The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-05-14

ninety peuple 70 ulIe WIN us, at cue
table, fixed under the arbor. Only a
half dozen of them stayed all night, but
l am less worried about a hundred
guests here han twenty-five in Wash
ington, in summer especially. l truly
believe a country home is the happ,2st
and moSt independent in all the WO.I}."
About & quarter of a nile f"om the
house i the family burying ground,
which is SO surrounded by trees that
many of the gravestones have been
roots. In this spot lie the remains of
the fourth president of the United
States, under a handsome granite shaft,
on which is cut in large black letters
the n word, "Madison,' and the dates
Of his birth and death. This monu-
ment was erected by private subscrip-
ton, mostly in his own county. Many
years afterwards his wife's remains
were removed from Washington and
placed here by his side.
Over Montpelier, like the fragrance
OF an old-time flower, fingers the men,
DRY of Mrs. Madison. Sweet Dolly
Madison she was called then, and it is
as Sweet Dolly Madison that she has
gone down to history.
Madison, when member Of Congress
from Virginia, met in Philadelphia Mis-
tress Todd, a dashing widow of a bril-
liancy and beauty seldom equaled. On,
these widows! They betwitched us
then as they bewiider us now! Per-
haps even a little more, for in read
ing the history of those early days one
cannot but be struck with the number
of widows one ONE + They held
right royal sway and were undisputed
bellies. What became of the girls until
they themselves became widows it is
difficult to discover. In sOOth, they
seem modestly to have held back, while
their widowed sisters reaped noble tri-
umphs on the field Of conquest. OF the
first four presidents three-Washing-
ton, Jefferson and Madison-married
widows, and many others among the
prominent men Of that day followed the
prevailing fashion. MadisOn's mar
rlage to the sprightly Widow Todd took
place in 1894 at Hardwood, her sisters
home in West Virginia. This sister had
married George Steptoe Washington,
nephew to George Washington. 1t has
fallen to the lot of few women to go
through as varied a career as that of
Mrs. Madison. She was brought up &C
cordlng to the strictest rule of the
Quaker church in Philadelphia, and lit
tie Dolly Payne, tripping to school in
her demure Quaker bonnet and quiet
drab gown, was as different from dash
ing Dolly Madison as if they had been
two persons instead of one and the
same. But the demure Quaker bonnet
could not conceal the beauty and fascin-
alton beneath it, and she soon had adj
mlrers galore. She married one Of
these, John Todd by name, a member
young lawyer, and until his death about
three years later, lived the life of a So
Der Quaker matrOn. After mourning him
for some time she threw off her quiet
garb and doomed out one of the most
bewitching bellies of her city until she
left it to go to Montpelier, as the bride
of James Madison. Here she remained
until Madison became Secretary O.
State under Jefferson, and she left hel
quiet country home for the gay life a
the capital. Travelling then was not
what it is now; steamboats, were few
railroads unheard of, and a journey
must needs be taken on horseback OF
in a coach. Mrs. Madison carried much
Of her household furniture with hel
and commanded frequent stops on thu
way to rest her weary horses, so thu
length of time it took to make the triI
seems almost incredible to us of to-day
During the eight years that followed
her house was, with the exception o
the White House, the best known il
Washington, and whenever jefferson.
daughters were absent Mrs. Madison
presided owe the presidential recep