'•.^'J' \'^^.\^^ *. ^'''^•y^ \^^>.^''\o^ ^''-^'V^ ^^^^-'^ / This Little Booklet Touches on the Inner Life of Washington >r-- d^ ^^ i^^-^ c.^ Copyright, 1915, BY H. C. Carliste. FEB II 1915 0^ iT PRESS OF JUDD & DETWEILER. INC. WASHINGTON, D, C. )CI.A394745 Our Nation honors everywhere. In her remotest parts, The First in war, the First in peace, The First in all our hearts, And yet would add still greater fame To Washington's immortal name. The old Potomac's waters still In slow procession sweep, Unconsciously and noiselessly, By where his ashes sleep — Where sleeps until the Judgment dawn, In peace, the dust of Washington. By the side of the silver Potomac, Where his waters flow silently on, Is the spot set apart In America's heart As the dearest the sun smiles upon — Here the flowers still bloom in the garden, And the grasses still grow at our feet In the fashion that they Grew in Washington's day, When he lived in this quiet retreat. Here the world's greatest human exemplar Sought repose in the calmtides of life, Hid away from the cares Of the Nation's affairs, Snuggled in from confusion and strife — In the sweet, rustic stillness of nature, With her ways so inhumanly odd. Like the Psalmist of old, Did he oftentimes hold Sweet communion with Nature and God. Hence, the buildings and grounds of Mount Vernon, And the trees and the flowers and all. And the pure atmosphere Of the place everywhere, Speak the greatness — we love to recall — Of a mind most resplendent and loyal. Of a heart filled with patience and love, Of a spirit on fire With an innate desire To obey every call from above. Not a call ever came from his country To which he did not gladly respond, And when came the last call From the Father of All He was ready for Heaven's beyond ; But his beautiful home at Mount Vernon Still is ours to have and to hold — May the footfalls of Time On this treasure sublime Fall more tenderly, as it grows old. When the ages and centuries crumble The Old Mansion to ashes and dust, And the little brick room Guarding Washington's tomb Is dissolved by the rains and the rust, Will his character, spotless and perfect- As eternal as Calvary's scars — In the sweet by-and-by, With the angels on high. Ever shine, on and on, like the stars. And our wonderful Capitol Building, In the city of beautiful fame, On the Capitol Hill, Is more national still Than the worshipful Washington name. Even tho' it expands with the Nation, More majestic, imposing, and grand, It has mightily grown From the same corner-stone That George Washington sealed with his hand. So perfect in her purity, So gentle and so good, Her whole life was an uplift to The Nation's womanhood — The world loves more, as time moves on. The sweet name, ^Martha Washington. She, helpmeet of the First in war. Wife of the First in peace, Queen of the First in all our hearts. Shall never, never cease To live in memory, on and on, The better half of Washington. — H. C. Carlisle. In all our great America, Or o'er the ocean's foam, There is no place like Washington's Mount \"ernon ''Home, Sweet Home." 39 y ,.„ ^^^ '" J^ ... "^- •"" ^^ 5*^^.0 'Ao' '***^o^^' "v-^^^\^'^^ '^v^^^v^' "v-^^*V'^^ "^ i^ . •j^sSSJW^, o ^^ ^*j ' ^^^*^ ^ ^^^ ^-^o*. • 4 -^ .(P