Mystery at Peacock Hall Read Free Page A

the hike.”
    Like a jewel, Jefferson’s mansion glowed against the velvety lawn. The white dome reflected the sunshine.
    Althea parked the car and everyone got out.
    Henry gave a low whistle. “Look at that line! I never knew so many people wanted to see this house.”
    “It’s like this every single day,” Althea said, waving to the ticket-taker. “But I have a special pass.”
    They breezed by groups of tourists and into the entrance hall. Althea stopped to tell them more.
    “I won’t drown you in history,” she promised, “but you should know Mr. Jefferson started working on this house when he was twenty-six. He worked on it for forty years. Monticello tells the story of his life better than any biography.”
    The children gazed around the large, airy room.
    “Jefferson was interested in everything,” Althea told them. “This entrance hall used to be a sort of museum. Visitors who came saw a fossilized mastodon jawbone, a model of a great pyramid, a buffalo-hide map, and other curiosities. But many of those things are put away now.”
    Benny was disappointed. The elk antlers were neat, but he really wanted to see a fossil jawbone.
    “Let’s go into the east portico,” Althea said, leading them into the next room. “See the compass on the ceiling? It connects with the weather vane on the roof. Jefferson wanted to know the direction of the wind without having to go outside and look at the weather vane.”
    “What’s that?” Jessie asked, pointing to a strange contraption by the door.
    “It’s a clock,” Althea said. “Jefferson designed it, along with many other inventions we’ll see.”
    Henry examined the cannonball weights on either side of the door. “This is a weird clock.”
    “Actually, it’s very clever.” Althea indicated words on the walls. “The cannonballs are attached to those wires. As the weights descend, they pass the days of the week marked on the wall. Not only does the clock tell time, it tells you what day it is!”
    Benny peered into a hole cut into the floor where the weights disappeared. “What day is down there?”
    Althea laughed. “Okay, so Jefferson wasn’t perfect. He made a slight mistake and forgot Saturday.”
    Jefferson’s inventions were all over the house. In the library was a folding table that turned into steps used to reach the top bookcase shelves. Thomas Jefferson wrote so many letters, he invented a device that allowed him to make two copies at the same time.
    “I could use that,” Violet commented. “Then I wouldn’t have to write so many thank-you notes for birthday presents!”
    Each of the children had a favorite invention. Henry liked the chaise lounge with candlesticks fitted into the arms and a revolving writing desk.
    Jessie thought the music stand was neat. Five racks held sheet music for five musicians and folded into a small box for easy transporting.
    Violet decided the bedrooms were the best. Built into cozy alcoves, the beds had overhead storage spaces and porthole windows high above. One bed sported a revolving coat rack at one end that could be turned with a stick.
    “You could pick out your clothes without getting up!” she remarked.
    But Benny hadn’t yet seen the invention that he would like best of all.

CHAPTER 3
A Pair of Ripped Jeans
    A lthea led them into the dining room just as a tour group was leaving.
    “We’ll have this room to ourselves until the next group comes,” she said.
    Benny glanced around. Dining rooms were only interesting when there was food on the table.
    “Mr. Jefferson was an intensely private man,” Althea was saying. “He wanted his guests to speak freely without servants hanging around. As you may know, Jefferson unfortunately kept many slaves. They carried food from the kitchen through an underground passageway, up a small staircase, and into this room.”
    Now Benny was fascinated. “Can we see the tunnel?” he asked eagerly.
    “I’m sorry we can’t. But,” Althea added, “we can see