El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-19
Letters to The Herald.
.sHONTICELLO9 4 NATIONAL HET

sslIONTICELLlO7 4 NATIONAL HERI-
TAGE.
Editor Ell Paso Herald:
Many a loyal heart glowed with en-
thusiasm on reading the long list Of
names on the Memorial to Thomas
jefferson" in a recent Herald 1t
brought to mind what Emerson has
so aptly written
''AS thou sOwest thou shalt reap; smite
and thou shalt smart; serve and thou
shalt be served; if you live and serve
men, you can not by any hiding or
stratagem escape the remuneration"
And surely the noble man and hon
Ored president served well his fellow
men in planning and building the
university of Virginia, for the citizens
of the United States and for the stu
dents Of every nation, and now it is to
be hoped that the remuneration" IN
this world viii be that the much loved
home Monticello" will be brought back
to the keeping Of loyal and faithful
countrymen, to be held forever sacred
to the memory OF Thomas Jefferson
It was my very great privilege to spend
the years from 6 TO 20 in a home that
had the shadows Of Monticello over
II. Charlottesville lies in the Piedmont
valley on one side winds the RlVanna
river, on the other is q, range Of the
Blue. Ridge mountains. On the fiat
level top of the highest peak stands
the beautiful old Monticello, silent and
sad in its wonderful majesty and al
the mountain is the resting place OF
Thomas Jefferson. on the burial ground
Of the noted Randolph family.
In the early summer wagon loads OF
happy hearted, care free, diploma en-
dOwed girls might be seen vending
their way around the mountain, from
the college below, to spend the last
day and to say farewell to the ola
colonial mansion and grounds (perhaDs
forever which they had learned to love
well in the days OF student life.
Among these girls were many Of high
born lineage and more than one des-
tined to fill noble place in the world
of affairs and literature. There was
a Jean Washington. who might easily
have been daughter instead OF
great-grand niece TO George Washing
ton, so like was she to his portraits.
Also Helen Magruder. a Rutherford,
FauntlerOy, Nelson, Page, Meade. Maury
(WhO had copied the manuscripts OF her
illustriOus father Of geographical
fame), a BedinSer, an author from her
youth up and many others Toward
evening all of these girls. gifted each
in her own way, would wend the path
on foot down the mountain. two by two,
to take a last glance at the tall shaft
over the illuStriOuS grave. then on
down to the very foot Of the mountain
where stood the magnificent home OF
one Of Virginia's most noted men, judge
Iives, who was an uncle OF the beau
tiful and talented writer, Amelie Rives,
who is now a Russian princess at the
court of the car
Monticello and the grave passed in
to the hands of Mr. Levy. a New Yorker,
who bought them, and great was the
indignation when the grounds were
closed to the public and entrance toll
charged the citizens of Charlottesville
and strangers. Many more changes
have taken place. but thanks be to
heaven that it is now borne to the
hearts of the American people that
they wish once more to possess the
grand old Monticello grounds and grave
of our illustrious dead.
Frances N. Reade.