The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-09-12

vandal. The edges of the shaft have been
Clipped from base to apex till the corners
present the appear ance of a rough, un-
hewn stone. 1.-THE legendary tablets of
the past" have been utterly obliterated by
the DETACHMENT Of the inscription. with
the single exception of the words in small
letters at the base. The full epitaph
which Mr.. Jefferson wrote, and q roug b
pen-and-ink sketch of a monument for
himself, were found in = private drawer q
few days after his death. 1t was to be an
obelisk of granite, eight feet high. and to
bear (and subsequently did bear) the fol-
lowing inscription:
"Here was buried Thomas Jefferson,
Author Of the Declaration of American
independence, of the Statute of Virginia
for Religious Freedom, aud Father Of
the University Of Virgitia." The in.
scr'ption for the base was to be: "Born
April 2. o. 8. 1743, Died---,-.'
His wishes we're carried out, the blank in
the last line being filled with "July 4,
1896" All that is visible of the inscrip-
ton to-day are the lines; Born April 2
o. s. 1743. Died July 4. 1885,,
There is no trace whatever OF the gave
of the wife of Jefferson. It was located
on the lower eide OF his monument. In
1851 this grave and its slab OF white
marble were visible with the simple in
scription Martha Jefferson, Born in 1853
o. s. Intermarried with Thomas Jefferson
January /, 1772. Torn from him BY
death September &, 1882. This monu.
ment of love is inscribed" On the other
or upper side cf the obelisk the slab COW
cring the grave of Jefersons eldest
daus hter is partly legible. What is
missing is inserted in parentheses
"MarQba Jefferson Randolph), eldest
daughter Of Thomas Jefferson. Born
Sept. II, C.772). Intermarried with
Thomas Mann Randolph, Feb. 20, 1890.
Died Oct. 10, 1886. She possessed a
strong and cnltivated-miid and gentle
temper; warm, atfectionate and self.sac-
riticing in all her duties. This Is slight
mark OF the love borne by her SOD Thorn
as Jefferson Randolph" Mr. Randolph
died but two years ago. In 1872 he pre-
sided ever the Democratic convention
held III Ohio.
In his Inst days Jefferson wrote to
Madison: Take care OF me when dead
and be assured shall leave with you nv
last affections" Although his biographer
intimates that this probably referred to
the defence Of a part Of bis political
record it nevertheless appeals in its full
est sense to the American people to save
from further Dissertation that which
Macaulay tells us is 1.-THE temple Of silcnce
= t,~
for Congress to place new monument
over his grave unless it devises some
means to protect it. It will be located
in an almost un'requented place, where
it can be defaced quite as rapidly as the
present one was by those who neither
revere the memory nor respect the grave
Of Jefferson.
In passing frou; the old burial place
on the mountain side the visitor suddenly
energies from the forests and finds him
self on the summit, with a view in all di-
rections but the one he had just come
from, Of SURPRISING beauty. 1t has been
SO often described by travellers that it
need not be fully detailed here. The eve
sweeps from forty to 6f:y miles over the
valleys beneath, In this vast sea Of YER
dure' the ripples and shadows dance
over the luxuriant fields of grain to the
limit IF the vision. The level of the
horizon on the south is broken by Willis
mountain, forty miles distant. Mr.. JEFF
ferson used to say if the country OF
.Fluvanna was a lake aud Willis
mountain volcano his scenery would be
perfect. But there are very few grander
prospects :han this SO easy of access and
so fine In climate.
On very level Place Of two or three
acres on the very summit stands the house,
halt empowered in trees. On the south as
you approach it the broken windows and
cracked walls give it the look Of COM
pletc ruin, but in front and rea- the spa
cious porticoes are in fair stete of pre-
servation, and the building otherwise
Las an appearance of shabby splendor. It
is long brick structure surmounted by
dome, with the architectural devices
peculiar to Jefferson. The only sign of
lite about the place was q ragged and
grovelling old mana veritable tramp IN
appearance-who rocked himself in the
warm sun in chair on the portico. 1t
was hard to believe that this faded and
threadbare person had taken possession
of the place many years ago, and eked out
subsistence by charging the university
students and such other visitors as rarely
came up from Charlottesville an admission
to the house. In the long pending litiga-
ton OF the property no one has had any
control OF il. and this man has simply ex
ercised tho doctrine Of "squattcr sovereig-
IT,"
"Do YOU want to SEQ the inside of old
man Jefferson's house2" was his salution.
Then it will cost you twenty-five cents
The money paid, he hobbied through
one of the main doors, and dropping an
iron bar they both swung and the visitor
stood in a lofty square hall, the main or
central room of the building, on one side
of which was balustrade, from which,
old man quantity said. jefferson used
to make speeches to his guests" It was
evidently inteded for musicians, AZ this
hall and one above it under the dome of
the house we're used for bathrooms
There was nothing in the room but n
folding ladder in corner and clock owe,
the door, both of which belonged to JEFF:
ferson, ana chandelier Of handsome pat
tern, which hung from the centre Of the
fine stucco work Of the ceiling. The
floor was laid in blocks of white cherry,
and is in excellent condition. This room
opened by sliding glass doors IF decided
modern look on the semi.octagonal south
EAST portic. Beyond on the right is
tea room and two COM
modious gaest-rooms and dining-room
A very handsome marble slab had recent
~ been stolen from this room.
On the left was Mr.. Randolph's room
and that of Jefferson, ana beyond, extend
ing the whole widta of the house, the
library. The latter opened on the conser-
vatory, which is in ruins. On the upper
floors are the bedrooms, with alcoves in
each for the bed, cut up into all .conceiv-
able shapes by the irregular form of the
house. They are reached by little, mar
row stairway in dark recess. built with
sharp angles at every Tow steps and