St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-06-12

oOU ieet above the river, and as the
grounds contain about 500 acres,
the greater part woodland, the drive
through them is delightful. Not far
from the summit is the family bury
ing ground, merely a small, fenced-in
clearing among the whispering trees.
Here stands the simple white shaft
which Jefferson desired, marked by
the inscription by which he wished
to be remembered, Thomas Jeffer-
son, the author of the Declaration of
American Independence and Of the
statute of Virginia for religious free
dom, and founder of the University
Of Virginia" Farther on up the
road stands picturesque old ruin,
tall, wide chimney, clothed with ivy
to its very top, and surrounded by
traces of house wall. This is the
site of Jefferson's blacksmith shop,
where all the wrought nails for use
on the plantation were made. Just
without the gateleading to the house
grounds, stands group of small
brick buildings with neat white
trimmings. These were used respec-
lively as weaving room, tor this
plantation was self-supporting,
smoke house and carpenter shop.
lust below the brow of the hill are
the stables, poultry houses and other
farm buildings, surrounded by
patches of cultivated ground. The
mansion or manor house, itself, is
located nearly in the center of
beautiful lawn of five acres, shaded
by grand old trees, planted by Wash
ington, Lafayette, Madison and
Jefferson. An old colored servant
pointed out as the greatest curiosity
a sugar tree" the kind that real
sugar could be made from, she said.
In the South the product is known
as tree sugar instead of maple.
Truly it is a tree to be proud OF;
grand old tree, flouishing so well in
strange soil that even the practical
Vermont eye could detect no flaw in
it's beautiful contour.
The house is Of red brick, with lofty
white pillars of pure Doric architec-
ture in front, at the back and on
either end. To the north and south
extend wings, and from these what
appear to be wide board walks
extend to some distance from the
house. These are in reality the roofs
of underground passages. The one
on the south connects with the base
ment of the house, the house SER
wants quarters, which are built
nearly underground, the lawn being
graded level with that edge of the
roof which is toward the house. At
one end of these quarters stands the
overseer's house, which contained
also Jefferson's business office. Here
he took refuge with his bride during
their first night at Monticello. The
mansion was not entirely finished,
and as they had arrived unexpected
ly in the midst of a heavy snow
storm, they were unable to obtain
entrance to their new home. The
covered passage extending north Of
the house connects with the ice
house, which is placed at the north
ern edge of the grounds with its roof,
too, level with the lawn. From this
point is obtained the magnificent
view to west, north and east, which
gives the greatest charm to the place.
The mountains in the northwest
remind one of the view of the White
mountains from Danville heights
but here the chain is nearer and
longer and the peaks Of more uni
form height; while in the foreground,
in the place of the high Vermont hills,
are the fertile plains of Virginia,
wide green fields, bits of dense forest,
and most novel of all to the north
ern eye, bright copper colored
patches wherever the ground is Guilt
waited. In the midst of these fields
and forests lies the small city OF
Charlottesville, and on its further
border stands the University of Vir-
GINA, the idol of Jetferson's later
years. Here on this same platform
he stood, telescope in hand, superin-
tending day after day the construc-
ton of these buildings; for each
stone, each brick and each beam was
placed according to plans which he
himself had drawn. Not far from
this lookout pOint stands IetferSOn's