Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-28
Phlladolphia TimesO

philadelphia Times)
There Is one spot in the United states
from which can be seen tho homes Of
four Of its Presidents. That spot is ip
Orange county. Va. where. standing on
the summit OF little HILL one has within
range OF vision Monticello. the birth
place OF Zachary Taylor; Ash Lawn. the
early homo Of Monroe: James Madison's
stately Montpelier. and Monticello the
wcll-known home OF Thomas jefferson.
The two latter are twenty miles or more
apart. but Madison and jefferson were
considered ne.ghbors at that time when
"a few miles more or less made no diff
ference, and morning call lasted all
day long. The two men We're always
warm friends and political associates.
and there was much visiting between
their homes. Nowadays the name Of
Monticello IS almost as familaa as that
CT Jefferson himself but the home q
Madison does not seem 20 be so We'll
known.
Montpelier stands on a slight eminence
about four miles from Orange Courthouse.
facing tho long line Of the Blue Ridge
mountains In the distance. The broad
fHIIINfnk I'Nl AaNOs uIatAA NN rLANflF l1Oilf
columns. has on both sides the Ions wings
a. the house which give ii the alpe3r-
ance as &c were. Of holding Out open
arms 20 welcome the coming guest" one
az these wings. with the gardens and oili-
ces attached 10 70. was devoted exclusive
iv 10 the use OF old Mrs Madison. the
Presidents mother. who lived TO a great
ace Here she led a quiet life. near TO
ler children, but apart from the gay
throng with which the house was often
lurI The front door has acquired a
quaint. old-time look from the high
ro.utcd cOrnicc over It, Inside the house
l- large and commodiOus. furnished plain
lv. bat richly, and everything Is arranged
with q view TO comfort, rather than or
uluent.
Tlt the especial beauty Of Montpelier
is i,s magnificent trees, many OF them
irary with age, which shut the old house
ir with q sort Of protecting tenderness
ff1m ne outside world. To the right
i- an avenue OF spruce pines. planted un-
l.- the personal supervision Of Madison,
end not far away a grove OF ancient
wa.nut-trees. under whose shade n sol
cm1 quiet reigus. and the grass is al
ways green. Near the house is majes-
tc OAK. which is 50 large that a horse
placed on one side Of II cannot be seen
from the other. This has been critically
tested by many people. among them
President Hayes when he visited Mont
pelier, accompanied by his Cabinet, in
iS2
At one end Of the avenue Of pines. TO
which we referred above is an Ice
house. dug in the ground according to
The Virginia. fashion. eOyer il is a dainty
little DOric temple. in which Madi-
son often spent long summer morn
ings, reading or conversing with
his friends One OF the tradi-
tons which the good folk Of
the neghboThood delight in telling is
about this ice-house, which was the first
ever heard Of I'm that section The ne
groes could not believe their ears when
ordered 10 fill IL with ice early IN the win
ter. and the overseer, himself filed with
doubt Straightway attempted 90 dtssuade
his master from so useless an under
j taking. Madison was greatly amused
at this. and laughirgiy promised the man
an iced mint-julep on the next 4th or
july, I'm exchange for his largest turkey
the following Christmas. To this the
overseer willingly agreed, deeming his
turkey perfectly safe. On the GLORIOUS
4th" Just enough ice remained IN the
straw 10 fiji the compact, and Madison
told the story with great glee TO his
friends while carving fine, large tur-
key for his Christmas dinner.
During the summer months the inmates
of Montpelier spent most Of their time
on the spacious lawn I'm front Of the
house. and often had dinner served under
"a large. vine-covered arbor. In one OF
Mrs. Madison's letters, written on hot
July day. fifty-seven years ago, she says:
yesterday We had ninety people to dine
with us. at one table, fixed under the
arbor Only a half-dozen Of them stayed
an night. but I am less worried about
hundred guests here than twenty-five
in washington, In sumTer especially. l
truly believe a country nome is the hap
pest and most Independent in all the
world"
About a quarter Of q mile from the
house is the family burying- ground.
which is so surrounded by trees that
MANY OF the graVestones have been
thrown out Of line by their spreading
roots. In this spot lie the remains OF
ID. fourth President Of the United States,
under handsome granite shafe, on
which is cut I'm large black letters the one
word Madison" and the dates Of his
birth and death This monument was
erected by private subscriptions. mostly
in lfs own county. Many years after
wards his wife's remains were removed
t..m washington and placed here by his
side.
over Montpelier, like the fragrance OF
an old-time flower, fingers the memory
of Mrs. Madison. sweet Dolly Madl-
soD." she was called then, and II IS as
sweet Dolly Madison" that she mas
zone down TO history.
Madison. when member Of Congress
from virginia met in philadelphia MIS-
tros5 Todd. a dashing widow OF orii-
Iancy and beauty seldom edualled. on
these wldowsl They bewitched us theh
as they bewilder us now. Perhaps even
little more. for i'm reading the history
of those early days one cannot but DC
struck with the number of widows one
comes across They held right royal
sway. and were undisputed bellies. w nat
became of the girls until they themselves
became widows it is difficult TO discover,
in sooth. they seem mOdestly TO have heId
back. while their widowed sisters ieapeu
noble trumphs on the field OF conquest
OF tho first four Presidents threw ASH
inrton. jefferson and Madison-marfleu
widows. and many others among lhe
prominent men of that day followed the
prevailing fashion. MadisOn's marriage