Historic Monticello and Its Surroundings
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RESIDENCE OF LIEUTENANT CHARLES l SHAW, SECRETARY OF JEFFER
SON MEMORIAL ROAD ASSOCIATION.
A 1 ItUU 1 1UW III I II'H HUUIUWI'M III UM1'
I Ington, In Albcrmnrlo county,
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Cl'llliui 1IKUIIU, HI I 11 liniL UL
the lllue Ridge nuiunluliiH, Is sit
uated the historic villugc-clty of
Charlottesville. Its principal street Ih h
Inuoug blghwuy leading from the JflTcrson
road to the buuy cntranro to tho groniuls
of the University of Virginia. Tho town
strung along this Bcnicnllni route sug
gests "Slrlngton-on-tho-I'lke." Narrow
old-fashioned byways ctohs the main street
at Intervals. On the wet side aro pretty
avenues lined with comfortable, spacious
and attractive homes, old-fashioned and
modern.
Tho historic interest of the old town
clusters around tho quaint eighteenth cen
tury court house, with Us comfortable office
apartments, open fireplaces, old-fashioned
court room, with elevated Jury box and high
picket railings and curiously constructed
boxes for tho court bailiff and crier. The
walls are hung with rich old oil paintings
of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and other
distinguished Jurists once members of that
time-honored bar. Tho lawyers maintain
their offices In the ancient-looking brick
buildings adjacent to the court house and
seem perfectly content with about the same
furnishings and xurroundings of 100 and
more years ago. Tho cential feature, and
perhaps the all-lniportaut ono to this vil
lage, city, Is the University of Virginia,
founded by the illustrious Jefferson. It
Is located In the southwest part of the
city. Its bulldlngx and grounds cover sev
eral hundred acres of undulating land, with
a general slrpe toward the city. Tho plan
of the buildings was made by Jefferson
and ho superintended their construction.
The original buildings are placed around
three sides of a hollow square, or court, and
nun mi4 lit in a iuui 1 uii'r, rvi'iK
Chrlstlun of Denmark Is exceed-
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IIIKIJT lit Ml" I I .1 I I V 111 IIK1IIII1I HUH
habit. This octogenarian monarch
begins his day's work regularly
at 8 o'clock, having already breakfasted on
coffee and a roll. Never by any chance
does he allow a valet to help dress him.
Not long ago he said quaintly to his body
servant: "When I have grown old you may
help me, but thank heaven, I can dress
myself yet." On horseback bis majesty pre
sents a fine, soldierly appearance.
In his recent volume of "Reminiscences."
covering sixty years of public life, George
S. Boutwell has many entertaining anec
dotes to relate concerning bis old asso
ciates In politics and government. Mr.
Boutwell admired General Grant in all his
capacities and considered him far superior
In military affairs to Sheridan or Sherman.
He ranks Sheridan above Sherman as a
commander, and assures us that Sheridan,
In spite of his denials, did say, after his
return from Europe at the close of tho
Franco-Prussian war, that "either of our
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VIEW OF THE UNIVERSITY
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connected by colonades. Many new build
ings and departments have been added to
tho university, but its original design Is
still preserved.
This great Institution was the crowning
work of Jefferson's life and is called his
"pet." It Is said that he watched every
detail of Its construction with Intense In
terest, and when prevented by bad weather
or ill-health from riding from his home to
direct the force at work each day, he
would watch tho movements of the work
men from his elevated retreat, four miles
away, through a telescope, and dispatch
messengers with his directions when neces
sury. He regarded the founding of this
university, upon his cherished principle of
free education, as among the great achieve,
ments of his life, and on his tombstone
requested to have Inscribed: "Here lies
burled Thomas Jefferson, the muthor of
the Declaration of American Independence,
the author of the Statute of Virginia for
religious freedom, and the founder of the
University of Virginia."
You would not be satisfied to visit Char
lottesville without making a pilgrimage to
Mentlcello, (pronounced Montlchello), the
home of this great man. The road winds
arcund the rolling lands to find the easiest
grades, crosses Moore's creek over an old
faxhioned bridge, or by the ford, and then
follows the gradual ascent of a spur of
the Blue Ridge to the summit of Little
Mountain, where Is situated the grand
old homestead. About half way from the
entrance, on -the side of the rugged moun
tain. Is the family graveyard. It Is about
fifty feet square, surrounded by a brick
wall with an iron gate as Its entrance.
Within, towering above the lesser grave
stones and monuments. Is the shaft that
marks the tomb of blui, who, from this
Episodes and Incidents in the Lives of Noted People
armies at the dose of the war (civil war)
could have murched over the country In
defiance of both the French and German
forces combined."
M. Rouvier, the present French minister
of nuance and far and away the most pow
erful individuality of the present cabinet
at Paris, with the exception of M. Deleasse,
commenced life as a book agent and as
drummer for a book dealer who sold on the
installment plan voluminous works of the
kind given as prizes to lads in the lycee
schools. Subsequently he entered the serv
ice of a Greek merchant named Zaftopoulo
established at Marseilles, and while in his
employ took charge in turn of the various
branches of the business at Constantinople,
Alexandria. Odessa and Smyrna, acquiring
In that way an amount of knowledge of the
conditions of the Levant and of the Mediter.
tanean which is possessed by no other
French statesman of the present day. Ho
Is a past master in the art of finance, and
although, like all men of strong character,
he has many enemies, yet It la pretty gen
OF VIRGINIA, DESIGNED AND BUILT
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MONUMENT TO THOMAS JEFFERSON
IN FAMILY BURYING GROUND.
mountain's top kept burning brightly the
torch of liberty for all mankind.
By a circuitous route ycu climb the moun
tain, passing terraced gardens and a few old
tlmey buildings, which were used for serv
ants' quarters. The apex of the moun
tain was leveled off leaving a space, cov
ering approximately a thousand feet square,
for the grounds and site of the stately
home. Something of a thrill possesses you
erally acknowledged, alike by friend and
by foe, that he Is pre-eminently the expert
needed at the present moment at the head
of the treasury of France.
"Tom" Ochiltree snorts contemptuously
whea ho hears extravagant yarns about
the marksmanship of cowboys. By way of
emphasizing his opinion on this subject he
tells of a fellow down in Texas who held
a silver half dollar between his lingers
for a cowboy to shoot at, "and ho never
did It again," says the colonel, always
pausing at this point. "Hand shot off, I
suppose," some hearer usually ventures.
"Sh' say not," ejaculates Tom. "The cow
boy h't him In the leg, and served him
right, too."
Rather a determined looking man ap
peared iu Plerpont Morgan's New York
office not long ago and said he wished to
see the great financier. "Mr. Morgan Is
busy Just now," said an attendant. "Well,
I'll wait, for I must see him If it takes a
year." In a few minutes Mr. Morgan ap
peared nd said: "I cannot see you. It's
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BY THOMAS JEFFERSON.
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MONTICELLO, THE HOME OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.
as you reach the portals of that splendid
mansion and from It look out upon the
broadest and grandest horizon that ever
mortal eyelids behold. The sight Is in
spiring. To the eastward and south are the beau
tiful rolling lands threaded by the silver
stream of the Ravana. To the north and
west Is the rude and rugged glory of the
Blue Ridge mountains. At your feet Is
the quiet capital of Albemarle, and In the
background the classic beauty Jefferson's
pet, the University of Virginia. It Is
soul Inspiring to stand upon this mount
of beauty and contemplate the grandeur
of the scene. To the north and east Is
Montpelier, the home of President Mad
ison; to the south and west Is Indian camp,
the home of President Monroe. Within
close range are the homes of Merewether
Louis and William Clark, known better as
Lewis and Clark, the great American explor
ers, and that of George Rodgers Clark, to
whose daring spirit and foresight we are in
debted, for the northwest territory, embrac
ing the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan and Wisconsin. Farther to the west
is Still House mountain, at the foot of
which camped Burgoyne's army, when led
captive through the colonies.
The architectural plan of Monticello was
an Innovation upon the severe English de-.
signs of that day. It combines the Grecian
and Italian with the practical American
model of its designer, and exhibited a
striking contrast with the prevalent archi
tecture of the country. Its main entrance
Is toward the cast. You mount broad steps
and pass through a portico of heavy stone
columns into a broad square ball or room,
from which connect the various other
apartments on the first floor of the building.
It would take more than the limit of space
out of the question." "But I have a letter
from General Blank of St. Louis -a letter
of introduction," said the visitor. "Yes, 1
know," answered Mr. Morgan In matter-of-fact
tones. "The general Informs me by
wire that he gave you the lelter to get
rid of you. Good morning." And the
financier disappeared into his private office.
Exit the St. Louis party In a slightly dazed
condition.
Dr. S. Weir Mitchell of Philadelphia has
the reputation among his patients of being
somewhat dictatorial In his way of giving
advice. He certainly expects his com
mands to be followed with unquestioning
obedience.
Some years ago, relates the Saturday
Evening Post, Dr. Mitchell bad among bis
patients a lady who had been suffering
tor a long time from nervous prostration.
She was greatly debilitated by disease and
was too weak to rouse herself to any
physical effort. Dr. Mitchell's first advice
was: "Get out In the fresh air. Take a
walk."
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to attempt a description of the interior ot
this mansion.
An effort has been made to preserve, as
far as possible, its original design and
furnishings. Many of the old family pieces
of furniture still remain, among them a
curiously designed bedstead with curved
rolling foot and headpieces richly carved.
The ground of the sides and ends are bright
blue coloring, ornamented in gold, the
whole having the appearance of the band
wagon of a circus. It was suggested by
one of the visiting pirty that it might
have been "Jefferson's political band
wagon," and that It might be well for the
democratic party to get Into It once more.
Jefferson had a goodly share of Inventive
genius, which he put to practical use, and
many things about thb place exhibit his
handiwork in this direction. Among them
an attachment to an old-fashioned clock,
that hangs In the big hall room, by which
the days of the week were Indicated; an
other commonplace and useful invention to
be seen Is the three-legged stool. You
would be attracted by the curious worm
fence, four or five feet high, built with
single brick piled one upon the other, fol
lowing the principle of the old' time rail
fence. Grand and imposing old trees adorn
the grounds, many of which were trans
planted from across the water.
It Is designed to connect this historic
home with the city of Charlottesville by
an electric car line, which will follow the
grade of the new Jefferson Memorial road
now In course of construction. When this
Is accomplished a new inspiration will be
given to the glory of the sacred spot, pil
grimages will become more frequent, and
from this soul-filling eminence will ever
flow the Inspiring patriotism of a pure
democracy. R. W. RICHARDSON.
The doctor's medicines were taken faith
fully, but his advice was Ignored. Again
and again was his advice given and Just
as often it fell on unheeding ears. Finally
the doctor one day Invited the Invalid to
drive with him and after much persuasion
she was assisted Into the carriage and
doctor and patient drove off together. The
horses were turned down a side street
where there were no street cars and after
two or three blocks had been passed the
carriage stopped, the doctor jumped out
and Invited the lady to descend, and before
she could Inquire the reason for this the
doctor had Jumped Into his carriage and
driven off, leaving the Invalid standing on
the sidewalk. She must perforce walk
borne.
The friends of Dr. Mitchell who tell the
story do not say whether the patient's
subsequent Improvement In health was such
as to compel her forgiveness for this high
handed treatment from the brusque old
doctor, but It Is safe to assume that her
state of mind at the time was anything
but amiable.