Show playing ly his violin was solace to Jel jefferson Terson in his old age ae so many to about jefferson that it has largely overlooked his association with the violin y let et that was one abne of the outstanding interests of his youth about the old Virginia capital of williamsburg where he attended the college of william and mary the redheaded red headed rawboned raw boned lad ad with a fiddle case tucked under finnder his arru arm was a familiar figure figgie the story is told that one evening when jefferson was paying court to young widow who was to become his bride two other suitors coming to call paused before knocking to peep in at the window and see sec what their chances were they baug caught h t sight of the widow skelton seated before the harpsichord towering above her was their rival with his fiddle under his chin and his bow busily sawing saving the chii air the rivals silently slunk away in later years long after martha had died and the violinist she used to accompany was pressed by family cares and affairs of state he continued to play his hia beloved cremona the sort ot of thing he played is revealed now in the old music books which have been treasured by his family through all the intervening years and which were recently presented to the thomas jefferson memorial foundation by his great great granddaughter miss fannie M burke of alexandria va |