The Rice belt journal., February 18, 1910, Image 2

About The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??

Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA

                
iU: CO8e ]WCISH ll IOR
EORGE W'ASHING- WALDON FAWOETT
ton's home and tomb
at Mount Vernon have
become a Mecca for
continual pilgrimages
by the people of a
grateful nation, to say
nothing of the fre < '
quent visits of dis
tinguished foreigners; ..
but, oaely enough, the birthplace of
the Father of His Country, located::
some miles nearer the mouth of the
Potomac, is neglected and to a con
siderable extent unknown. Fortu- . . ..
nately a movement has been recent
ly inaugurated to restore and pre
serve Wakefield plantation, where
Washington was born and where he
spent his boyhood. This project is
coincident with the plan for the res
toration of Stratford, the birthplace of
Robert E. Lee. .ý-t CT- i
The opportunities for a memorial
shrine to the military leader of the Woto674 co,t
confederacy are, however, somewhat ) -WAL ON tW.ETr
superior to those at Wakefield, for
whereas the ancestral home of the .
Lees is yet standing in a fair state ,  _ .-- -
of preservation there are no rem- o-- AT
nants of the old buildings at Wake- BII l/ 'ý' oy y .i`gr/':Z:
field save some tumble-down log
structures of uncertain origin which tion "WahinOn's Birthplace," and
are reputed to have once served as in sm"Wall letters at the base the words:
slave quarters, but which are now in small letters at the base the words:
utilized as corn cribs. "Erected by the United States, A. D.
utilize old as cor house in which 1895." Latterly plans have been pro
The old manor house in which Jected for rebuilding the old mansion.
George Washington opened his eyes ected for rebuilding the old mansion,
upon the world was burned in the placing in a conspicuous portion of
last century, but the brick chimney, the structure the few bricks remain
last century, but the brick chimney, ing from the old house and using the
within the arch of which four people g from the old house and using th
could sit, and the cornerstone with a original cornerstone.
portion of the foundation were saved. In the old family burying ground
Shortly before the civil war the hisaved. at Wakefield there has recently been
tortly farm passed into the hands of a put in place a granite slab in memory
toric farm passed into the handoutset showed a of Augustine Washington, father of
family which at the outset showed George Washington. This stone was
provided by the Society of the Colo
nial Dames of America. In this grave
yard, also, is a marble slab bearing
T ,,I., an inscription that indicates that it
.70,,/, G'Y.S was placed in its present position in
.,, C/ýF,,X LLZ. 1129.
fYýVAn fYION2"= Probably the principal reason for
the neglect of Wakefield by the tour
mother of Washington. Ist throng that visits Mount Vernon is found in
it was broken and its the isolation of Washington's birthplace. In con
fragments lie there to- Junction with the erection of the governmental
.. - " . - . day, moss-grown and monument at Wakefield a substantial pier was
. - .. vine-covered. Later on built extending some distance out into the Poto
picnic parties landed mac, but this pier is now in shoal water and
on the sandy beach none of the larger steamers plying on the Poto
'and made such a prac- mac can reach it. In consequence the only avail
:..... . ... . : . .. tice of carrying away able means of reaching Wakefield is to take pas
the bricks as souvenirs sage on one of the steamers bound for Colonial
' . : ,-:-, {': "..:.. -. that John W. Wilson, Beach, the leading summer resort of the lower
the owner of the farm, Potomac, and upon arrival at the beach to either
took steps to prevent charter a launch for the trip to Wakefield or else
f u r t h e r trespassing. reach the same goal by a considerable drive over
Only a few of the old roads that are none too good. Even this time
bricks, together with consuming method of making a pilgrimage to
SRg>p - 2 the cornerstones, are Wakefield is impracticable in winter.
0ArR OFP -c ' now left. These bricks,
-i--r- 'zO2OA' by the way, were Washington is the mightiest name of the
brought over from Eng- earth-long since mightiest in moral reformation.
land nearly two centu- On that name a eulogy is expected. It cannot
some appreciation\for its associations. A suc- ries ago, serving as ballast for the vessels, which be. To add brightness to the sun or glory to the
ceedlng generation, however, demolished the also brought all the woodwork and other fur- name of Washington is alike impossible. Let
chimney and the remnants of the walls in order nishings. The broad portico of the old house none attempt it. In solemn awe pronounce the
to secure the bricks. faced the Potomac, which is here miles in width, name and in its naked, deathless splendor leave
A marble slab, bearing an inscription giving and in the estimation of many persons the view it shining on.-Abraham Lincoln.
the date of Washington's birth and other infor, at this point surpasses that at either Arlington
mation, which had been set into the great arch or Mount Vernon. America has furnished to the world the char.
of the fireplace above mentioned was removed to In the year 1895 the national government acter of Washington. And if our American insti
the old family burying ground, but in placing it erected at Wakefield a miniature copy of the tutions had done nothing else that alone would
beneath two ancient fig-trees, planted by the Washington national monument with the inscrip- have entitled them to the respect of mankind.
5•r; c9f.9
L.J
STARTED IN VIRGINIA
Come, boys, close the window and make agood fire,
Wife, children, sit snug all around;
'Tis the day that gave birth to our country's blesa'd
sire,
Then let it with pleasure be crowned.
Dear wife, bring your wine, and in spite f hard
times
On this day at least we'll be merry;
Come, fill every glass till it pours o'er the brim,
If not with madeira-then sherry.
-Old Song.
lIE foregoing verse is from one of the
old birthday songs in honor of George
Washington. These songs were sung
even during the lifetime of the first
president. For Washington was alone
among Americans in having his birth
day regularly and publicly celebrated
during his lifetime.
The honor of having originated the public ob
servance of February 22 is one of which the town
of Alexandria, Va., is jealously proud. Alexandria
was Washington's county town. He attended
church there; he voted and paid taxes there;
his physician lived there; he bought of its trades
men, contributed to its charities, was head of its
Masonic lodge, organized its fire brigade.
* Washington and Alexandria either contradict
the theory that a prophet is not appreciated at
home or they are an exception to prove the rule.
Right after the close of the revolution Alexandria
began to celebrate the birthday of her hero.,
Perhaps the old town had acquired the habit.
for the birthnight balls in honor of King George
had been the climax of social functions under the
old regime. At any rate never was allegiance
more ardently transferred and the new birthnight
balls became even more elaborate than the old.
A'exandria having set the fashion, other
places took up the custom. In 1784 the French
officers who had served under Washington cele
brated February 22 in Paris; that is to say, it
was not then February 22, but, according to the
reckoning of that day, February 11.
While he was president the birthday was al
ways celebrated at the city which was the capi
tal for the time being. At night there were gala
performances at the theaters and a ball which
the president- and his wife attended.
It is recorded that one of these balls in Phila
delphia was enlivened by the fact that many of
the young ladies wore twined among their curls
bandeaux emli~ dered with the words, "Lona live
the President!" On these occasions the presi
dent and Mrs. Washington were conducted to a
sofa placed under a canopy. The president did
not stay there much, but moved about among the
other guests with the dignified courtesy which
always marked him in society.
On his birthday in 1797 he and Mrs. Washing
ton were in Philadelphia. The s;ips in the har
bor were dressed with flags and the houses were
decorated. Every half hour the church bells rang.
Government officials and foreign diplomats
called to congratulate him. The ball at night was
in the amphitheater, specially floored and deco
rated. There were about 500 guests and accord
ing to an eye witness "every countenance be
spoke pleasure and appaobation; even Democrats
forgot for a moment their enmity."
The next year, 1798. Washington attended the
celebration given by his friends and neighbors
at Alexandria and some accounts declare that it
was the last time he did so. He was at Mount
Vernon in 1799 on his birthday, it being the occa
sion of one of the greatest festivities in the his
tory of the mansion, the marriage of Nelly Cus
tis. The ceremony was performed at early
candlelight in the banquet room and was attend
ed by the gentlefolk from all the country around.
In spite of the wedding, however, Washington
seems to have slipped away for a look in on the
doings at Alexandria; for there is an account of
that celebration in an old copy of the Alexandria
Gazette in which his presence is mentioned. The
great event of that particular day was a sort of
sham attack on the town by three companies of
local infantry. They were embarked on the
armed schooners Neptune, Trial and Mercury and
succeeded in making two landings, but after "a
heavy and continuous street fighting" were finally
compelled to surrender.
The general had arrived soon after the affair
began and when the evolutions were closed he
"presented his highest respects to all the parties
engaged in them." Apparently being due for the
wedding eight miles distant, he did not remain
for any of the dinners which followed and at
which so extreme a number of toasts were drunk
that one trembles at the thought of how the
youthful soldiers acquitted themselves at the ball
in the evening.
That was the last of his birthdays which
Washington himself lived to celebrate, but his
home town faithfully continued the custom.
G. W. P. Custis, the grandson of Mrs. Washing.
ton, spoke at the public dinner in 1849 and said
it was the sixtieth celebration of February 22
which he had attended in Alexandria. The ac
count of that dinner, by the way, says that "the
sumptuous provision was enjoyed with much
hilarity, tempered, however, with moderation."
Besides the birthnight balls there was another
feature of the early celebrations in Alexandria
which was peculiar to that town. Washington
had founded an orphan asylum there and when
on his birthday there would be a meeting, with
an orator, in one of the churches, the orphans
were conspicuously present and came in for a
special piece of oration. The account of the
meeting in 1840 says that after the oration a col
lection was taken up for the benefit of the asy
lum.
The Alexandria celebrations were often ad
dressed by G. W. P. Custis. In 1811 Richard B.
Lee was the orator. Some idea of newspaper
methods of that day may be had from the fact
that although the celebration that time was men
tioned in the Gazette of February 23, it was not
until February 25 that a real account appeared.
During the civil war the celebration of the
birthday ceased. Alexandria was ardently south
ern in its sympathies and was, moreover, too
much in the track of war to take notice of even
its own pet anniversary. It was not until 1870
that it began a feeble revival of the old festival.
That time there was merely a presentation of a
stand of colors to the cadets of St. John's acad
emy by the young ladies of Mount Vernon Insti
tute.
In 1872 the cadets paraded and there was a
birthnight ball once more. In 1876 a real celebra
tion was arranged, to which "thousands of strang
ers" came and upon which occasion "the houses
that were mourning at Lee's death"-Robert E.
Lee-"all displayed the American flag." Many
houses displayed pictures of Lee and Washington
side by side. But there was no birthnight ball,
and on the platform of the speaker's stand there
was a vacant chair placed to honor the mq~jory
of 0. W. P. Custis. "the old man eloquent."
Since 1876 the celebrations have been rather
Irregular in the town which originated them. But
of late years a society has been formed which
arranges and carries out an elaborate programme
every alternate year. Whereas the orphans used
to be a center Of birthday attention, the interest
is divided now between the firemen and the sol
diers.
Last year there were detachments of federal
troops and of United States sailors in addition to
the District militia. Washington has a perma
nent claim tb pose as Alexandria's "favorite son"
and these biennial affairs are the biggest things
of their sort in the country. February 22 is the
Alexandrian's glorious Fourth.
AN EXCELLENT REMEDY.
Will Break Up a Cold in Twenty-Four
Hours and Cure Any Cough That
Is Curable.
The folloxwin mixture l cIfs n fro
pscribeid and i.; highly r mni.
for coughs, colds and oith ý'rl" t ' tnd
br ionchial Iro b'hle. fix t ( ,
of (i:v !'i,: ', a" hallf-c,:l,', t O' Vi:".\' n
Oil of Pin' co pouni,,d pur, ni c ichit
ounc',s of pare Whisky. Timh,'s' can 1oe
e:o(, ] ht ;ii o "' 1"'(1r It-n= ti' st I t'' o! 'l# s
The genuin,, Virgin Oil of l'ine com.
pond pOt':e is pre-pared only in the
lal'oratoris of the' l a(ch ('h,'t : eal
('Co., ('incianatri, and put 'p for dis
psnsing in half-ounce . ial
HOSPITABLE MAN.
"Our mo.ster is a charnminr, man.
I Every year: he admits one of us to his
table."
Reflections.
'l"ei lt,'.utifuil homc' \a.s croxwdied
wit h people assiljble to10 honor the
di stingmoishod Con-'st.
lIut the cxplorr soon tired of the
atteintions, and as lhe leaned his armi
against a pillar. h, il ' v d l:iis if to
be transiported bac(k to the scene of
his triumnlih.
"Such a waste." he nmuibled, au
dibly, staring into space, "such a N aste,
such a waste."
\\hy so many stout ladIes left the
house in indignation, the hostess was
unable to learn.-Sunday M.agazine of
the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Worth Keeping.
"John. do you recognize this hat?"
"No, I can't say that I do. It look.,
rather dilapidated."
"Yes. I have been keeping it as a
dear memento. I was wearing it when
you and I first met. That was 11 years
ago."
"I hope you'll keep it always. It
ought to convince you that you must
have been mighty good looking once,
seeing that even with that thing on
your head you caused me to fall in
love with you."
Important to Mothers.
Examine carefully every bottle of
CASTORIA, a safe and sure remedy for
infants and children, and see that it
Bears the
Signature of
In Use For Over 30 Years.
The Kind You Have Always Bought.
Unkind Husband.
Mrs. Myler-You say your husband
is unkind to your pet dog?
Mrs. Styles-Indeed he is! Why, he I
absolutely refuses to let Fido bite
him!-Yonkers Statesman.
When Rubbers Become Necessary
And your slhoes pinch, shake into your
shoes Allen's Ioot-Ease. the antiseptic
powder for the feet. Cures tired, aching
feet and takes the sting out of Corns and
Bunions. Always use it for Breaking in
New shoes and for dancing parties. Sold
everywhere 25c. Sample mailed FREE.
Address, Allen S. O!msted, Le Roy, N. Y.
Well-Yes.
"If you want a thing well done-"
"Get an expert to do it for you.
Ain't that more sense than what you
were going to say?"
For Headache Try Hicks' Capudine.
W'hether from Colds, Heat, Stomach or
Nervous troubles, the aches are speedily
relieved by Capudine. It's Liquid-pleas
ant to take-Effects immediately. 10, 25
and 50c at Drug Stores.
No matter what his rank or position
may be, the lover of books is the
richest and the happiest of the chil
dren of men.--Langford.
Great Home Eye Remedy,
for all diseases of the eye, quick relief
from using PETTIT'S EYE SALVE. All
druggists or Howard Bros., Buffalo, N, Y,
It is easier bor men to get on finan
cially than it is for women to get off a
car forward.
EXPOSURE TO COLD
and wet Is tiet tirst tI o ) Prto 'zlnonia. Take P'vry
D,, "is' POtl,Ulpr and the danger is averted. Itn
equaled for colds, sore throat, qulnsy,25c, Oac and btc.
Many a doctor has saved a piatient's
life by not being in when called. i
ONLY ONE "IHROMIO (I'ININE." d
That is IAXA'I'VI BROMO QtININE. Look for
rhe signature of t. W. (;R(,Va. Used the World
over tgcure a.Cohl In One Day. 25c.
GeneralIy the man or woman who
says "I don't care" is a liar.
Profit, not Necessity, isthe .
Why did you buy fine farm machinery. ims"
live stock and seed. and the best varieties of irw1
Because the man who sold them to you conrineidl
that they would pay. Proceed on the same basis
you buy fertilizer. Get the improved fertiliiztr
kind with enough Potash in it to make a balem
plant ration. Your dealer would pet it for yon tlP
knew that you wanted it. For grain. use 6: for
8: and for roots.fruit and truck ,I per a. cet.of
in the fertilizer. If your dealer has not such brands. get uS,
buy some Potash salt for you and put it in the goods yourell
To increase the Potash one per cent. add two poidsi d.
muriate or sulfate of Potash, or eight rounds of Kainit to eel!
100 pounds of fertilizer.
Potash Pays stock. 1Ie will have no trouble in buying thew
will write to us about it.
Sriite to Sales Offce :
GERMAN KALI WCRKS
Cotlatnetal Building 6l+ti."
( /& { 4
F RUROAU
OPERAT1
ByLydiaE.
Vegetable Co
De Fore
"After an
tion four
I had paie
ward in both
backache, a
- ,G eakness. I
u t-r wanted~
hale another
Stio"in.ltookh..
Piankham's
,,,e Compo"d
I .."/ 1 am entirely .
Mrs. An-i it `': : ý I Em \ureDEy
A nollwr Operation Aod
w , am. L-.-"For mears
f, rvd fr,'ii s ,re' female
inalld I n ,sinl to my bed
sar-. I U i. i E.Pinkha
(ta l, (':,, al: d a trial
v: a: savel I an Olwration.'
L.ILY 1'::Y,,U-x, 1111erlerect,
Thirty vtyars of :nparalleled
PnIir:i, th:, Ilwer of Lydia E
hanm's \tVe.'tatle Compound to
female di-eas,s. The greatvolnh
Ulsolicited ttstimonly constantl
ing in proves conclusively that
E Pinkhamn's Vegetable Compoi
a remarkable remedy for thos
tressing feminine ills from lhid
many women suffer.
If you want special advice
your case write to Mrs.
at Lynn, Mass. Her adi"
free, and always helpful.
-- .. ~- -------_-._
At Last They've Found
CURE for Liver Troub
A CURE THAT CURES; a !i
remedy which not only cleaun
and purifies that organ, but ea
gises and vitalizes it without k*
tating
SIMMON'S
Liver Purifi
IN YELLOW TIN BOXES
And the best cure for couth)
tion known.
Tell your druggistyouwant it;
"SIMMON'S" and stick toit. H6i
got it. If he hasn't he'll get it r
you. And it's the one remedytO
get to get rid of Liver Troui
At All Druggists, Everywhere, 25s, Wl
A. B. RICHARDS MEDICINE CO., Sl 
INEE MIL
Make the Liver
Do its Duty
Nine times in ten when the liririb
stomach and bowels are zig.
CARTER'S LITTLE
LIVER PILLS
gently but firmly com.
pel a lazy liver to
do its duty.
Cures Co
-tipation,
Indigeos
tion,
Sick
Headache, and Distress after Fd
Small Pill. Small Dose, Sa Mr-s
GENUINE must bear ignature:
AGENT
Drop everyMthl(
and  riteto nl
Bible made $10ap
Comance sari bi
tea. No Caplti
I furnleb wou wtl
plete working oati..
an Independant
your our.No
easary. Iglev yes
methods sad
After eatabllabtla
in vyor osw tOWls
territory ill1 he
Work eultableatd
to men and womS.
permanent. In thls
you will not earn
In tn hourn and
Ing more fra week
haves profitable
come of 5S.M to
every day. Hastli
make the uot money. I want hutlera. Bi
bons barked by a h lghelas long ehtallished
Ines oncern. Only one representative waladt
dlstrict. Write toayv. Sert re yourterrltOq
at once. Money made the first day.
EDWIN F. BALCH, I W. Kinzile S,t C
PATENT YOUR IDEAS. They ma
wealth. -page Book Free.
-ltrgorald & Cu.. 'Pat.Attya..Bo zK. W