Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-06-12
R6MINfsCFSCFs or JEFFERsoN
Tho simple Mode of Lite OF the Father Of IN
a Au0ericnu CoDstttutIou.


American Constitution.
From the baltimore Sun.
Sightsecrs and tourists from all parts Of
the civilized world still occasionally pay
their homage at the modest tomb in Monti-
ceilo's (Na.) graveyard. An excellent coun-
try road leads from the village TO Monticello,
his homestead, on little mountain top two
miles oil. Three hundred yards from the
house on the right OF the road, the eager
way'arer catches a glimpse OF the monument
erected over his remains, n small granite
shalt designed and inscribed as he directed
in his Will. II was so mutiated and chipped
for relies that the inscription became unin-
telligible not many years ago, and Congress
appropriated the money for n renewal of the
monument and its railing. Tho work, du-
plicate, fortunately for the good sense and
taste Of Congress, has been completed. a
highly. decorated railing enclosing tho con-
secrated spot Not far oil is the tomb of his
friend, Dabney Carr, and those OF his family
and relatives. Wild flowers bloom inter.
spersed between and around the graves, and,
in the new enclosure, which looks rather
bright, they have been planted. The site is
primitive, the shaft simple, and the effect
left on the visitors mind Is that Mr.. Jeffer-
son displayed good taste In his burial direc-
tionA.
Aunt Polly, an aged negro who used to
wait upon him at table, still lives in Monti-
cello. She il evidently pressed with the
honor she had OF performing this special SER
vice she says she knows she has seen one
great man eat, lie was small eater, and
preferred soup and vegetables to meat, wine
to whisky, which in tact he did not drink at
all. His wines were directly imported for
his own use, and were chiefly Bordeaux and
Madeira. lie was a smoker, though not of
cigars /: he carried about with him big
cherry stem foot long and bowled out nj
the end, into which he would thrust some
tobacco leaves crumpled up on the moment
and this he would smoke. The tobacco was
grown on bis estate, and he esteemed It over
all other brands; but he was a moderate
smoker, and talking rather than smoking
was his forte as he liked TO talk, people
iikeu TO listen To him, and of course always
with marked deierence He was very liberal
IN giving tips, or small change, to servants at
the houses wherever he visited, and In that
day it was the universal practice to tip ali
mental service. His purse was made Of silk,
and he kept both its ends well filled out
with silver, thinking nothing of giving a
quarter or half dollar to a servant as graf
iiicatiOn. Aunt Polly recalls with particular
pleasure, in looking back over her career,
that Mr.. Jefferson always greeted her and
shook hands with her every time he returned
home after an absence. The politest of men,
he shook hands, in fact, with everybody,
white or black, whom he knew or who was
presented to him.
IRREGULARITIES OF DRESS. |
His everyday and Sunday clothes were OF |
homespun grayish cloth and homemade (; a
red vest, both buttoning up
around the neck, knee-breeches, home.knit
stockings, pumps with silver buckles, and a
brood-brimmed sloucb hat constituted his
outfit in dress. In very cold weather he tied
A red comforter around his neck, country
fashion. About his linen he was very par
lcular, aud the washerwomen in charge a,
Monticello were careful to do it up exactly
IN accordance with his fancy. 1t was with
extreme reluctance that he at last laid aside
knee-breeches to don the more fashionable |
pantaloons When riding out he used in |
winter wooen and leather 'Heggings," and
however spattered with mud on returning
seated before blazing hickory fire. He ac-
customed himself never to call on others for |
assistance when he could easily do without |
but in those little matters which called for
outside attention, viz, cleaning his room,
the articles of his toilet, repairing |
his clothes and keeping them in trim, he
was eNacting, and his servants were |
thoroughly drilled to fulfill his expectations.
Wherever he might be his department was |
very quiet and digniiied, though he could |
adapt himself readily to any assemblage. The
children of the village and its neighborhood
literally adored him as a hero their own hero, |
80 naturally did he please them, and ladies,
II whose society he was iond were devoted
~ ~ MS luu6rdl II DIR crown |
including all the servants on the place, who
their sorrow in many tears After
lls death Monticello was occupied for eight |
years, and during the interval his bedroom, |
With everything in it as he left it, was un-
ouched. 1t was small and simply furnished.
usually he rose with the sun, and before
breakfast took stroll around the yard and
to the stables He was goodlookIng man,
and had sandy hair up to his death, that Is to |
say his hair did not turn gray, nor was he in |
the least bald. Crowds visited the house and |
grounds for years after his death, and even |
after Commodore Levy, of the United States |
navy, bought the estate in 1884. The com.
heir now owns it, and has latterly |
been endeavoring to restore the mansion to |
its pristine state 1t would be suitable act |
If the estate should be purchased in the name
Of the country and given to Mr.. Jefierson's
nearest kin, some OF whom still reside at
Charlottesville.