Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-02-06
It is his unvarying custom to dictate

1t is his unvarying custom to dictate
them.
He devotes the morning hours to his
literary work. His niece assists him by
acting as his amanuensis. He Away
comPoses aloud, and as he talks she takes
down his words in shorthand aud after
ward transcribes them on the typewriter.
A feature of interest in the study is Mr..
Stockton's collection of his works, com
prising not merely all of the books he has
written, but copy of each different edi-
ton of every book. There are about a
hundred and twenty-five volumes in this
interesting collection, which includes
eleven different English and American
editions, and one German edition of his
Rudder Grange, which is evidently his
most popular book.
Below the main floor is an extensive
basement containing many rooms, most
of which are devoted to domestic pur-
poses. But here also, under the study
and connected with it by small flight of
stairs, is Mr.. Stockton's office-f'in which
1 may attend to the business of selling
potatoes and turnips if have more than
1 want, he states in explanation. And
while we are in the basement, he con
tinues, II must show you the Cell of
the Sunken Sideboard ," Forthwith he
unlocks and opens narrow door leading
into little room. 1t is foot or two be-
low the level of the basement, and there
are no windows nor opening of any sort
save the small doorway.
Occupying nearly the whole space of
this room is an enormous sideboard of
most elaborate workmanship II is many
times larger than the doorway, and thus
it remains imprisoned in its dark CELL
Many years ago it was brought to the
house placed in the basement and delib-
erately walled up with brick, thereby
preventing the possibility of ever moving
it without destroying its mysterious
sepulchre.
One of the peculiarities of the CON
struc ton of the house is the style of It's
doors, With one or two exceptions the
doors throughout the house are all made
to slide into the wall, They do not swing
on hinges. By this arrangement they
take up no room whatever, they are new
er in the way-a great advantage in
summer time allow wide-open passag, S
for the circulation of air.
a broad veranda, ninety feetin length,
extends along the south front ofthe house,
both on the first and second floors, with
graceful wistaria vines cl1nging about its
white pillars. a flight of broad steps
leads down from the lower veranda on to
a magnificent lawn, unbroken by road or
path OF any kind; but whose turf, through
years of the most careful cultivation, is SO
thick and hardy as to permit the driving
of a carriage over it without the least in
jury.
AT the farther end of the lawn is a pic
turesque hedge, beyond which lie a pas
ture field and an orchard, OFF to the left
are the gardens. hedged with a row of
luxuriant shruhbery and laid out in four
large terraces. two banked with stone
and two with grass while on the right
the lawn creeps into the woods and is
lost in the distance amid the trees.
As well as any sketch can portray it,
this is the home of Mr.. Stockton; these
are the peaceful and inspiring surround
ings amid which he lives. And as the
twilight of a summers evening steals ur-
on the landscape of verdured hills and
gardened valleys, bordered by a long
stretch of the beautiful mountains of the
Blue Ridge, the departing guest looks
back upon scene of quiet romance, a
vision of rural beauty and tranquility, and
bids farewell to the charming home Of a
charming author.