life's work. He was writing in a fine, delicate hand--legible to this
day--certain of those thousands of letters and papers which have been
given to us as the record of his career.

In what labor was the President of the United States engaged on this
particularly eventful day? It seems he found more to do with household
matters than with affairs of state. He was making careful accounts of
his French cook, his Irish coachman, his black servants still
remaining at his country house in Virginia.

All his life Thomas Jefferson kept itemized in absolute faithfulness a
list of all his personal expenses--even to the gratuities he expended
in traveling and entertainment. We find, for instance, that "John
Cramer is to go into the service of Mr. Jefferson at twelve dollars a
month and twopence for drink, two suits of clothes and a pair of
boots." It seems that he bought a bootjack for three shillings; and
the cost of countless other household items is as carefully set down.

We may learn from records of this date that in the past year Mr.
Jefferson had expended in charity $1,585.60. He tells us that in the
first three months of his presidency his expenses were $565.84--and he
was wrong ten cents in his addition of the total! In his own hand he
sets down "A View of the Consumption of Butchers' Meat from September
6, 1801, to June 12, 1802." He knew perfectly well, indeed, what all
his household expenses were, also what it cost him to maintain his
stables. He did all this bookkeeping himself, and at the end of each
year was able to tell precisely where his funds had gone.

We may note one such annual statement, that of the year ended five
months previous to the time when Captain Lewis set forth into the
West:

Provisions $4,059.98
Wines 1,296.63
Groceries 1,624.76
Fuel 553.68
Secretary 600.00
Servants 2,014.89
Miscellaneous 433.30
Stable 399.06
Dress 246.05
Charities 1,585.60
Pres. House 226.59
Books 497.41
Household expenses 393.00
Monticello--plantation 2,226.45
" --family 1,028.79