The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-08-16
The WORLDS ,Grandest Tomb.

We have seen the Tai, the most beau
tiful tomb on earth, the most ethereal
looking building in the world, built to
stainless woman, in stainless, everlast-
ing marble. There is a feeling of the
most sublime peace and rest in it's tow
ering domes of pearly white; and it is 30
beautiful that one submits at once to the
soft chains and gentle bondage which
silently steal over one; criticism being
as idle and out of place az the micro
scope would be out Of place near it.
Before its soft majesty and almost super
natural sublimity there is no place but
for admiration. It is difficult to believe
that it belongs to earth, and that one is
not dreaming-it is so lovely. so white
and pure, dazzling like driven snow in
this long reign Of sun. Is the world be-
hind us, with its rough ways, its tears
and wearisome burdens? And are these
the shining, cleaning portals of a celes-
tial home and heavenly rest? Spellbound
and in silence we look upon it, dazed,
for we now know that in beauty and
grandeur it is the most stupendous re-
suit of mans dreaming that the world
can show, and the most perfect sngges-
tion on earth of those mansions not
made with hands," It testifies more to
his power over the unseen and to his
ability to seize upon the infnity of spir-
itual beauty than any sight on earth. It
seems unsubstantial as vision; yet a
vision sensible to feeling as to sight,"
and from whose snowy bosom there
comes, floating on the downy wings of
silence, a message of gentle peace, a
solemn harmony which mades all ma
ture found it drowsy. II stones ever
breathed forth sermons, these spotless
ones of the Tai do.
One can neither describe its splendors
nor ones sensations as one silently be-
holds. it. Every part of it, inside and
out, is wrought with the most consun-
mate art, and carved as never stone WAS
carved before, and its interior laid most
richly with precious stones in exquisite
iy beautiful devices. Rajputano fur
diamonds and jaspers came ers:,sthe
Tibet, coral from Arabia, sapphires
and lapis-lazuIi from Ceylon. Itreposes
on the banksof the Lumna, in large
and beautiful garden full of eastern flow
ers, bright-foliaged trees and sombre
expresses to make the
wondrous white Of the marble mo vi
vid. It was built by Shah Jehan in hon
| or Of his favorite wife, not much more
than two hundred years ago, costing
| nearly G3,0OO,0OO, and is said to have
| taken 10000 men seventeen years to
| complete.
1t first bursts upon our astonished
eyes as we pass under splendid arch OF
dark red stone; a fitting frame for what
| we see farther on-an avenue Of dark
| expresses and other trees appear before
| us, and down its center long white
| marble tank with rows of fountains in it.
At the end of this avenue of foliage
is seen the majestic entrance of the Tai,
| and its centre dome ofpearly white, ris-
ing high into the blue sky, and all re-
fecting in the water at our feet. If In
! dia had nothing else, this alone would
be worth making pilgrimage to from
| any part of the world.
Walking at the side of this tank we
came to the terraces of white marble on
white is before u.s. The majestic door
way confronts us, set round with texts
from the Koran in Persian characters
Entering with awe and reverence this
| shrine of art, we find ourselves in a
soft opal light, which seems as
palpable as the white marble, which
gives it life, seems impalpable. We see
the polished walls of heckless marble
rise high, ending in a superb vaulted
dome; and before u.s., on a platform in
the centre of the flooring, rests the
tomb, inlaid with exquisite mosaic. All
is the sublimest type of beauty, one can
see, and nothing can the world show to
| wondering eyes so beautiful.
After .tarrying long we leave the in
terit r, drunk with its beauty. We have
seen where lies the woman who has
received more glorious sepulture than
has fallen to the lot of any human being
before in the world, and more glorious
than perhaps any will have hereafter,
and a building which by it's SURPRISING
loveliness will guard her rem aims to all
time. 1t stands here also a monument
Of what the world ould once do for its
dead.--"Snnny Lands and Seas" by
Hugh Wilkinson.