bers marched to the
Council-Chamber and stood around the throne waiting the pleasure of His
Lordship. He made a speech which I will quote entire. "Mr. Speaker and
Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses: I have heard your resolves, and augur
ill of their effect. You have made it my duty to dissolve you, and you are
dissolved accordingly."

And that was the end of Jefferson's first term in office--the reward for
all the hand-shaking, all the caressing, all the treating!

The members looked at one another, but no one said anything, because there
was nothing to say. The secretary made an impatient gesture with his hand
to the effect that they should disperse, and they did.

Just how these legally elected representatives and now legally common
citizens took their rebuff we do not know.

Did Washington forget his usual poise and break out into one of those
swearing fits where everybody wisely made way? And how did Richard Henry
Lee like it, and George Wythe, and the Randolphs? Did Patrick Henry wax
eloquent that afternoon in a barroom, and did Jefferson do more than smile
grimly, biding his time?

Massachusetts kept a complete history of her political heresies, but
Virginia chased foxes and left the refinements of literature to
dilettantes. But this much we know: Those country gentlemen did not go off
peaceably and quietly to race horses or play cards. The slap in the face
from the gloved hand of Lord Boutetourt awoke every boozy sense of
security and gave vitality to all fanatical messages sent by Samuel Adams.
Washington, we are told, spoke of it as a bit of upstart authority on the
part of the new Governor; but Jefferson with true prophetic vision saw the
end.

* * * * *

One of the leading lawyers at Williamsburg, against whom Jefferson was
often pitted, was John Wayles. I need not explain that lawyers hotly
opposed to each other in a trial are not necessarily enemies. The way in
which Jefferson conducted his cases pleased the veteran Wayles, and he
invited Jefferson to visit him at his fine estate, called "The Forest," a
few miles out from Williamsburg. Now, in the family of Mr. Wayles dwelt
his widowed daughter, the beautiful Martha Skelton, gracious and rich as
Jefferson in worldly goods. She played the spinet with great feeling, and
the spinet and the violin go very well together. So, together, Thomas and
Martha played, and sometimes a bit of discord crept in, for Thomas was
absent-