Supply and Demand

1895

As a rule, the relic seeker does a great deal of damage to historical sites and places of interest, but it seems that it is sometimes possible to meet his demand without doing any harm.

A Washington paper says that recently, as a lady who had been standing before the tomb of the Father of His Country at Mount Vernon turned to go away, she stooped furtively and picked up a pebble. she intended to carry it away with her. Perhaps the foot of Washington had pressed this very pebble. As she started away she saw a workman approach with a wheelbarrow load of gravel, which he proceeded to dump on the very spot.

"Did you — have you fixed up this place that way recently?" the lady asked the workman.

"Bless you, miss," answered the man, "we have to do this about every two weeks, so's the tourists can have something to carry away for momentums!"