The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-23

n
pHyod duets with his love. They conclude
from tho tones OF his instrument that his woo
'ag was successful and walked home dseor
: solatc
Inc mansion at Monticello was half bull
WIEN Jefferson ,cok his bride home The
"o'e IN busy from Williamsburg. a dis
lance OF at least 100 miles. and arrived ia tn
midst OF fearful blizzard lie tells In HI
diary that the snow was moro than two fee
deep IN the road, and that his hors. had
desperate struggle to haul them through. The,
suent their first night In little brick hans
that Is stu standing. attached to the slay,
aaarters. and lived there until the mausio,
was completed.
'ehsfson's married life was short bu, han.
" ihey lived in great luxury and elesance
inss nad 900 slaves. whose descendants ars
uni sasonAoiy numerous IN this locality. Mon
rs' 40 was the finest mansion In that section
" 'ne state Its hospitality was famous. par.
ueulafN It's dinners and winss. and so were
'ne pals that were given there IN the carly
Ways mo ball room does not suggest the
conventional ideas Of Jerersoniau simplicity.
" Is stately apartment. with ponpcilsn dec.
Grafton In tho friose. and lofty ceiling. Tho
u'nihs room is preserved as he lcf, II aud ia
equally apbronriate to man Of bis tastes.
nosition and wealth. The hall is OF ,ypical
hospitality. high. spacious and well lighted
with gallery under the ceiling. from which
the ladies could observe tho resolutions which
MT Jefferson frequently gave to his con-
sttuents. and it furnished place for the
land when he gave a ball. The library is not
so large as expected to find. and Mr.. Jeffer-
son mist have scattered his $4,000 books. tina,
corgress bought, all over tho place. Tradition
says he kept many OF them in the billiard
1 room. which is over the grand parlor. BILL
liare room does not conform to democratic
simplicity any more than liycrled servants.
silver plato aud wine cellar Embedded In
the ceiling of the wide portieo Is a curious
compass. by which tho guests OF the house
could tell the geographical directions. and
over the main entrance is an ugly old church
clock
The stairways unlike those usually found
/ in the colonial mansions OF Virginia. are
narrow. steep and crooked. and the story
goes that the body OF Mrs. Jefferson. who
died in one of the upner chambers. could
not be carried down. The coffin had TO be
lowered with ropes from the gallery OF the
great hall. MIR. Jefferson died in a room on
the first floor. which is arranged In n pecu-
liar way. The bod was placed in a low areh-
way between two rooms and fitted very close
". One OF tho rooms belonged TO Mr.. JEFF
ferson. the other to hts wife. and they appear
to have kept their own apartments as long
as she lived. lilo undressed himself IN his
room and crawled into bed and crawled out
on the same side in the morning. and she
undressed and crept in and out on hers. They
tell nue. that the same arrangemeut is found
in the connubial chambers OF many southern
homes.
Jenersons birthplace is in sight Of the por-
tieo of his mansion. The house In which his
father and mother lived stood upon sunny
slope in the valley Of the Rivanna river, which
winds around like a silver ribbon among the
hills Of red clay. There is SO much oxide OF
iron In the soil that 1t stains the hands ana
looks almost tho color OF crimson. The house
H. which Jefferson was born burned many
years ago, and he traded the old farm for
bowl of arrack punch. 'Pantop,' another
house OF his. far down the valley, Is stun
stapdng and now occupied as school for
young women by Mrs. Sampson. The land Is
lean but the view is superb. From the cupols
Of the mansion you can look into half dozen
counties. The home OF President Monroe.
kl.cwn as Ashlawn, lies about eight miles
down the valley. Madison's home was few
miles north and called Montpelier.
There was a brewery ON the Monticello es-
tate where the founder OF the University Of
Virginia made beer. But he could not have
found 1t profitable for he turned II Into
nail factory, and behind the rooless walls the
Levy family. who own the place. have since
buried their dead
The death Of his wife was a shocking blow
10 MIR. Jefferson. she was a most congenlal
companion. and not only sympathzed with his
political and intellectual tastes, but her sa
gscity and social attractions furnished a pow
erful reinforcement for his ability and skill
IL was many years after her death before
Monticello recovered its gaiety, but when his
two daughters grew up he returned to social
life. and, according to tradition, the widower
was the hero Of several love affairs although
1. s said that be never again seriously CON
temulated marriage. At one time he was chal-
lor ged to fight duel, but declined to do so
os IolLeJul 10 suA tvAII snoJusG sIu osuuo9q
cial standing.
Mr., Jefferson was the father OF six children
but only two daughters survived. One of them
IspPbt NHooS NISNS""-
ants still live In the neighborhood. The other
was Mrs. Randolph, whose husband was after
ward governor OF Virginia aud a man OF con-
siderable note. She kept house for her father,
inherited his property. and from her descend
cd large and influential family.
~
II is not true that Mr.. Jefferson escaped
iom his house through an underground pas
age when tho British soldiers appeared, as Is
commonly stated In his biographies. There is
al underground passage communicating with
the slave quarters, and It was used by them,
tut the circumstances of Mr.. Jefferson's es-
cape arc familiar by tradition to all the old
residents.
man named Jack Jouett, who kept hotel In
Charlottesville, was passing through neigh
boring town when II was attacked by Lord
Tarleton's army He rode rapidly home,
warned the Virginia legislature, which was IN
session at Charlottesville, and then went to
Monticello to advise Mr., Jefferson. The lat
ter was unconcerned as 10 his fate, but sad
cled his horse, took his sword cane and pair
az field glasses, and rode 10 the top OF Carter /
mountain. which rises about 1000 feet behind
Monticello. There he remained nearly III
day. watching the approaches to charlottes- |
Vile but could sec nothing OF tho enemy, and
toward night started TO return to HIS home. |