The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-06-18
Nhe Demorraf-Sfar
CRANKs AT THE CAPITOL.
Eccentric Individuals who want
to Jump from the Dome.
Washington Star.

Washington Star.
Cranks r drawn to the Capit'
like birds about Il beacon ligh
There is an officer placed OIL dut
APP in the dome expressly to kee
them from jumping Oft. Not a da
passes while Congress is in sessio
that they are not at the capito
Cranks, newly married folks an
lovers tend naturally toward til
dome, with u view probably o
getting nearer to heaven. Their,
Is a turn in the stairs known as th,
kissing corner 1t is proverbs
that lovers never pass up to thu
dome without stopping thereto
take breath. 1t is said that Il pro
perly constituted girl always gets
tired when she reaches that point,
and a young man was never known
to object. The turn is so situated
that two persons standing there can
be seer from neither above nor be-
low. 1t offers u great temptation
to rest. The whispering gallery
has become SO we'll known that
young folks who dou't want their
secrets carried to the other side of
the dome and made public property
of by the echoes are very careful
to keep quiet when they reach that
elevation.
Cranks, if they are recognized as
such, are not allowed to go on the
dome, but they are always hanging
around for an opportunity to slip
up. Several attempts have been
made by these adventurers to step
out into space inpursuit of eternity,
but as yet, only one has been sue;
cessiul. One man was caught by
the tail of his coat just as he stood
ready for a plunge forward. Many
have been caught calculating with
insane eyes the distance to the
concrete below. They have always
been induced to go down in the
ordinary by the winding stairs.
Very innocent aud harmless look.
ing men will stop at this point as
they go climbing up the crowded
and will at once become en-.
crossed by the beauty of the great
circular floor of the rotunda, and
their eyes will get bright and round
at the prospect. Then they begin
climbing over the rail in a great
as if they had forgotten
something and hadn't time to take
the stairs to get ii. A policemen
appears at this juncture,
aud the visitor is advised to take
time about it and go by the way
Of the stairs.
81 can tell them on sight," SAID
the policeman to a Star reporters;
II can tell when they come for a
Jump, and | never give them a
chance. There is something in their
ayes and the way they look about
hem that reveals their purpose.
But | presume any crank who got
the dome would feel it his duty f.,
o jump off. So we think it best
lot to let any crank go up.n
'tNO, we don't stop lovers" he
in response to an intimation
hat this variety of crank was not il
dangerous. "Ihey never have en-
rgy enough to jump off. They
ave to stop at every landing to
est. Sometimes they make a good
cal of noise about it. The
Corners Yes, of course
hey stay there ! But the real,
enuine article amt satisfied with
nat. They stop at every turn IN
he stairs. Let's see, now. Let's
lake a calculation how many kisses |
real spoOny couple who are visit.
lg Washington on their bridal
1ur will get in on a round of the a
No, they can't kiss in the {
levatOr; that's crowded nor in
ne gallery but they look as if ;
like TO. There's the tomb OF c
Washington under the crypt; they
ways put their heads close tOgeth. =
to weep over that, and never
ear you tellthem it's empty. This
a particularly good place, because
s dark, and there are SO many A
arrow aisles near it. They'll score
half dozen before they finally get r
lt. Next is the engine room, and D
the crypt. After that they
ct uneasy. It's all light in the ,
brary and in the rotunda. But
ley make up for this on the way
} the dome. Now, count the land. C
Igs and you've gotit! But it amt d
Iir to call them cranks. It's only ,
,mporary with them. The genuine !,
lmper, the man with a mission, G
nd the man who takes all his
othes off are all we reckon as r
'anks. There is no doubt that the
Imping cranks are in the majority. 7
expect they come great distances
II the express purpose of leaping
ON the dome. If they we're al. o
wed to go up there would be an
lquest every day.
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