Evening star., 1926-04-18

has not yet fallen afoul of
that spirit Of modernity which
has been feeding ghouushly OF
late on the characters and
regulations OF the fathers OF the Re-
public.
For what reason Jefferson. whose
birthday the nation celebrated the
18th Of this month, has been spared
the character dissection that fell SO
lately to his compatriot. Washington.
1t is hard to say. Surely not because
he did not love wines-for he did: did
not enjoy the company Of the fair sex
and sport in the light OF its lowell
ness-for he did; did not show dialike
of his feliowman almost to hatred-for
he did.
On the whole, though, Jefferson was
q sweet.tempered man; and his graces
with the fair sex were seldom dis
played after his college days down in
quaint, lowland Williamsburg, where
Belinda sat enthroned within his
youthful heart.
After his marriage to the Widow
Shelton, when he was 80 and she was
%, jefferson repaired with his bride
to Monticello, where his dream home
had been planned. and settled down to
his asparagus beds and politics.
He was, more or less, q serious
minded person. not without at times
touch of humor, as when he wrote to
Mrs Smith from Paris, II she found
the two pairs OF corsets desired too
small, to lay them aside for awhile.
This lightness he kept with him
through his life, a life with Its full
share Of sorrow, and we find 1t creep
ing out now and then in his letters to
his children and his grandchildren.
To one of them he wrote that she
must not destroy the mocking-bird's
nest, for II she did the bird would
never sing again.
Children he loved, and there was
always q houseful Of them at Monti-
cello. His daughter Martha had II;
Maria (Mrs. Eppes), 1; and to these
must be added a host of guests and
cousins. They seem to have been ever
the wine Of life to him. and many are
the pictures of him walking in the gar
dens OF "the Little Mount" sur
rounded by this bevy Of youth troop
ing joyfully along. the shrill voices OF
those WHO composed 1t resounding
over the hilltop as they raced from bud
to flower amid his favorite beds
The statesman. who laid so deep the
foundations Of the Republic and the
political philosophy Of the great Dem
ocratic party, loved flowers. devoted
hours to their study and cultivation,
and sought in every land new blooms
to brighten the doorway Of his beloved
home and the gardens of his friends.
Even the cares Of state, while residing
at the French court as Ambassador.
did not interfere with the indomitable
powers Of research characteristic OF
his open mind. He wandered about
the fields Of France, and through the
homes Of the peasants. and by the sa-
wants cell, ever seeking and ever
searching for flowers, plants and
shrubs with which to embellish the
landscape and gladden. the eye.
Jefferson was no less loved by his
slaves on his plantation than as a
father by his children. There is still
extant the story Of the slaves meeting
his carriage often at the foot of Mon
ticello, undoing the horses from 1t and
bearing their master to his domic.le
by their own power, singing and shout
ing the while. A slave boy caught
stealing, whose penalty was the lash.
was dismissed by the philosopher with
the admonition to do no wrong. The
absence Of the expected penalty and
the humane treatment had the desired
effect, and it Is recorded that through
out his life the slave was never guilty
again.
Yet Jefferson was not without his
faults. But, as Robert Burns has
written Of his father, his failings
leaned to virtues side. A severe frost
killed all Of the corn on the slopes in
the early Fall one year. It became
necessary FOR the overseer to buy in
the valley for the plantation needs.
Bacon, the overseer, reports that as
fast as the corn was hauled up the
hill Jefferson gave 1t away to the poor
folks about. When demonstrated with,
he replied, But what can do?"
At Williamsburg Jefferson LED
normal boys life at college. The drst
year there he speaks ruefully of the
expense he has incurred on the estate
left him by his father and of q de.
termination to mend his ways. But
they were not altogether so bad. AS
a lad he did not carouse, and OF the
wild times that were incident to gen.
try sent there for learning. Jefferson
was scarcely more than an observer.
AS a very close friend of Fauquier,
the governor, roue and brilliant
man, Jefferson, so far as has been re-
corded, never gambled, never drank
fwtthin the meaning OF that word at
the time), never permitted himself to
absorb any of the other vices char
acteristic of the times. This is the
more strange, for he was a popular
fellow and not out of touch with So
ciety. The dances at the Raleigh
Tavern saw him there as frequently
as they were held. tall, raw-boned,
with a grace born Of the outdoors and
the ccurtliness Of a suitor. Belinda