Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-01-23

sympathy with humanly--a confidence in man,
and sanguinc hopefulness in his destiny, which
iriesislibly won upon The feelings not only of the
ordinary hearcr, but of those grave mon whose
commerce with the world had perhaps led them
to form less glowing estimates of it--of such men
as the scholar like Small, the sagacious Wythe,
the courtly and gifted Fauquier.
Alr Jeiierson's temper was gentle. kindly and
iOrgiving. Ifit naturally had anything of that
warmth which is the usual concomitant of alIcc-
tons and slmpathes 50 ardent, and it no doubt
had, it had been suljugaed by habilual control.
Yet, under its even platidly, there were not
wanting those indications # calm selfreliance
and courage which all inanctvelv reconnize
and respect. There is not an instance on record
Of his having been engaged in personal indig-
nifty. Possessing the accomplish nenis, he avoid.
cd the vice, of the young Virginia gentry of the
day, and Il class Of habits which, if not vices
themselves, were too often made the prcludes to
them. lie never gambled 70 avoid impor-
tunties to games VIII ch were generally accom-
panied with betting, he never learned to distin-
guish one card from another Dis grandson Col
Onel Thomas j. Randolph, informs us that cards
were never played in his house; he was moder-
ate in the enjoyments o: the able to strong
drinks he had an aversion which rarely Welded
to any circumstances his mouth was unpolluted
bN bhluS VI lOuh'tO nDuun ne speaks OF en-
joying the victory Of favorite horse and the
" the death Of a fox he never put but one horse
IN training tn run-neycr ran but a single race.
and he very rarely joined in the pleasant excite
mcnt-he knew it to he too pleasant for the as
pirng student of he chase With such quail
itles ui mind and chira ter, with the favor Of
powerful friends and relatives and even of wee
royalty TO urge him onward. Mr. jefferson was
not Young man to be lightly regarded by the
young or old Of either sex.
ms DAUGHTER WISHES TO BECOME NUN.
In April, 1889, AN incident of an interesting
character occurred in MIR. Jclprscn's family.
HIS oldest daughter, rs has beer seen, had been
educated in the views aud feelings of the Church
OF England. Her mother bad zeaously nodded
her Young mind in that direction. Her father
had done nothing certainly by word or act to di-
vert il from that channel and il had flowed on.
for aught Martha knew or suspected to the COIL
trary, with his full appreciation. II she had then
been called upon ~ state what were her father 5
religious beliefs, she would have declared that
her impressions were that lie leaned to the tcncts
ol the Church to which his family belonged. The
daring and ilippant iniideli'y now rife in French
society disgustcd the earnest, serious. naturally
reveIenl, I, girl. The calm secluson Of Panthe
mont, its examples of serene and holy life, It's in
i
turmoil, aud glare. and wickedness, and empti-
ness without, After medltating on the subject
for a time. she wrote her father for his pernis-
slun to remain in the convent, and to dedicate
herself TO the duties OF a religious life.
For day or two She received no answer.
Then his carriage rolled up to the door Of the
Abbaye, and poor Martha met her father in ic-
yer Of doubts and fears. Never was his smile
more benignant and gentle lie had a private
interview with the Abbess. lie then told his
daughters he had come for them They stepped
into hs rarriage-it rolled away--and Martha ;
school life was ended lIenceforh she was in
troduced into society, and presided, so far as was
appropriate to her age. as the mistress Of her "a
for lessons on the harpsichord," TO the "gnitar
master 10 the dancing master" TO Poys
Spanish master, &c, continue TO find their record
in the account-book during Mr.. Jciierson's fur
ther stay in France.
/ Neither he nor Martha ever, after her frs,
letter on the subject, made the temotest auslon,
To each other TO her request to enter convent.
She spoke Of It freely, IN after years, to her chill
dren, and always expressed her full appreciation
of her fathers course on the occasion. She al
ways spoke OF her early wish as rather the die
tate OF transient sentiment than fixed conyic-
ton Of religious duty and she warmly applaud
took to lead her back to her family, her friends,
ard her country.
HIS RETURN FROM FRANCE.
Two or three days before reaching home. Mr..
Jefferson had sent an express directing his over
seer to have his house made ready for his recep-
ton by a specified day. The oyrrsecr mention
ed this, an the news flew like wildire over the
different farms which it is customary TO mention
collectively as Monticello The slaves could
hardly attend to their work. They asked leave
to make his return holiday, and, of course, re-
ceived permission. Blight and early were all
up on the appointed day, washed clean of the
STAINS OF labor, and atired in their SUNDAY best
They first determined to receive him at the font
| OF the moGntaln and the women and children
refuslng TO be lett behind. down they marohr,
! IN body. Finally, the men began 10 straggle
onwArd-ihe women and children followed
and the swarm did not settle again until they
reached the confines of the estate, perhaps two
miles from the house. By-and-by a carriage and
four horses were seen rapidly approaching The
negroes raised shout The Positions piled
their whips, and in moment more The carriage
was in their midst. Martha's description Of
what ensned is sufficiently accurate until the sum
nit of the notch between Monticello and Carriers
mountain was attained She saws, the carriage
was almost drawn up by hand. We consider
old WOrmly's authority The best on this point,
lie pointed out the very spot soon after The car
riage had turned Off from the highway, when
in spite OF the entreaties and commands (not,
however, we imagine very sternly uttered y OF
the " old MASTER" the horses were detached and
the shouting pushed and dragged the heavy
vehicle at no snail's pace up the further ascent,
until it reached the lawn in front of the house.
Mr.. Jefferson had no idea whatever of being
" toted" Africance for" carned') from the car
riage door into his house-rding on men moi be-
ing to his taste. But who can control his desti-
ny? Not word could be heard in the wild up
roar, and when he stepped from the carriage he
unexpectedly landed on a cluster of swarthy arms,
and amid the oriental salutatons described by
! Martha was borne once more under his own
roof:tree. The crowd respectfully broke apart
for the young ladies and, as the stately, grace
ful Martha and the little fairy-like Maria ad-
vanced between the dark lines, escorted by Jack
F;ppes," shouts rent the sky, and many curly
headed urchin was held aoft to catch look OF
what their mothers and sisters were already firm
ly persuaded could not be paralleled in the an
cent Dominion.
JEFFERSON AS a MECHANIC.
The house as here described was but a part
of the completed Monticello of after years, and