"Jefferson was delighted, and forthwith entered into a written agreement for the erection of such a mill on the neighboring height. "The work went bravely on; the inventor very frequently mounting his horse, and riding over to see how it proceeded. "When the frame was up, and the building approached its completion, the engineer rode over to Monticello to obtain a supply of money, and to get some directions about the saws. "Jefferson kept him to dinner; and when the cloth was removed and wine sat upon the table, he turned to his guest, and with an air of much satisfaction, exclaimed, "'And so, Mr.----, you like my mill.' "'I do, sir, indeed, very much; it is certainly one of the greatest improvements in the construction of saw mills I ever witnessed.' "'You think the sails are so hung that it cannot fail to work?' "'Certainly; it must work, it cannot help it.' "'And there's always a wind upon that hill; if it does not come up one valley, it is sure to come up the other; and the hill is so high and steep that there is nothing to interrupt the full sweep of the wind, come which way it will. You think, then, on the whole, that the thing cannot fail of complete success?' "'I should think so, sir, but for one thing.' "'Ah! What's that?' "'I have been wondering in my own mind, how you are to get up your saw-logs.' "Jefferson threw up his hands and eyes: 'I never thought of that!' "The mill was abandoned, of course." JEFFERSON AND THE JOCKEY. "Jefferson's favorite exercise was riding. He was a judge of a horse, and rode a very good one. "One day, during his presidential term, he was riding somewhere in the neighborhood of Washington, when there came up a cross road, a well-known jockey and dealer in horse-flesh, whose name we will call Jones. "He did not know the President, but his professional eye was caught, in a moment, by the noble steed he rode. "Coming up with an impudent boldness characteristic of the man, he accosted the rider, and forthwith began talking in the slang of his trade, about the horse, his points, his age, and his value, and expressed a readiness to 'swap' horses. "Mr. Jefferson gave him brief replies, and civilly declined all offers of exchange. "The fellow offered boot, and pressed and increased his bids, as the closer he looked at the stranger's steed, the better he liked him. "All his offers were refused with a coolness that nettled him. "He then became rude, but his vulgarity made as little impression as his money, for Jefferson had the most perfect command of his temper, and no man could put him in a passion. "The jockey wanted him to show the animal's gait, and urged him to trot with him for a wager. But all in vain. "At length, seeing that the stranger was no customer, and utterly impracticable, he raised his whip and struck Mr. Jefferson's horse across the flank, setting him off in a sudden gallop, which would have brought a less accomplished rider to the ground.