Mohave County miner., 1899-04-22


chips by relic hunters, and the high
fence that surrounds the little cemetery
does not appear to be complete pro.
lection in the least, which was erectsd nv
the government, because vandals have
already mutilated it.
Jsfhson's epitaph is we'll known. He
wrote 1t himself, and brifly stated the
three achievements in which he took the
greatest pride. He does not mention
MS ofiiclal honors or political service
he desires to be rememb bersd as the au.
thor OF the Declaration OF Independence
and OF the law guaranteeing religious
liberty to the people Of his state and as
the founder Of the University OF Virginia.
Jefferson was not an orator He had
"a constitutional trouble with his throat
which impaired his voice and had great
d fficnlty in making himself heard even
In the small court room where he used TO
practice law, but he was a most yoIum.
inous writer. His descendants here tell
me that there are more than 25 600 let
ters IN his penmanship, properly authen.
ticated and preserved, and volumes OF
manuscript in the University OF Virginia,
the las. one containing a record OF the
mnues OF the board OF visitors only a
lew DAYS before his death. For a man
who wrote 80 much he Was a marvellous
penman. Every page is neat, every let.
ter plainly and perfectly formed, 30 that
his writing is as easy to read as print,
and up 10 the last 1t shows frmness
and regularity quite as marked as the
pages he wrote in early boyhood.
Jefferson VAS a 'lady's man" He
was noted as a gallant all over Virginia
He had one serious love affair while IN
college with young woman named
Belinda, who lived at Carrer's Grove, a
famous old place near Williamsburg, the
seat OF William and Mary college, where
he was educated. He afterward married
a widow whose Acquaintance he made al
Williamsburg while he was studying
law. Hei name Was Martha Skelton
Her father was a Mr. Wayles, a painter
Who had fine place called THE For.
ssts," few miles from the city They
seemed to be attached TO each other by
their musical tastes. He vas devoted to
the violin, and she played an accompanI.
ment upon the haspsIcord He had left
a number of letters concerning his court.
ship, which are published in his bioe
rsphies, and indicate that he was not off
with his old love before he was on wi b
the new.
He had considerable trouble adjusting
bis conduct to the satisfaction OF his own
conscience. The Bt,ry goes that he was
suurred into an engagement with Martha
Sselton by the rivalry of two of his
friends, with whorn he came to an under
standing that they should draw cuts for
the first proposal. Ii she rejected the
first he was to retire and give the next q
chance, and il he was not accepted the
third was at liberty to propose. j. fer
son drew number one, and started for
the Wsyles plantation. His rivals fol
lowed him and hung over the hedge
listening to the music as he played duets
with his love. They concluded from the
tones OF his instrument that his wooinp
was successful and walked home discon
ISOLATE.
The mansion at Monticello was hal
built when jefferson took his bride home
They drove in t,nggy from Williams
burg. a distance of at least 100 miles
and arrived 10 the midst of feariu
blizz ,rd. He teIlB in his diary that the
snow was more than two feet deep in tht
road. and that his horse had desperate
struggle to haul them through They
spent their first night in little brlci
house that is still standing, attached tt
the slave quarters, and lived there unit
the mansion vas com pleied.
! Jefferson's married life was short ant
elegant. They had 400 slaves, whos'
descendants are unreasonabiy numerou'
in this locality. Monticello vas the I'm
est mansion in that section OF the state
LIS hospitality was famous, PARTICULAR!
its dinners and wines, and 80 we're th'
balls that we're gwen thar in the earl,
days. The ballroom does not sugges
the conventional ideas Of Jeff-rsonIaI
sim plicily. 1t is a stately apartment
with Pompeilan decorations in the fr'eze