The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-07-15
H,stonc philadelphia.
trPov = LADr connFsFoNprxr.l

y y XVI MNAk HANAAM - 49,"
seen. The most famous building q course y inds-
peudsnce Hall The picture Of he builfIpg b familiar
70 al. It's ancient looks DO fuil credit 10 Ice age
There are two rooms In the building having = special
interest 10 the Centennial visitor, Iudcpsndenes Hall
and the room opened a. a Centennial Massam.
The rOom 10 the right 81 the south cntranot 10 fnds-
pendenee Hall. where the declaration was signed.
and everything within is walls remains 10 Il vsn In
lT7e, with the ~ezcsp,iOn Of q new aoor. The desk on
which the declaration Of indepen8sncs was Eiensi.
John HancOck's chair. and the chairs Of all the NOM
bers Of the Centennial cOngrrss. brass chan
deIier and the curtains. all are a. they we're then.
The platform on which stands the histcricHi aesk.
Sc, Is At the end Of the room opposite The door. and
on either side Of the room are ths chairs cf the men,
hers in a double row. all guarded from the touch
aud use OF the curious visitor by a strong rail-. The
portraits Of nearly all those who signea the declare
ton Of Independence are on the walls. and the orig
inal manuscript Of the declaration 10 also in this
room. in a strong are-prOof safe. Many 81 the sig-
natures are faded beyond reading. while some are
still quite bright. "a has always been the custom for
gentlemen entering this room to uncover. Strangers
Of course are ignorant Of this custom. and many wear
the Ia, into the room. We were bore the other
day when a loud authoritative vuics said. " Gentle
men are requested TO remove their hats In this roOIa."
The offending hats we're instantly removed. and their
owners looked around as startled as though John
Hancock had spoken the command from out Of his
portrait
Across the hall from this room u The Musspra. IL
is a collection Of things having an historical or Gen.
tennial interest. The most conspicuous thing In the
room is the old Liberty Bell with he grand old mot
to. " Proclaim liberty throughout all the land 70 all
the inhabitants thereof" and whose Jubilant ring
ing proclaimed the birth Of the new nation. The
librarian Of the Historical Society would have ms be-
lieve that the bell never ala any such patriotic SER
vice, that the old bell-mAn never stood that weary
day In the belfry. anxIOusly waiting for the news
that the declaration had been signed. shaking his
head and signing. They win never do IL. they will
never do Il "-that the little sOn when the deed was
done. never shouted up TO bis father /" Ring ring"
and then the father did ring I'LL. II IL had been pos
sible, he would have rung the bell hoarsc. Bu, the
story is too pretty TO be set aside after giving Il cre-
dit a hundred years, and We siii cling TO Il rather
than to his sober one Of the quiet reading Of the de-
claration to half a dozen men aud boys. stopping a
moment on their way to market GA the morning Of
the 9th, In front Of the State House, and Afterwards
each going silently TO his errand. or course no one
ever believed the crack In ih side was got BY over
~exertiOn in It's righteous du,y-that would have been
n bad omen. Il was cracked while ringing a FIRE
alarm. Well. here IL IL now. frame. bell. crack and
all, and visitors look al Il with eyes that kiss Il, u
lips do not. Thore is near the bell q drum beaten
by a lad twelve years old at the battle Of German
town; doors from Chew's" house battered by
troops on their way 10 Germantown q sword used
by Capt. Oliver at the battles Of Drandywine. Ger
mantOwn, Valley Forge, Trenton and Monmouth
signal book Of Com. Perryi Braddock's powder horn.
and interesting TO ladies. q piece Of the dress worn
by Mrs. Washington at the second inaugural OF her
husband. Il looks like n Dolly Warden silk. There
are beautiful pictures Of Washington and hs wife.
painted each on ivory, surrounded by hair from the
head Of It's original. Mrs. wafhingion's hair was
light, golden brown, Washing,on's very dark. Al
most black. There are various relict Of Penn In the
room. and a picture Of his second wife Hannah.
Carpenters Hall Is another Of the historical build
ings. II Is the property Of an ancient guild, apd IN
its largest room Congress met for nearly two years.
and after lite removal TO Independence Hall, the Com-
mittees still met here. This room 10 always open 20
the public. and the members Of the present society
show IL with great pride, and say that here the Amer
lean Nation had its birth. Opposite the main en-
trance Of the door flags are fastoohed around the
inscription. 81 Within these walls, Henry, Hancock
and Adams inspired the delegates Of the Colonies
with nerve and sinew for the tolls Of var. =. The
whole room remains nearly in its original condition.
The reason for Congress meeting here was. that
when they became disa1ected toward the British
Government. the delegates were no longer allowed
the use Of the State House, the present Independence
Hall.
In the library we were shown the printed journal
Of the Continental Congress. Congress was moved
back to the State House the 10th Of May, 1875, and
in honor Of this removal the opening Of the exposi-
ton was fixed ON that day and month. NM III "
Then G were taken 10 Christ Church. AZ . place
to which we should not fail TO 70. Here Washington
and Franklin worshipped. and Lafayette also when he
was in the country. The pew in which Washington
used to sit has been removed, and IL nav In the Cen
tennial Museum. Every Sunday afternoon during
the winter has been devoted In this church 20 a
children's service, and the afternoon we attended.
being the last service Of the kind, was made O spec-
ial Centennial occasion. The only interesting thing
about the service was the singing Of whitticr's Cen
tennial Hymn by a choir Of men and boys. After
the service we were shown the treasures OF the
church. There is o chandelier given by Queen Aune.
and a silver communion set, also her gih, made In
the ancient style. This last we did not zee, NJ the
careful keeper Of IL had locked IL in iis safe after the
morning communion service, and gone Of with the
key in his pocket. Satisfying our interest and curl
osity here, we went of TO hunt mp PENIS house.
After considerable enquiry We found the dirty
little court ia which II stands, but could not tell
which Of the two ancient looking houses was the
right one. We suspected that one Of the ladies Of
our party had been enthusiastic over the wrong
house the day before, and we wished 10 know which
WINS which before we gave ourselves nm 10 imaRina-
ton and enthusiasm. NJ crossed the street 10
ask a group Of smoking Dutchmen, and was told the
one at whose door they were sitting was the veritabls
Penthouse. The proprietor Of the lager beer
saloon. to which the house Ia now devoted, gave as
permission to 20 through the house. The first room
is a small dirty bar-rOOm, with small windows. low