142 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
CHRIST CHURCH, GRAVEYARD, ALEXANDRIA, VA. 
Among the many interesting sights to curiosity 
seekers around Washington are the numerous ceme- 
teries, some of them in quite prominent locations; 
some in out of the way and forgotten nooks and 
corners; some rendered beautiful by artists in land- 
scape and marble; some beautiful by nature; in any 
and all of these cemeteries can be found quaint and 
curious old legends, records of departed greatness 
placed on marble and stone where not even the rav- 
ages of storm and time for more than a hundred 
years has been able to obliterate these records. 
In connection with many of these graveyards are 
often found old churches equally as remarkable. 
In the center of the old-fashioned town of Alex- 
andria, Va., distant from Washington about eight 
miles is Christ Episcopal Church. This is rendered 
by association equally dear to north and south alike. 
Within its shades and shadows no spirit of discus- 
sion should ever be allowed to rest when Washing- 
ton and Lee both claimed it as their place of wor- 
ship. 
The church is a large square structure facing 
due east and west, built of brick, that is supposed 
to have been imported from England, for the rea- 
son that no clay similar to it has ever been found in 
America, but there is no authentic information on 
this point The erection was begun in 1767, under 
the supervision of an architect by the name of 
James Wren, said to be a descendent of the Sir 
Christopher Wren, the architect ol St. Paul’s, Lon- 
don, England. It was taken in charge first by a con- 
r actor, James Parsons, and later by Col. John Car. 
lyle by whom it was completed on Feb. 27, 1773, 
When completed 10 pews were sold by auction, 
ot which General Washington purchased one at 
,£36. ios or about $187.36 — the highest price paid 
for any. 
Both interior and exterior are in an excellent 
state of preservation. The interior finish is white 
and gold. The gallery is supported by eleven col- 
umns, four on each side and three across the end. 
The pulpit is about 15 years old but is an exact re- 
production of the original one; and is in the rear of 
the chancel rail. The original chairs and commu- 
nion table of black walnut are still in use. On either 
side of the chancel are two white marble shields, 
one in memory of Gen. Robt. E. Lee and the other 
of Gen. Geo. Washington. The large seat in the 
“Amen” corner is at present occupied by Mr. Law- 
rence Washington, a great grandson of George 
Washington and a vestryman of the church. 
On the doors are old English locks, put on left 
handed and upside down. 
The pews that were occupied by both Washing- 
ton and Lee are each designated by silver plates on 
the arm of the seat with their respective autographs. 
Going into the graveyard one can see many old 
and curious inscriptions with reference to the vir- 
tues of the departed. 
The two tombstones that are decipherable and 
are the oldest are dated 1771 and 1 7 7 5 i and are of 
a dark blue stone with curious old-fashioned carv- 
ings. On the one dated 1775 is the following in- 
scription: 
Behold Fond Man. 
See here thy Pictur’d Life 
Pass some few years the dowry Spring 
Thy sober Autumn fading into age 
And pale concluding winter comes at last 
And Shutts the Scene. 
Under date of 1800, on a weather beaten gray 
granite slab appears the following: 
In Memory of 
Dorothy Harper, uxor 
of 
John W. Harper, 
departed this life 
Sept. 3rd 1800 
after and in dis posion 
of 3 years and 5 months 
aged 42 years 8 months. 
Under date of 1799 is this odd rhyme: 
All you that cums my grave to see, 
Prepare yourselves to follow me, 
Repent and turn to God in time 
You may be taken in your prime. 
Another odd inscription under date 1803: 
“Make the extended skies your tomb 
Let stars record your worth; 
Yet know vain mortals all must die 
As nature’s sickliest birth. 
In thy fair book of life divine 
My God inscribe my name, 
There let it fill some humble place 
Beneath the slaughter’d lamb. 
One of the most notable graves in this yard is 
that dated 1808 of Mrs. Warren, the wife of William 
Warren an actor of note in the old colonial days. 
The remains are enclosed in a gray marble sarcopha- 
gus and make mention of her many virtues and 
the loss sustained by the American stage through 
her death. She has now a representative in the 
profession she loved so well in the person of the 
Boston comedian of that name who is her grandson. 
Under date 1799 is a well preserved stone bear- 
ing this inscription. 
Weep not for me my 
parents Dear I am not 
Dead but sleeping here 
As I am you ail must be 
prepare yourselves 
To follow me. 
A FOLIAGE BED AT WEINBURG, SWITZERLAND. 
The Royal Park at Weinburg near Rheineck, 
Switzerland, usually receives its royal guests in the 
autumn, and in consequence every effort is made to 
control the garden effects so as to have them at 
their best in the fall, 
