Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-07-01
IEFFERsON,S MARRIAGE.

John Eston Cooke, In Harper's |
Monthly for July. says
The affair was quite little comedy |
IN some aspects, aud ended, as all |
comedies should, with everybody made
happy
years, and her old admirer was APP
preaching thirty, when he met with a
young lady of twenty-five, who pro-
duced strong impressions upon him.
She was a little above the medium
height, slender, but elegantly formed.
"a fair complexion with delicate tint
of the rose, large hazel eyes, full of
life and feeling, and luxuriant hair of
a rich soft auburn, formed combina-
tion Of attractions which was eminent
ly calculated to move the heart of a
youthful bachelor. In addition to all
this, the lady was admirably graceful
she rode, danced and moved with ele-
CANT ease, and sang and played on the
harpsichord very sweetly Add still
TO these accomplishments the posses
sion of excellent good sense, very con-
siderable cultivation, warm heart,
and a considerable fortune, and it will
not be difficult to understand how the
youthful Mr.. Jefferson came to visit
very frequently at the lady's residence,
in the county of Charles City, Virgin
la. 1t was called The Forest" and
the name of the lady was Mrs. Martha
| Skelton. She was the daughter of
John Wayles, an eminent lawyer, and
had married in her seventeenth year,
Mr. Bathurst SHELTON, who, dying IN
1868, left his young wife widow at
nineteen. As the three years of
mourning began to expire, the beauti
iul young lady found herself besieged
at The Forest" by numerous visitors
OF these. three were favorites with
! the fair Mrs. Shelton, of whom Mr..
Thomas Jefferson was one. The ira
/ dition runs that the pre- tensions of the
/ rivals were decided either by the mu-
steal accomplishments of the young
counselor or by the feirs of his oppo-
nents. The tale is differently related.
One version is that tie two unfortun-
ate gentlemen encountered each other
on Mrs. Shelton s doorstep, but hear
ing Jefferson Is violin and voice accom-
panying the lady in a pathetic song,
gave up the contest thencefJrth and
retired without entering, convinced
that the affair was beyond their con-
troll. The other story is that all three
met at the door, and agreed that they
would take their turns. Jefferson en-
tered first, and the tones of the lady
in singing with her companion de-
prived the listeners of all hope
However this may be, it is certain that
the beautiful widow consented to be-
/ come Mrs. Jefferson, and on the first
day of January. 1772, there was a
great festival at The Forest Friends
and kindred assembled from far and
near; there was frolicking and dancing
after the abundant old fashion; and
we find from the brideqroom's note
book that the servants and fiddlers
received fees from his especial pocket.
1t showed without, but within all was
mirth and enjoyment, in the light and
warmth of the great long fires, roar
ing in honor of the occasion. Soon
after the performance of the ceremony,
the bridegroom and his bride set out
in their carriage for Monticello. 7"
where Jefferson had commenced build
ing in 1850, just before the destruction
by fire of his patrimonial house of
"Shadwell." The journey was not to
/. end without adventures. As they ad-
vanced toward the mountains, the
snow increased in depth, and finally
they were compelled to leave the car
riage, and proceed upon their way on
horseback. Stopping to rest at "Blen-
HEINZ" the seat of Colonel Carter,
where they found, however, no one but
an overseer, they left it at sunset, res
olutely bent upon reaching Monticello
that night. 1t was eight miles distant,
and the road, which was rather a
mountain bridle-path than an honest
nearly three feet Deep We may fan
cy the sensations of the newly-wed-
ded bride at the chill appearance of
the desolate landscape as she passed
along through the snow but she was
a woman of courage and good sense,
and did not care for inconvenience
1t was late when they arrived, and a
cherries reception awaited them-or
rather there was no reception at ALL
The fires were all out, the servants
had gone to bed, and the place was as
dark and silent as the grave. Con-
Quoting his wife to the little pavilion,
which was the only part of the house
habitable at the time, Jefferson pro-
ceeded to kindlc the fire and do the
honors. On shelf behind some
books part of bottle of wine. was
discovered; and this formed the sup
per of the bridegroom and bride. Far
tIom being annoyed or discounted by
their reception, however, it only served
for topic of jest and laughter. The
young lady was as light hearted as
bird, and sent her clear voice ringing
through the dreary little pavilion as
gayly as she had ever done in the
cheerful drawiDg-room of 1.-The For
est > and thus the long hours Of the
winter night fed away like. minutes,
winged with laughter. merriment aud
| SONG