art as the Alps tower above the vales of Switzerland. That magnificent piece of sculpture, V

y the "St. John" and

by Leonardo Da Vin

o, and

he ascent for no finer view of the city, the surrounding hills and the Potomac can be had than from the observation point, at a height of five hundred four feet. As we looked down on the lovely avenues, gardens and statues of this w

s and sped along the road that led to the Nation's shrine. What memories hallowed by art and song c

this- one of the most sacred spots in America-when we found the very undesirable custom of charging a fee to view a scene that above all others should be free to the public. T

re enameled with brilliant hued flowers, artistically arranged. There was something almost sacred in the solitude here. We seemed to see the stately form of the master, as he gazed in admiration at this charming spot or stooped to pluck a few rare blossoms for his companion.

the store room as if overcome by his own ecstatic singing-this was our welcome to Mount Vernon. With brilliant bewildering staccato phrases he started singing in one place, then mounted to the air, spread his wings and floating down to the tops of a cedar, never missing a note. It was purely a

eeks in forgetting the maddening strife and cares gazing out ove

e the tulip trees he planted over one hundred and thirty years ago. The master of these stately trees has long since gone, yet his spirit seems to linger there. These glorious tulips are tall and straight as the man wh

ington. In the rear of the mansion is a fine lawn comprising a number of

Mrs. Sangster's words as we gazed

a tree for f

fair, on ve

a tree a tr

years, in fa

large wings which housed The State Ministers and contained their offices, you are greatly impressed at the Herculean labor and immense cost such magnificenc

he magnificent forest. You see the room in which our great and illustrious Franklin stayed and marvel at the glorious Hall of Mirrors where the Peace Conference met. Yet you are glad to get o

Here, too, visitors find in the wonderful trees a symbol of something

nguine color that seemed to presage a tempest. At first the sound was like the faint lisping murmur of pines along the shore or the sobbing surf as it retreated from the charge it made; but ere long it broke forth in loud, angry tones like t

easy to leave a charming home where happiness and love reigned supreme; yet when the call, that echoed from far New England's rug

and dormer windows, quite as much as the mansion itself. This was

ch are twenty-five feet in height. The width of the piazza is fifteen feet, having a balustrade of pleasing design around it; and in the center of the roof is a circular observatory from which a wonderful view of the Potomac may be had. The roof contains several dormer windows. There are six rooms on the ground floor and on entering the passage way that leads from east

esented to Washington for his Mount Vernon home by Mr. Vaughan, of London. Upon thre

seen here. How much more inspiring is a noble hu

receives that hearty admiration which youth and age alike bestow on a man who so forcibly illustrates and embellishes manhood. No one finds cause of regret for lavishing it, for that finely formed intellectual

ne for nearly three-fourths of a century-that same indomitable spirit rose high above the treacherous rocks of fear, where it shone on th

d far above the sordid lowlands of selfish ambitions to those sublime heights of whole-souled devotion to public duty and incorruptible integrity, where the great soul of the man shone forth like the lovely Pleiades on a winter night. In this "Cincinnatus of the West" resided a liberal mind, broad as hi

r of noble dignity never left his manly features, in either defeat or battle." On following his brilliant career as a commander one realizes as never before, that "intellect and no

e Sword of Washington and Franklin's staff. While gazing at these m

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mbol of the overthrow of despotism and triumph of free government in France. That symbol is today

n. "We felt an awe in treading these lonely halls, a feeling that hallowed the spot as if there yet l

rs and venerable maples we made our way to a quiet secluded spot where so many had gone before us, to leave the most perfect roses of Memory, filled with the incense of grateful

Albert of Belgium as a loving tribute

ded the wonderful opportunity of visiting this famous spot. What an ideal place to take them, for the farm has always been the best place on earth for the family. "It is the main source of our national wealth; the fou

e again passed through the garden over which floated the

mile wide though it is one hundred miles from its mouth. It forms a harbor sufficiently deep for the largest ocean vessels. A fine view of the Capitol at Washington may be had, and from the Virginia end of the bridge spanning the Potomac a magnificent view of Lee's old home. Now Arlington

ouls" that thoughtfully and prayerfully he received courage and strength which led him to espouse the Cause of Liberty. A feeling of solemnity steals over you akin to that which you experience while treading the dim lighted aisle of some vast cathedral. On first beholding the Notre Dame in Cologne, you feel as if you were indeed lingering at the gates of the "Temple Beautiful." And on entering, how majestic are the arc

strate who knew no glory but his country's good; to that he returned happiest when hi

make this pilgrimage to it as to a shrine, and when it shall fall, if fall it mus

RD EV