The Placer herald., 1872-12-07
THOMAS JEFFLRS0N Az DESCElBED BY
WEBSTER. IN 1924.

Mr.. Jefferson is now between cighty-one
and eighty-two, about six feet high, of ann
pie, long frame, rather thin and spare. His
head, which is not peculiar in its shape, is
set rather forward on his sholders, and his
neck being long, there is,when he is walking
or conversng, an habtual protrusion of it,.
1t is well covered with hair, which having
been once red, and now turning gray, is Of
an indistinct sandy color His eyes are
SIN II, very light, and now neither brilliant
nor striking. His chin is rather long, but
not pointed. His nose small, regular in its
outline and the nostrils little elevated.
His mouth is well formsd, and still filed
with teeth; it is strongly compressed, bearing
an expression Of contentment and benevo-
lence. His complexion, formerly light and
freckled, now bears the marks of age and
cutaneous affection. His limbs are uncommonly
long his hands and feet are very large, and
his wrists of an extraordinary size. His walk is
not precise and military, but easy and swing
ng. He stoops n little, not so much from
age as from natural formation When sit
ting he appears short, partly from a rather
ounging habit of sitting and partly from the
disproportioned length of his limbs.
His dress, when in the house, is a gray
suriout coat ,kerseynere stuff waistceat, with
an under one faced with some material of a
dingy red. His pantaloons are very long
and loose, and OF the same color MS bis coat.
| His stockings are woolen either white or gray,
and his shoes of the same kind that bear his
name His whole dress is very much neg
ccted but not slovcnlv. He wears a com
mon round hat. His dress, when on horse
back, is gray, straight-bodied coat, and a
spence of the same material, both fastened
with large pearl buttons. When we first
saw him he was riding, and in addition io
the above articles of apparel, wore round his
throat knit, white wooden tppct, in the
place of II cravat, and black velvet gaiters
under his pantaloons. His general appear
ancc indicates an extraordinary degree o
health, vivaciiy and spirits. His sight i.
still good for he needs glasses only in tho
evening. His hearing is generally good
but Il number of voices in an animated conver-
sation copluses it,
Mr.. Jefferson rises in the morning as soon
as he can see the hands ofthe clock, which
is directly opposite his bed, and examines his
thermometer Immediately, as h keeps Il reg
ular meteorological diary. He employs
himself chiefly in writing until breakfast,
which is at nine. From that time till dinner
he is in his library, excepting that III fair
weather he rides on horseback from seven to
fourteen miles. Dimes at four, returns to
the drawing room at six, when coffee is
brought in, and passes the evening till nine
in conversation. His habit of retiring at
that hour is so strong that it has become
essential to his health and comfort. His
diet is simple, but he seems restrained only
by his tese. His breakfast is tea and coffee
with bread always fresh from the oven, Of
which he does not seem afraid, with some
times an accompaniment Of cold meat.
He enjoys his dinner WELL taking with his
meat large proportion Of vegetables He
has strong preference for wines Of the con-
tnent, of which he has many sorts Of excel
lent quality having been more then commonly
successful in his mode of importing and pre-
serving them Among others we found the
following, which are very rare in this country,
and apparently not at all injured by trans
portaiion: L'Ednau, Muscat, Samian,
Blanchette de Limoux. Dinner is served in
half Virginia and half French style, in good
taste and abundance. No wine is pat on the
table till the cloth is removed
In conversation, Mr. Jefferson is easy and
natural, and apparently not ambitious; it is
not loud, as challenging general attention, but
usually addressed to the person next to him.
The topics, when not selected to suit the
character and feelings of his auditor, are
those subjects with which his mind seems
particularly y occupied and those, at present,
may be said to be science and letters, and
especially the University of Virginia, which
is coming into existence almost entirely from
his exertons, and will rise, it is hoped, to
continued usefulness and credit under his
continued care
When we were with him his favorite sub
jects were Greek and Anglo Saxon historical
recollections of the time and events Of the
Revolution, and of bis residence in France
from 1884 to 1889.