Year: 1875

Correspondence Cleveland Herald.


Monticello, the once beautiful home of
Jefferson, is situated on the top Of a noun
tain few miles from Charlottesville, and
commands the most extensive view l have
ever seen from a private hOuse-On one
side one hundred and fifty miles of the
Blue Ridge, on the other a landscape so
broad and faT-stretchi1g that the eve can
scarcely take it in. The old mansion is
large, with wings, piazza, a dome and some
singular acknowledgement passages and Off
ces on each side. Il is empty and deserted
now, save by squatters, who ''shOW the
house for a quarter"


Nothing IS left in the poor lonely man
sion save mirror the top Of the horse
chair or gig in which Jefferson drove
around the grounds during the last years Of
his life, the old antique plaster mold
lngs over the doors, and the large square
clock IL the hall whose balls swung
down and marked the days Of the
week set in panes in the wall. There is a
light ladder in the hall which Jefferson
made with his own hands, and used for the
purpose Of winding this clock, which is
placed high Up over the front door, with a
dial on the outside Of the house as well as
within. The bedrooms are all made with
recesses IN the old French style, where the
frame Of the bed is built into the wall and
forms part Of the Woodwork Of the house.
To Monticello, during the owners lifetime,
came distinguished visitors from all lands,
among them Lafayette. Jefferson was
then old and iutiTm, unable TO walk, but
lle was driven 10 the edge Of the plateau
where the road begins to descend, and there
he waited for Lafayette's CarTia-e, which
was coming up the mountain. a number
Of people had assembled to witness the
meeting. The two old men were assisted
from their carriages and went to meet each
other. With the single word, "JeffersOn,"
Lafayette" they elapsed hands, and all
saw the tears in their eyes.


Tie view from Monticello resembles in
many respects that from Lookout Noun
tain. 4 short distance below The house is
the burial ground; here the author Of the
Declaration of Independence lies at rest,
surrounded by lis family. But the gates
have been broken down, the horizontal
slabs over the graves Of his wife aud
daughter are gone, and the small obelisktO
jefferson himself is so defaCed and broken
that it is but a shapeless block, where even
the name can no longer be traced. Origin
ally the inscription was as follows.
Here lies buried Thomas Jefferson, Au-
thor OF the Declaration Of Independ-
ence, of the Statute of Virginia for
Religious Freedom, and Father of the
University of Virginia" Tie family
burial-grOund had its origin in bOyish
promise. Jefferson and his friend Dabney
Carr, who afterwaTd married JefersOn's
sister, were in the habit as boys Of climb
ing up a particular tree on the side
hill, and sitting there together fore hours;
they agreed TO be buried under that tree,
and exchanged a promise that in case Of
death the survivor should carry out the
wish. While jefferson was in France,
Da5ney Carr died, but on his return, find
ing that bis friend had been inferred in an
other place, he ordered the body exhumed,
and buried it under the hillside tree, near
which bis own tomb also was afterward
made. Ia these Centennial DAYS, would it
bot be we'll for the nation to put in or
der this little mountain burial place of
Thomas jefferson?