The semi-weekly miner., 1885-03-18
fBen, Perley Rpoce.l !

W800lukkO0 IA ARAAlp AOVAS UOAO
auartered In the capitol The Penn
sylvanlans were bllleted In tho COM
mittee rooms and Offices ofthe House,
the representative hall being reserved
for the Seventh regiment. Armed
men and the rude implements Of cat-
mage massed In these marble oorri-
dOrs snd gorgeous rooms, awakened
me to q deep sense Of the power and
the abandon of military rule. On
the luxurious dAmask and br0catelie
covered sofas lay stretched men who
probably never before rep0sed In such
magnificence. Over the tapestrial
carpet of the floor were strewn in
prOiusion and disorder the euddenly
accumulated stores OF the commits.
sary's department here slab Of
bacon, there quarter Of beef. or .
saddle Of mutton, or Virginia ham,
sea biscuit, tin drinking cups,
papers of pepper. bags OF salt and
cups of vinegar filling up the inter.
atices, and rounding up the pyramid.
Upon the rich and co. tly bronze or
naments, upon the gas chandeliers,
and upon the gilt brackets that held
back the silk aud lace curtains, were
festooned knapsack and belt. car
tridge-tox and bay 0net-scabbard. the
smaller implements and. surround
ings of q soldier. r..
In the halls Of the corridors ti,4
men were being drilled and taught
the expertness of carnage. In broad
contrast to the dark and polished
Tennessee marble wa.nscoting, were
the blue uniforms and rough bearing
Of the men. Upon the rich encaustic
things fell with dull, heavy sound
the iron-shod butts of musket and
rife. The arched and frescoed CELL
ing echoed and re-echoed tine ringing
clatter OF the ramrOd, as the recruits
perfected themselves in the manual
Of loading their pieces. In the SEN
ate chamber were quartered the Sixth
Massachusetts regiment. Upon the
cushioned sofas Of the galleries of the
senate chamber the men found ex-
cellent couches. When they had con-
cluded breakfast In the morning, and
the guard Tor the day being datailed.
the remainder of the command were
at their ease. In the Vice Presidents
chair sat Col. Jones, the commander
of the force, frank, free-hearted,
soldierly looking man. The clerks
desk was occupied by the Adiutant
and his assistants, engaged In maxi
ing up the muster'roll, returns and
requisitions incident to active SER
vice. The privates were engaged at
the Senator'S desks writing letters.
All the statuary IN the Lalls Of the
capitol, and In the old rotunda, had
been boxed. to preserve it from injury
through carelessness. The pictures
in the panels had also been faced over
with heavy planklng, which secured
them from harm. The pOrticos Of
the capitol building were barricaded
to the height of about eight feet. The
ilon plates for the new dome were
used for the breastworks between the
marble columns. Behind these were
placed barrels of cement, piles of
stone and timber, fcrnsing an Inn
penetrdble barrier, in the rear of
which the troops could take shelter
In case of an attack. It seemed =
strange contradiction to see the work
men engaged IN the construction OF
the portico, going on with their
labor Of laying the foundation, amid
thousands OF armed men: the clink
of the chisel. the stroke of the ham
mer, and the ring Of the trowel,
blending with the word Of command,
the challenge of the guard. and the
tramp of the pavilions drilling in the
corridors. So reluctant was civflizar
tion to recede before the advancing
desolation of war, that the artisan
fingered to enrich with his skill the
parapet and dome that the morrow
may see leveled to their foundations.
Within musket range Of the outp0 IS
of the troops were even then score
Of men chiseling in marble the fow-
ers and cluster Of grape and ivy
wreaths with which the finished pOr-
tions of the capitol were SO profusely
decorated.