Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-31
THE GRAVE or JEFFERSON.
\ Trip to Monticello ON . Austang-The
Lofty Granite Shaft.

4 Trim to Monticello on . Mustang-The
Lofty Granite SHAFT
II is about 100 miles from busy, BOOM
ng Richmond to the very heart of old
Jirginia. where the author of the Declar-
.tion of Independence lies buried on the
ugh. wooded hill near his lonely and
rearly deserted residence, Monticello
Arriving at Charlottesville, l found
everything full of snow and -slush.' The
mountain rivers were running red, for
he soil of Virginia is strangely red-red
IS some Titan battlefield.
The dome of the university of Virginia,
fashioned after the Pantheon at Rome,
rose on lofty eminence before me. Be
yond the Blue Ridge and the Alleghanies
cleaned in the snow under the bluest of
blue skies. 1t seemed as if the Sierras
were here. Monticello which is only
residence, not town, as one is apt to
suppose, lies three miles back toward
Richmond. and nearly half a mile-it
would seem, if you climb to it through
the snow. as did-perpendicular.
mo, sab, you can't walk it; can't cross
the rivah; and a keerage couldn't git
thar in a coon's age; but if you could
ride, sab, if you could ride a colt, sah:-
Ride a colt. could ride a COW, if
necessary. Saddle up"
The colt" proved to be a mustang,
They have brought this lively and much
maligned little animal all the way from
Texas in great numbers. The little mouse
colored animal with mischievous eye
had been shut up in the snow good
many days, l reckon, and so he was led
out with man on either side hanging
on to the bits. A crowd gathered.
Stand i'm on his head in the snow, be;
nickel" said some one back in tina;
black and ragged crowd of sovereigns.
And then there was grin and a chuck,
all around.
1 brushed off the two men who hun.
on to the bits, and talking little old
| fashioned mustang talk, which he per
haps had not heard since he left Texas.
got foot into the stirrup, and we both
jumped at the same time. On into the
river, red as blood, breast deep; over,
on, up the hill, and in the drifted snow
to his belly. Then l struck bare and
bleeding spot of red earth. But on and
up plunged the colt the sacred soil of
Virginia flashing and dashing and cling
ing TO the tail of my English ulster al
every jump!
In less than a mile. however, the
gallant little mustang and myself were
in love with each other. got off often
to help him wallow through the deepest
places, and he not once tried to get away
or betray my trust. Three miles of hard
climbing, then turning to the left
through an open gate plunged into the
thickest wood and-I jerked off my hat.
Was ever such absolute quiet outside
of death or desert? The world was far
below. The Pantheon dome of the uni
versity which the great dead before me
had founded and for fifty years well
fostered was under my feet. 1t looked
like one of the many great domes of
Damascus. The rising SUBMITS of the
mountains above and beyond looked
down in kindly companionship.
The grave of the great Democrat is in
perfect order. Indeed, it is almost pain
fully perfect. l know the world would
find fault if this grave was neglected,
but at the same time may say il panied
me to see the splendid iron fence. ten
feet high if foot, all tipped with gold,
and big forbidding lock ON the prison
like gate. And then the great lofty
granite shaft seemed so tall, and so
heavy, and so cold. and eternal. But let
us be content. The people. his people.
would have it so. Heavy or light, tomb
or no tomb, nothing can break his rest or
mar his immortality now.
A dozen or more marble slabs of vari-
Gus sizes are dotted about the great shaft
in the center of the square iron fence:
trees lean and look over into the little
opening: ON all sides trees-oak and fir
and pine and cedar. You can not see
the resting place of Thomas Jefferson till
you come Immediately upon it on your
way to the residence which he built ON
this mountain. Monticello" half mile
further on. The snow was heaped in
drifts about the mclosure. The snow lay
IN drifts up to my horses belly as sat on
MS Dack SO as 10 see through tile iron fence
and read the inscription, familiar to all
the world. The snow had not been
broken this winter. So far as 1 could
see no foot had passed this way for a /
long, long time.
No, bird. no squirrel. not even little
snow-mouse. had made sign or mark in |
the abundant snow. Nor was there any |
sound of bird or beast or man. The cars
were coming in three miles away and a |
quarter of mile below, changing their |
bells as they trundled through the long. |
struggling town Of Charlottesville. Far
away to the north, against the Blue
Ridge, streamed white tower Of smoke |
as the cars came in from the Pacific |
ocean. Away toward Richmond the cars |
came screaming with energy and excite
ment: for they were setting out on mis- |
sion Of 5000 miles. The snow of the Ale |
ghanies. the dust of Arizona. the orange |
blossoms of Los Angeles-all these to-
gether Law Immediately before mel
Joaquin Miller's Letter.