Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-11-16
Phiiatlelphia-Its Public Buillings-The 1Iab-
its of its People.

VeIS IEOm tue cellar ~ Tic TOOI ,WuIcu SnutterS
are almost invariably closed during the day
time, giving the streets a quiet and sepulcheral
appearance, and forcing the conviction upon
the casual visitor that the inhabitants have
either been swept off by some prevailing eIi-
demic, or have moved away in the country
till the excitement of the Great Centennial is
over.
many secret spots within its limits, to which
the patriotic American for ages to come will
turn his pilgrim steps. The central attraction
for all visitors, scarcaly second to the Great
Exhibition itself, is Independence Hall. A
hallowed relic Of the uast, the halls of VIII ich
are consecrated with the fitting shadows of
the mighty dead. lshould like to have found
turbed, might have pondered OH the grand
associations that surround it, and have had
quiet communion with the signers OF the Dec
laration of Independence, and the sturdy
trainers of our Constitution, whose clarion
voices speaking trumpet toned for liberty
have hallowed these old walls, and whose
footsteps have c0nsecrated the very stones on
which we tread. The old room where the
Declaration was signed is On the right hand
side as you enter Independence Hall from
Chestnut steet and is substantially the same
as it was hundred years ago, the roar OF a
great city and the turmoil OF busy life, disturb
the sacred association of the place and make
tll6I 1OOh CO1lllIIOu uuu DuSlucSS like, WnlCn
is one of our holiest national shrines. Before
you is the hair in which John Hancock sat,
whose bold Signature stands out so proni-
inently on the Declaration Of Independence;
there too is the identical table Oh which it
was signed, and about the hall are many OF
the chairs on which sat the representatives.
The walls are lined with portraits of the
the faces which should be there a: e lost to
DOSteritv forever
The immortal Declaration of Independence
itselfis kept within a massive iron safe, the
doors of which are open during visiting hours,
so that all visitors can inspect it. The silver
inkstand is also there which was used during
the signing. Crossing the hall to the room on
ed by the relics ofthe revolution, but by things
that antidate the revolution more than a hum
dred years. On the side towards Chestnut
street hangs The grand old bell which OH that
memorable July day, one hundred years ago,
proclaimed ''liberty throughout all the land
and to all the inhabitants thereof" q great
crack runs through its entire length. AS a
casting it is roug and ungainly, the frame
that supports it is rude and coarse, but strong.
Yet rough as it is, men and women, aye and
children too, pass by it with a reverence and
affection only accorded to the sacred shrines OF
saints in other lands. This room is a perfect
museum, filled with all sorts of curious old
which sat our first chief justice, to the splendid
bridal dress of some dainty Beatrice of a hum
years ago. Rings, watches, pistols, smelling
bottles, embroidered stOmachers, the baby
clothes that encased the infant limbs of John
Quincy Adams, and the doll that brought de-
light to the childish heart of Mother Washing
ton, are to be seen there. Many portraits hang
those of his most gracious majesty Charles the
Second, William Penn, and George the Third.
This last picture was taken when his majesty
was about twenty -four; he is clad i'll royal
robes, and looking into that young hopeful
face, one can scarcely recognize the picture ol
fifty years later, where with every hope gone,
and his mind III ruin, he wandered q helpless
idiot through the magnificent halls Of that pal
ace where he had once ruled as its king. Leav-
ing the hall you turn up Fifth street to Arcl!,
and right on the corner is the burial place OF
Franklin. The graveyard is surrounded 1y a
wall about eight feet high, a portion of which
has been removed to enable the passer-by to
gaze upon the grave of the patriot, philos-
opher and sage. plain slab of marble laying
fiat upon the ground, records the fact that be-
meath it lies all that is mortal OF Benjamin
Franklin. While gazing with reverence on
that hallOwed spot, q young lady came up,
note book in hand, who was evidently doing
the Centennial, and elbowing her way through
the crowd, asked me what all these people
were looking NJ lnS, lll;tAaAi, IepIes
in a voice choking with emotion, ''is the grave
of Benjamin Franklin" The young lady
looked inquirfngly into my eyes and said, .sln-
deed, sir, was lie celebrated?" l assured hel
| that he was, and this was at once iOtted down
in her note book, and the information will III
doubt he OF considerable service to her by the
time she gets home.
In general appearance it is an exact counter
part Of the Madeline in Paris, which was mod
eeled after the temple Of Minerva. 1t is the be-
quest of Stephen Girard to the city where III
accumulated this immense fortune. An Olt
bachelor full Of all sorts of quirks and quiddi
ties, living in the simplest manner, he succeed
ed by selt-denial and thrift, in accllmulating
fortune ofabout seven millions of dollars. Il
founding this college he made its scholarship
eligable only to those who were born in tn
city of Philadelphia, and who were at leas
half orphans. Once admitted, they are fur
nished with everything and kept till they ar
eighteen or twenty, and by that time they ar
supposed to be able to shift for themselves
Tie revenues have vastly increased sine
Stephen Girard's death, and its property is val
The grounds are beautiful, and order reigns ev
erywhere. In room on the top of the colleg
| q humber of relics are shown to admiring visit
ors, articles OF Girard's household, and the oil
chaise in which he used to ride. One portion
of his will expressly forbids the admission q
ClefQymen 10 the COl1eSe Ou any PlCtoAt "AlsaS
ever. A story is told Of WinslOw Lewis, for
merly Grand Master of Masons in Massachu
setts, who being in Philadelphia on a visit
rode out to see the college. Mr.. Lewis wa
quite small man with rather an exciting tenn
perament, and to the day Of his death, Whic]
occurred short time since, he always affectet
q broad white choaker and straight -breastet
frock coat, such as are usually worn by th
clergy. Mr.. Lewis marched up to the gat
where he was brought to a full stop by tn
porter who told him he could not pass: "Wh.,
can't pass, why can't pass, " said Mr.. Levi
almost white with rage. "We never admi
clergymen here" mildly replied the porter
"W6o the-told you was a clergyman,
fairly roared out Mr.. Lewis, and from the na
ture of the ejaculation the porter perceiveds
once his mistake, and stepping on one side i'm
meliately allowed the irate Grand Master t
pass. Still the crowds roll into Philadelphia
It seems as though the cool October weathe
had turned the population Of the United State
this way. NY next letter will be the LAST il
which shall give an account of the cl0sin
scenes of the Great Centennial.
Yours truly.
| BRoADBRIM
ssPrivate Panel, you are wrong t
smoke so persistently. Tobacco j
poisonous.' ssAh, sergeant, it's q jok
ing you are.' ''Inever joke, and 1eas
| (SQ,,<