Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-22
the literal fact This Old man had sat
himself down there Without authnrltx

the literal fact This Old man had sat
himself down there without authority
cello, where Washington and Madison and
Lafayette had been welcomed. The description
OF the house is possibly too well known to re-
the mountain. and was formerly surrounded by
ornamental grounds and is now half EMPOWERED
In trees. 1t Is long brick structure of lofty
dome with porticos front and rear. one OF Mr.
Jefferson'S 1d10Sy ncracies was fondneSS for
architecture. While the hall was large and the
rooms spacious, the stairway was so narrow as to
be uncomfortable to stout person, and quite In
contrast to the stairways Of that date at Mount
Vernon and Montpelier. The hall opened into an
diagonal dining room with sliding glass fold
Ing doors with finish that looked modern.
The second floor was cut up into all kinds OF
uncomfortable bed rooms owing to the form Of
the house. In the dome there was one room
used for dancing parties, ana at other times as
were dark narrow alcoves for the beds which
were partly fixture in the walls. There were
here and there odd pieces of furniture, and an
''the marble and brescia tables. French mirrors
and handsome sofas" which adorned the house
with the statuary and paintings have gone long
ago:
The view from Monticello is magnificent. For
fifty miles ON the lett till the scene is melted
into the haze of the Blue Ridge to Willis noun
one vast sea or verdure stretched out like a
map under the feet" There may be more beau
IfIul views but they must be rare-very rare
IrCm an eminence suitable for dwelling place.
MoNTPELIER-THE GRAVE OF MADISON.
he condition OF the grave and monument OF
James Madison is quite in contrast with that of
Jefferson. The country seat of Madison is
Montpelier, in Orange county, Va, about four
miles from orange station, O. the Virginia Mid
land railroad, and about sixty miles from Mon
ticelio. Some minutes before the grand old
mansion Is reached the granite ObeliSk over
Madison's grave is visible through the fields
half mile to the right of the house. 1t is
located In large field and Enclosed wi tn a SUBJ
stantial brick wall, quite one hundred feet
square and five feet in height. On the east side
there is small. plain iron gate, with the
words In Iron letters:
MADISON 1920.
On the shaft, which Is graceful one. twenty
feet high, resting on pedestal of four pieces
there is no other inscription than this in large,
plain, sunken letters on the width of the shaft
at its base:
MADISON, BORN MARCH 16, 1851.
The date of his death, though he died at S.
is not cut in the granite. The grave is in ex-
cellent condition and well taken care of by the
present owner of Montpelier. By the side of
the monument there is a smaller obelisk of
accomplishments and virtues have come down
to us from the republican court which she
adorned at Washington In the days of the ad-
IululSlIdllOuS vi fTeSlueuu MaQlSOQ.
Montpelier Is in pleasant contrast with Mon
ticellO. Madison succeeded to 1t as a child and
it looks to-day more like one OF those country
seats In England which have been handed down
from generation to generation, than the for
mer residence of the ''eXpounder of the Consul
tuition" Though the scenery Is not so grand
nor so extensive as at Monticello, Montpelier is
nevertheless most attractive place. The house
Is large and plain, though thanked with hand
some columned porticos. 1.-The region" says
an old writer. sis one where nature has shed,
In great beauty, the softest picturesque
of hill. and dale, forest and glade. AT
hand In the rear rises, as If to adorn
the gracefully wavering chain of the southwest
mountains, to fence on one side the vale Of
Orange and Albemarle, on whose southeastern
edge OF modelling woods and greentields Mont
pelier lies embosomed and embowered; while on
the other side, In the airy distance beyond that
vale, tower In fantastic line The blue peaks OF
the long Appalachian range, breaking the horizon
as If to form another and more fanctful one"