The Iola register., 1902-04-11

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who fell in the battles which once
swept with their wild tides over these
now peaceful and pleasant hills. There
are other grim reminders of the old
days, too, in the long lines of earth
works that may still be seen encircl-
ing the crests Of the surrounding hills.
OF all maps monuments there is none
which if untouched, endures so long
as the earthen parapets which mark
the lines of his battles
Charlottville, where the convention
was held, is an old, old town, dating
before the beginning of the last cen
tury-and it looks it. All the business
of the 1000 people who make it their
home is done on one street, long,
narrow highway, which must have been
a COW path once, winding about the
sides of half doxen low hills. And
yet from this quaint, struggling,
sleepy town have gone out men who
have cut some figure in the world.
James Monroe practiced law here, and
his old home was only seven miles
away. Thirteen miles in another di-
rection lived James Madison in a
stately mansion of the old colonial
style, a glimpse of which appears in a
rift between wooded hills as we APP
proach the town. Two miles to the
east on high hill, from which may
be had the most enhancing view,
verify believe, that | ever beheld, is
Monticello pronounced Montichello), J,
the home of Jefferson. Lewis and
Clarke were born here, alsoland it was
from their homes in this little town
that Jefferson called them to blaze a
pathway across the continent, an eX-
pedition which brought to Kansas
the first American citizens who ever
set foot on our SOIL and planted for
the first time the flag which was to
float there forever-an expedition al
most without parallel in our history
for hardihood and daring and endur-
ance and great results, and which has
yet brought no monument TO the men
who made it and left no remembrance
of any kind, except the name of
street in Chicago, and that is spelled
wrong.
But while Madison and Monroe an d
Lewis and Clarke are by no means
forgotten when the inhabitants of
Charlottville rehearse the stories of
their towns departed glories, yet it is
'the sage OF Monticello" who is the
special pride and patron saint of the
place, and it is to the final home he
builded that visitors are always taken
before their round Of sight seeing is
deemed complete. And it is a place
which, entirely apart from its associ
alton with great name, most amply
repays a visit. The rounded summit
of the lofty hill upon which the house
which is beautifully kept lawn, with
enough trees to afford a grateful
shade, but with enough open spaces to
admit in every direction themost mag
niicent view of field and stream; of
wooded hills and distant blue noun
tains, that | ever remember in all my
somewhat wide wandering to have
seen. Mr.. Jefferson was his own
architect, and the house stands today
exactly as he planned and built it, u
noble and stately structure, we'll iusti-
flying the pride its builder and owner
felt in it. 1t is owned now by Hon.
Jefferson Nj. Levy, of New York, a
| very distant, and yet the nearest liy-
ing relative of Thomas Jefferson, who
spends his summers here, and keeps
open house for.the thousands of visit
ors who annually come here as on a
pilgrimage. Possessing abundant
wealth Mr.. Levy has put the old plan
tation in excellent order, and has
furnished thelhouse throughout in the
style of hundred years ago. Very
much of the furniture is that which
was in the house when Mr.. Jefferson
himself was living, and it is interest
ing indeed to take note of the French
clocks, the marble statutes, the curious
sideboards and writing desks, the
beautiful inlaid tables, the elaborate
ly carved bedsteads and the numer-
Gus other articles of household use OF
ornaments which are familiar enough
in the show places of 1.-THE old world
but are to be seen in such profusiou
nowhere else in the new world to my
knowledge but in this historic
mansion.
In Jefferson's time the plantation
comprised many thousand acres o.
land, and the author ofthe declaration
that all men are born equal did mo-
think it inconsistenttocl claim the owner
ship of several hundred slaves whose
labor made it possible for him to sur