davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
liz SECTIONS Mov1NG UP THE
CHAMPS ELY5EEs To AE INvA1DEs

Sovereigns There was the belt buckle
of Pepin the Short, the jeweled box of
st. Louis (bought by Napoleon III for
10000 francs from the Abbey de Lys),
etc, etc.
But Eugenies legal rights were too
magnificent, and just as the courts
made her final award in 1907. the ia
nous antiquary, Nelche, raised a cry
before the public, enumerating the his
tQrical and even the intrinsic value of
relics which ought to belong to the
nation"
The boys viewed them with uncov-
cred heads.
x x
Four magnificent Moorish saddles.
embroidered in gold and pearls, picked
up by the great Napoleon after the bat
tie of the pyramids. and estimated at
10000 francs. At a public sale, they
would bring above 100000 francs for
their romantic history
An oriental scimitar. handled
heavily jeweied, picked up by Napoleon,
equally, in the shadow of the pyramids.
at the beginning of his career. and
worn constantly by him. Estimated at
$4,000 francs for its material 1t is real
1y worth 100000 francs, or perhaps dou
BILE 1t is a grand relic.
The parade saddle Of Napoleon /.
flashing with jewels. Estimated at
LUo,OUU francs, an american OHefeQ f-u-
genie's lawyer half a million for it in
1907.
Then the sacred case of cases. The
Boy Scouts caught their breath. Here
is the ''capote girls Of the Man of Des-
tiny. his historic battle-h hats, his CO.
carde, his cross Of the Legion of
Honor, his illustrious gray overcoat
'(worn at Friedland, June II, 1804, his
gloves, his pistols-the whole legend OF
the eagle.
What price," whispered boy to his
fellow
1T has no price, monsieur" whisper
ed the other. The words are from the
newspaper controversy in 1907. when
some deputy proposed to sell them for
the state and give Eugene half. The
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

close of his letter: We view with sur
prise the attempt to dispossess YOU
against your will of property which be-
longs to you and certainly the former
owner of Monticello would never have
believed such thing possible in our
country All the letters from the de-
scendants of jefferson are couched on the
same cordial terms.
But the story of the transfer of the
property is very interesting and has not
] believe, been fully told, in spite of all
the vOluminOuS accounts OF the contro-
versy. Rev. Mr.. Barclay was the first
purchaser of Monticello. and all the de-
tails of the sale to him and and later TO
Commodore Levy are simple and easy of
access when one seeks the truth.
After Mr. JeffersonS death. and when
it was reported that his daughter would
have to give up Monticello. the legisla-
lures of two of the states of the Union
voted her appropriations which amounted
to about $4,000. At the time of this APP
preparation all of Mr.. Jeffersons debts
had been paid or assumed by his grand
son, and his daughter. Mrs Martha Ran
dolph was left with Monticello and 30
acres of land, consisting mainly of the
mountain upon which the house was
situated and with very little arabic land
Mrs Randolph very soon found the
same trouble which her distinguished
father had experienced. People seemed
to look upon Monticello as a house to
which they were privileged to go in pass
ing to and from Richmond With the old
fashioned Virginia hospitality, Mrs. Ran
dolph felt disinclined to turn any one
from her door, In addition to this bur-
den she found that it was impossible TO
make even meager living upon the 252
acres of land upon which, as / have said.
the house is situated, and with very lit
tie arabic land. In the little town of
Charlottesville, on the corner of what
is now known as 9th and Market streets.
house and lot which had formerly been
occupied and. 1 believe, built by the
Rev. f. w. Hatch. the rector of the
Episcopal church in the town of Char
lottesville.
This property brought in fair rental
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

buy back the property for her is simple
nonsense, as she could not and would
not have lived on the property had it
been given to her unless she had had
means to keep it up and entertain as
would have been required OF her.
1.-THE Rev. Mr.. Barclay was caught
with the silkWOrm fever, which was
extant in this country in the early tlrir-
culture. cutting down many of the hand
some trees on the place and planting the
mulberry tree Mrs. NJ. w. Ghlmer of
Charlottesville, who visited Mr.. Barclay
girl. says that she remembered seeing
the silkworms in the glass-coveTed con-
servatory which opens out OF what vas
Mr.. Jefferson's library. Mr.. Barclay soon
paying one, and was exceedingly anxious
to get rid OF Monticello. which was as
Improbable to him as it had been to
Mrs. Randolph
He accordingly offered it for sale and
my uncle became the purchaser. About
this purchase a tissue Of fable has been
woven simply absurd. No one had pro-
posed to buy the property for Mrs. Ran
dolpll. that anybody ever heard of in this
section. and had Commodore Levy OBJ
tanned the property In the way it has
been charged he did it can be very we'll
imagined that he would have met with
scorn and contempt from every member
of the Randolph family. but the contrary
was the case. Both he and his sister and
the members of the Randolph family
were on pleasant terms and exchanged
repeated visits.
mot more than ten years ago Dr. w.
C. N. Randolph, Jefferson's sole surviv-
ing grandson. dined at Monticello with
my brother, myself and some friends. and
on that occa sion DIR. Randolph told me an
incident which he said he had often
heard his father mention with great
pleasure: THAT Commodore Levy invited
his grandmother to visit Monticello and
that on her arrival welcomed her at the
door, ushered her into the hall where the
servants were waiting, and informed her
that for that day he desired. that she
should feel Monticello was her own prop
erty;g that every room was open, and he
wished her to excuse his attendance upon
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

her and enjoy the house as if it were
still her own property: and that Commo
dOre Levy did this on more than one oc
cason with other members of the family
As for the charge that the public are de-
MED adlnittance or made to pay fee
this needs only a fair and impartial in
vestigaton to disprove ITSELF
Mrs. Won Mayhoff is profoundly attached
to her brothers home and she has rem
dered him inestimable service, not only
in presiding with such grace over his
household, but in the care which she
gives every detail of the relics. She
knows the history of everything and she
has devoted time and energy to tracing
the Jefferson treasures dispersed at the
act of the Confederate congress which
declared Commodore Levy an alien enemy
and confiscated the property and adver-
tised the contents Of the mansion to be
sold at auction.
Again the treasures so carefully gath
cred by Jefferson We're scattered, but
after the fall of the Confederacy Commo-
dore Levy and later his brother, Capt.
Jonas Phillips Levy, father Of Mrs. Won
Mayhoff and Mr.. Levy. continued this
work of restoration. Many articles have
been traced by Mr.. Levy and his sister.
and all that could be obtained by gift
or purchase are now in place in the his
torical environment Of Monticello
Mrs. Won Mayhoff is tireless in this
quest and In restoring SO far modern
artists are able the splendid furnishings
gathered mostly by Jefferson in France.
Both she and her brother have made
countless trips abroad reinforced with de-
scriptions of articles from old Jefferson
letters, from wood cuts and from hearsay
descriptions.
Objects of great historic value were
easily obtained. and the present-day
visitor to Monticello can admire the
splendid gift chandelier which once
adorned the palace Of Fontainebleau.
the fine gold clock which Napoleon
gave his brother Joseph, the King Of
Spain, and the priceless Wedgewood
plaques. the first of that famous pot
terry to come to this country, and
which are placed in their original posi-
ton in the great mantel OF the library.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

One of the most interesting rooms in
the house is the coy nook opening
from the state dining room, where
Jefferson delighted to drink tea and to
serve refreshments to callers. JeHer-
son was confirmed tea drinker, that
is. in the late afternoon, but the pres
ence of Il splendid old coffee urn one
which he used through his last years.
shows that he did not contine his pran-
dian dissipationS 10 the canister alone
In this tearoom, which is today eN-
actly Is the sage of Monticello left IL
with busts Of his old friends, Wash
ington and Franklin, in view range OF
the tea table. Later owners added Clay
to this list. There is massive tea
urn of the same date of the coffee urn
in the state dining room and small
and less formal looking tea service
with exquisite Sevres cups and plates
The furniture is Louis XVI of pale
blue satin. embroidered in pink roses
and varied colored morning glories.
The room which contains more in
innate memories of jefferson is his
suite. consisting of his sleeping room,
his study, his work shop and library.
Few Of the furnishings of his day re-
main, but those which do are priceless,
and their authenticity has been estab-
lished. One is the fiat wooden table
in the study made by Jefferson himself.
loi OH HIS oiOSIdpicio OIl HIS
love Of carpentry and joining, as we'll
as of playing the fiddle. and there are
many well attested useful articles of
furniture which he made-even during
the busy days at the White House.
On this table tradition has ii that JEFF
ferson made the rginal draft OF the
famous Declaration and in one corner
of the room remain hundreds of ink
stains made during Jefferson's lifetime.
Perhaps some of them represent SUPER
fiuous ink flung from his pen as he wrote
the immortal words. The small ladder
used to reach books on the higher
shelves of the library was made by JEFF
fegson and used by him to the end of his
life and some few other relics remain.
such as the miniatures of Louis XVI and
Louis XVIII, presented to the sage by
the French monarchs as personal tokens
of their esteem.
Mr.. Levy, following lis custom, will
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
a. 4 @C R, Bors From RE1rrsAND RovEN
t6x@z2zeesaz1..za -zeSJYAITINu OK liz OLD bRONZE
-.S)

was of the Mellinet family told how he.
too. had been of the party. when this
BOYS father and himself were boys or
eleven Gen. Mellinet. then governor OF
the Invalides, took them behind the iron
door.
My own father raised me in his arms.
to look" tells Jean Richepin. the poet.
for il was he. And ] saw the emperor.
/ have never forgotten the sight. What
is seen at that age, 10y a boy of eleven.
makes a deep impression | can still be
hold those eyes half-closed: the beard
slightly grown. the face OF the white
ness of marble. on which spread few
spots that looked like bronze When
there mingle in my memory that face ot
wax, which | have seen, and those eyes,
which have seen, | see the emperor as
truly as If I had known him."
The face used to be exposed to public
view. once a year. on August 10 the fete
of Napoleon Vast crowds passed in.
round, and out. The upper part of the
collins was raised. and through plate glass
the man of destiny" was seen. not as
sleeping. but awaking, eyes half opened.
just beginning to look up. THIS was iiii
1862. but IL is presumed that the bronze
spots threatened injury, and II was or
dered to risk no more possible movement
or exposure to the air-eNen under thick
nesses of plate glass. Gen. Mellnet taxi
ing a private party was a notable event.
1t Is said to have been repeated only once,
for the late beloved King Edward VII
Then. in 1900. the face was still perfe' l.
He was never embalmed. told Gen. NiCx
to a group Of boys. At st. Helena, they
lacked the necessary materials. So &C
was wonderful that he was found nm
touched by time in 1s4l, when they
brought him back to France.
Reverently, the boys questioned Gen.
Niox.
He was inclosed in four collins, sa
the general ..one of mahogany. one OF
lead, a second of mahogany, and one or
tin plate Now they are fve-tin plate.
mahogany. lead. a second III Lead sep
arated from the others by sawdust and
wood bricks and one of EBONY. When
last opened, the body seemed If en-
veloped in transparent cloud. The head
of the conqueror rested on pillow. The
lofty brow was wrinkled in thought n
der the eyelids, half open. the eyeballs
had lost neither volume. shape nor color
The nose was perfect The cheeks were
puffy but remarkable for sottness and
suppleness to touch, and the whiteness or
their color.
Hermetic closing of the collins kept the
body free from micro-organisms.
The boys stood, dreaming. hats off.
The thin lips were parted, said the
general 1.-The skin preserved the teXturs
and tint of life.
STERLING HELLO.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

state could buy them in. How do boys
hear and remember such things?
We stood beneath the dome.
The scouts circled round the balus
trade. They looked down into the
yawning space where angels watch the
huge sarcophaguS. Between them are
stands of mOldering flags and banners
taken in battle from all the armies
of Europe in Napoleon's empire.
! heard one boy whisper to his mates:
The allies, entering Paris. hurried
here to grab their flags back, but the
veterans Of Napoleon had hid them. If
other way they said. we'd burn them
and swallow the ashes."
Descending the steps behind the balda
quin, we passed the black marble tomb
of Marshals Duroc and Bertrand, which
guard the approach to Napoleon. His real
resting place is down here, a massive
stone room, underneath the sarcophagus.
His words. taken from his will, are in
gold letters at the entrance. on the mas
s:ve iron door, nowadays kept ever lock-
ed:
II wish that my ashes shall repose on
the banks of the Seine, among the French
people. whom I loved So
He died at ST. Helena in 1921. He was
not brought back to France until 1S41,
by the gallant young Prince de Joine-
Vile, a younger son of the then reigning
King Louis-Philippe. BONNEVILLE, with
whom, as a druling ancient man, I, Ster-
ling Heilig, used to chat on the bench
before his mansion in 1886, when I lived
in the Avenue d Antin-he had all but lost
his reason-until the valet came and
shooed him in "A great responsibility to
he. monsieur" the turnkey used to say.
Thus. Napoleon's true funeral took
place twenty years after his death. 1t
was the most grandiose parade OF Paris
of the nineteenth century; at least, there
has been nothing like it since. The
wrought-iron monument lamp posts with
urns at their SUBMITS which still line
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

of Mr. Levy, who is, we'll known,
bachelor.
Mrs Won Mayhoff resides in New York
or Washington during the winter, but she
Is always ready to drop her own plans
and go at an hours notice to open the
splendid home of her brother. She has
proved an ideal chatelaine. and the state
of Virginia has conferred on her all kinds
of honors in return for the royal hos
pitality she and Mr.. Levy have shown
distinguished guests. Mrs. Won Mayhoff.
though naturally deeply reSentful of this
agitation to compel her brother to dis
pose of Monticello to the state of Virginia,
presents her side with calm forbearance.
and reinforces her statements with docu-
mentary evidence in the Levy family an
mails.
Regarding that fable so industriously
revived recently over the purchase OF
Monticello by my uncle. Commodore Uriah
+. Levy" said Mrs. Won Mayhoff, my
brother has received letters from every
surviving member Of the Jefferson family
to disprove much that has been said. You
know most OF this controversy is founded
on misap prehenSion. We may believe that
the members of the Jefferson family know
the terms under which Commodore Levy
acquired the property. and they know also
all that relates to their treatment under
the present owner, the care taken of it
and the sacredness in which historical
memories have been cherished.
X
There are scores of letters. one of
them from II. Randolph Burke of Alex
andria, Va: in behalf of his mother. a
venerable lady of eighty-SiX. the great
granddaughter Of Jefferson and daughter
of Nicholas +. Trist and his wife, who
was Miss Randolph. Mrs. Burke was
born at Monticello, one of the last of the
line born there before the estate passed
.IpfferSODS
writes that the family has always felt
under obligations 10 my family for pre-
serving the home of the illustrious patriot
ard for the care lavished on il. and most
of all for the courtesy always extended
to them all. and the feeling that they are
always welcome at Monticello come when
or how they will.
He adds this pertinent remark at the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
Y ears
fon Levy Catem@ Fifteen Years

entertain frequently during this congress
sional term. Jefferson's birthday is al
WAYS observed with fitting ceremonial
and all other anniversaries connected
with the life of the great man whose
home they occupy.
Mr. Levy ard Mrs. Won Mayhoff, though
proud of their own, descent from highly
reserved Knickerbocker family, and their
close relationship TO man so highly
honored as Commodore Triah Levy, have
sunk their own individuality with won
derful effacement in the memories or tina
patriot But the home is filled with Levy
relics also. and with some splendid Levy
portraits including one of President
.Iacksons friend. Commodore Levy. who
purchased the estate more than eighty
years ago.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
A Diary Difficulty.

xtNNANY of us, as 1913 comes in, Will
4v4 contemplate the keeping OF -
diary" said Mayor Grant at a dinner in
Oklahom
Diaries, however, are dangerous things.
They make terrible revelations l know
a man who said to his wife
- Don't you think, Maria, that with
the New Years advent il would be
good thing for us to keep a diary
Yes. perhaps, Maria answered; but
if we registered all our family quarrelS
in the volume I'm afraid most people
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
IHE TOMB Of NAPOLEON,
In The IrIvALIDHS At PAR1s

that moment little Marie came run
ming. Mamma, the lantern has stop
ped turning!
1t must turn. It's five flashes are all
that protect a numerous shipping
from the ill-famed rocks of Houat.
The husband, when his pains came on
him. had no time to wind the powerful
mechanism with the great crank.
which only a strong man can handle
Also the widow tried vainly to regu-
late the slow movement of0the cog
wheels; she could not discover the
screw nut.
A tempest was rising. The tower
rocked Yet, resolutely. she called the
children, weeping at their dead father
bedside She showed them how they
must, slowly, regularly. with their
bare hands, turn the cogged disk on
which the lantern rested: one two
cog, but let it rest in while you count
three seconds. One, two, three. four
five. stop fifteen seconds Here's the
watch.
huddled together. Charles and Marie
Iabored All the next day they waited
beside the dead man for the storm to
subside and permit them to communi-
cate with land. Impossible. Another
night the children turned the disk by
hand In the morning of the third day,
when help came, the hands of Charles
were lacerated to the bone
Give the boys chance! SAID Ten
de Lacroix, retired generalissimo, now on
the high war council
Their chance, at present. is to learn
their discipline and grow fine
physique" said the president OF the
National Federation of Societies of
Military Training.
And Gen Noix, director of the Army
Museum, showed them the sacred relics
in the tone that he would use to men.
Who looks on the relics of Napoleon
with the ardor of a French schoolboy?
Their disapproval of eX-EmpreSs Eu
genie's legal claim upon them made
them murmur. One asked Gen. Noix:
us it true these things belong to her
by law"
1t matters little that most of the OBJ
jects were inherited by Napoleon III.
or bought back into the family with his
private money, or presented to him by
third parties
Nor does il matter that they were
awarded to Eugene by the French
courts after thirty years of litigation.
Probably she never contemplated TAX
ing the more illustrious pieces; prob
ably her object was merely to keep the
Bonapartist family claim alive.
Certainly she might have taken the
bench of st. Helena among siXty-three
objects that bore the ticket Belong
ing to the Emperor de, Napoleon III,
her husband) in the old Museum of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
1t Brings Them Down.

COCRTLAND FIELD BISHOP, who is
~ an expert in airmanship in all its
branches, smiled, at a dinner in LenoH,
over Grahame Whites contemplated
transatlantic flight by hydro-aeroplane
THE mere discussion of such a flight
he said. makes the young lady's joke
about flying seem true and serious.
Il can't understand the attraction OF
flying an elderly man said to this young
lady.
she answered smiling demurely:
Don't you think ii must be the at
traction of gravitation"'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

nine communes. and start them off to
the military station marked IN each
mans ''Evret,'' or little military identi-
fication book.
The brigadier was game. His men
rode north, south. east and west. By
/ am. the church bells had sounded
in each village; every family or the
countryside was reused. By ! am.
every valid man was leaving his home.
BY am. they were arriving in squads
at Nancy and Luneville and waking
their superior officers for orders. 1t
was a monumental mistake-whose
affected the bourse. BY am. the
men We're gayly returning to their homes.
Not a man had failed at the call.
In the midst of the governments con-
tentment-the moral effect on all
France is excellent-one unexpected
fact stands out. The Boy Scouts of
Luneville and Nancy. by 7:4J Am, were
drawn up, in order. in the Place of
Arms.
*
At Arracourt they took a strong po-
sition'' on the east edge of the town.
overlooking the only highway to the
frontier. There were 103 Boy Scouts
the section of the whole nine COM
munes. And each had obtained some
kind of arm--light sporting rifle. shot
gun. revolver, automatic pistol. I'm
doubtedly, their parents must have
known it, This, you will admit. is go
ing far.
The Museum of the Army joins the
tomb of Napoleon.
Standing with a squad of fifty boys
beside the relics, young hero was
pointed out to us. Third officer of the
section of the schools of Rouen. four
teen years old, Charles Matelot, son
OF the former lighthouse keeper of
Kardonis. wears the ribbon of the Lee
Sion of Honor.
Thus he earned it-with his mother
and his sister Marie. now aged fifteen
Easter afternoon. 1911, in lonely kar-
donis lighthouse, their father was
taken with galloping appendicitis as
he polished his lanterns. AS twilight
drew on the wife struggled with hot
congresses distracted; the only doctor
was twenty miles distant, by low tide.
Shut off from human aid, she saw her
man enter a delirium of agony, writh-
ing on his bed until he would faint
with exhaustion.
In such moment of calm. night
falling, the wife mounted the light
house tower lighted the lantern, started
the clockwork of the great springs
and hurried back to her husband. He
seemed better, he lay still. his breath
ing was lighter-till the awful fact
dawned on her-he was dying! At
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
Hit.

A THRONG of young and pretty wom-
en- poured into white building
whose facade was a vast angel blowing
an enormous trumpet
\ reporter, following the crowd, found
himself in Mrs. o. III. Z. Belmonts IA
nous suffrage parlors.
An English girl on the platform. Miss
Gene Mckenzie, was pouring forth SUI
frage epigrams, and. as the reporter hur-
ried to depart, this epigram took him
neatly between the shoulders:
THE ants think that woman'S whole
mission is submission"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

same state about the ownership of Month
cello is attracting countrywide attention.
But, apart from this controversy, Month
cello and its present owners are interest
ing figures in the world OF affairs. and
few women command more regard and
genuine affection than the attractive
chatelaine Mrs. Carl Won Mayhoff, sister