Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-07-21

graceful; she rode, danced, and
moved with elegant ease, and sang
and played on the harpsichord very
swcetly. Add still to these accom-
pllshments the possession of excellent
good sense, very considerable cult
walton, warm heart, and consider
able fortune, and it will not be diff
cult to understand how the youthful
Mr.. Jefferson came to visit very fire.
quently at the lady's residence, in the
county of Charles City. 1t was call
ed "The Forest" and the name of the
lady was Mrs. Martha Shelton. She
was a daughter of John Wayles, an
eminent lawyer, and had married in
her seventeeth year, Mr.. Bathurst
Shelton, who, dying in 1868, left his
young wife a widow at nineteen. AS
the three years of mourning began
to expire, the beautiful young lady
found herself besicged at "The For
est" by numerous visitors. OF these
three were favorites with the fair
Mrs. Shelton, of whom Mr.. Thomas
Jefferson was one. The tradition
runs that the pretensions of the rivals
were decided either by the musical
accomplishments of the young coun-
selor or by the fears of his opponents.
The tale is differently related. One
version is that the two unfortunate
gentlemen encountered each other
on Mrs. Skeletons doorstep, but hear
ing Jefferson's violin and voice ac-
companying the lady in pathetic
song, gave up the contest thenceforth
and retired without entering, con-
vinced that the affair was beyond
their control. The other story is
that all three met at the door, and
agreed that they would take their
turns. Jefferson entered first, and
the tones of the lady in singing with
her companion deprived the listeners
IF all hope. However this may be,
it is certain that the beautiful widow
consented to become Mrs. Jefferson;
and on the first day of January, l772,
there was great festival at "The
Forest" Friends and kindred as
semblcd far and near; there was frol-
licking and dancing after the abund-
ant old fashion; and we find from
the bridegroom's notebook 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 log fires, roaring
in honor Of the occasion. Soon after
the performance of the ceremony, the
bridegroom and his bride set out in
their carriage for "Monticello," where
Jefferson had commenced building in
1863, just before the destruction by
fire of his patrimonial house of f"Shad-
WELL" 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-
heim," the seat of Colonel Carter,
where they found, however, no one
but an overseer, they left it at sunset,
resolutely bent upon reaching Month
cello that night. 1t was eight miles
distant, and the road, which was rath-
er a mountain bridle-path than an
honest highway, was encumbered
with snow three feet deep. We may
fancy the sensations of Tie newly
welded bride at the chill appearance
of the desolate landscape, as she
passed along through the snow; but
she was woman of courage and
good sense, and did not care for in
convenience. 1t was late when they
arrived, and a chcerless 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. Conducting his wife
to the little pavilion, which was the
only part of the house habitable at
the time, Jefferson proceeded to kim
die a fire and do the honors. On a
shelf behind some books part of a
bottle of wine was discovered; and
this formed the supper of the bride
groom and BRIDE. Far from being
annoyed or discounted by their re-
ception, however. it only served for q
topic of Jest and laughter. The
young lady was as light hearted as a
bird, and sent her clear voice ringing
through the dreary little pavilion as
gayly as she had ever done IN the
cheerful drawing-room of "The For
est" and thus the long hours of the
winter night fled away like minutes,
winged with laughter, merriment and
song.
In May, 1865, Jefferson, at that
time twenty-five, was standing in the
lobby of the House of Burgesses at
Williamsburg, and heard Patrick
Henry in his great speech. The de-
bate he afterward declared, was
"most bloody" and the passionate
oratory of Henry produced upon him
an effect which he never forgot
"The words of the speaker" he said,
writing at the mature age Of seventy
seven, "were such as l have never
heard from any other man. He ap-
peared to me to speak as Homer
wrote" The burning accents did
not enter Indifferent hearts. The
seed was sown in good soil, and the
unknown youth who "listened at the
door of the lobby" was to become
the co-worker of the great orator in
the stormy hours which were rapidly
approaching. From this May day of
the year 1865 by successive steps the
young lawyer ascended, shoulder to
shoulder with Patrick Henry, the
rugged heights of revolution. No
intellect of the epoch, not excepting
that of the orator himself, was more
faithful type of the spirit of the times.
From the very beginning Jefferson
was child of the Revolution. He
may almost be SAID to have reveled
in the tempest which was rushing
downward, and his powerful genius
for overturning fastened greatly the
inevitable contest. BY nature and
training he was iconoclast. Rever-
ence for the prerogativc of royalty or
the privilege of nobility found no
Dlace IN his intellect. His ineXOra-