The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13

arborcuAure questioned a statement made
that these lindeas were planted by Jeffer-
son himself.
Senate I'm a tone intended TO carry convic-
ton to all his listeners 1t is very evident
that these trees are older tnan lnat. 1ney
must have been here before Monticello was
built
THAT may be-" said Senator Turner the
clear-cut. keen-eyed and athIefics-; G.!
young senator from the far-om State OF
Washington, who is emnently practical In
everything but, If ii be true, as they tell
US, that Jefferson leveled OF the top OF
this mountain and cleared it of all its TIM
Der before he built. ii seems equally evil
dent to me that what trees are here must
have been planted since, and may. there
fore have been planted by Jefferson
Several interesting old negroes, who had
lived all their lives on the estate, ana eX-
pect 10 die there, were met by the visitors
in their wanderings about the grounds. One
of these who used big words lndiscrimi-
nately. was a source OF great amusement
to Senators Dehoe and Nelson, both OF
whom appeared to have wonderful talent IN
what is commonly known as "stringing
the unsophisticated.
you remember, of course" asked Sena-
tor Nelson. when Bonaparte-Napoleon
Bcnaparte-came here?"
The old darkey looked puzzled for min
ute. but finally replied:
dat. sah
When the laughter which greeted the
now astonished darby subsidized Senator De-
Doe took hand in the "stringing"
Tell me, uncle, J he said, was it true
what i have heard that BonapaTte rode
his horse right up through that clump Of
lilac bushes?"
But the old fellow was not going to COM
nit himself so definitely after having been
laughed at once.
wen, sah!7 he began hesitatingly; mot
'Zactly right froo dem lilacs, sab, but sum-
whah in dat ar neighborhood sab"
Another hearty peal Of laughter from
senatorial threats brought this .reproach
from the old man: You is havin' fun wifi
de old man. Shuah you is
But still he fingered about the party and
was finally induced to stand at the head OF
the little table where they sat eating cake
and cream while Arthur Kenna. the Sen
ate page took a couple OF snap shots at the
party with his kodak.
Has he got me now. sah?" he asked.
''Shuah I'd like to see how dis heah niggah
looks in one of dem little brack boxes
Young Kenna said he would send him
picture and asked his name.
My name sab, is Fleming West. OATS
what dey calls me now, sab. But dat amt
de name my ole nanny guy me.
What was it 2" a chorus asked.
Joshua Jonas Solomon Saul Shadrach
Meshach Netherspaul' said the old fellow.
solemnly. chanting it as schoolboys were
wont to scan their Virgil
Representative Tongue also came across
a very communicative old negro who liked
to talk about the place.
''Were there any battles fought around
here?" asked Mr.. Tongue.
mo, sab; no. sah;" was the reply Not
since de wah. sah.'
After all that had been said previous to
the excursion about making pilgrimage to
the tomb of Jefferson, none OF the party
visited the tomb, which is some distance
from the house, near the road leading to
the valley. No one seemed TO notice the
neglect save Senator TuFpie who said, half
reproachfully half regretfully, as they
passed it on the way home:
I'VE ought to have gone in body TO visit
the tomb. / was there, individually, twenty
one years ago"