The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-07-21
CRANKS In THE CAPITOL.
QUEER VISITORS DURING A SEES.
SION OF CONGRESS.

Eccentric Persons who Want TO
Jump from the Dome-The kiss
ing Corner"-Bridal Couples.
Cranks are drawn to the Capitol like
birds about a beacon light. There is an
officer placed on duty up in the dome
expressly to keep them from jumping off.
Not day passes while Congress is in
session that they are not at the Capitol.
CranBs, newly married folks and lovers
tend naturally toward the dome, with
view probably of getting nearer to
heaven. There is turn in the stairs that
is known as the kissing corner. 1t is
proverbial that lovers never pass up to
the dome without stopping there to--take
breath. 1t is said that properly consti-
tuted girl always gets tired when she
reaches that point and young man was
never known to object. The turn is so
situated that two persons standing there
can be seen from neither above nor below.
1t offers a great temptation to rest. The
whispering gallery has become so well
known that young folks who don'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 in pursuit of eternity,
but as yet only one has been successful.
One man was caught by the tail of his coat
just as he stood ready for plunge for
ward, Many have been caught calculat-
ing with insane eyes the distance to the
concrete below. They have always been
induced to 90 down in the ordinary way
by the winding stairs.
There is one point in the ascent which
offers unusual facilities for a leap down
into the rotunda. 1t is with great diff
Guilty that crank gets past this place.
But for the presence of a policeman the
people on the floor below would be in
momentary danger of being struck on the
head by flying crank.
Very innocent and harmless looking
men will stop at this point as they go
climbing up the crowded stairs, and will
at once become engrossed by the beauty
Of the great circular floor of the rotunda
and their eyes will get bright and round
at the prospect. Then they will begin
climbing over the rail in a great hurry
as if they had forgotten something and
hadn't time to take the stairs to get to
it. A policeman always appears at this
juncture, and the visitor is advised to
take his time about it and go by way of
the stairs.
81 can tell them on sight," said the
policeman to Star reporter. Il can tell
when they come for a jump, and l never
give them a chance. There is something
in their eyes and the way they look
about them that reveals their purpose.
Aut presume any crank who got on the
dome would feel it to be his duty to jump
off. So we think it best not to let any
cranks go up"
"No, we don't stop lovers, " he added
in response to an intimation that this
variety of crank was not dangerous.
"They never have energy enough to
Jump off. They have to stop at every
landing to rest. Sometimes they make a
good deal of noise about it. The kiss
ing corner2 Yes, of course they stop
therel But the real genuine article
amt satisfied with that They stop at
every turn in the stairs Let's see, now.
Let's make calculation how many kisses
n real spoony couple who are visiting
Washington on their bridal tour will get
in on a round of the Capitol No, they
can't kiss in the elevator; that's crowded
nor in the gallery; but they look as il
they'd like to. There's the tomb oi
Washington, under the crypt; they
always put their heads close together
to weep over that and never hear you
tell them it's empty. This is a particu-
larly good place, because its dark, and
there are so many narrow aisles near it
They'll score half a dozen before they
finally get out Next is the engine room,
and then the crypt After that they gel
uneasy. It's all light in the library and
in the rotunda. But they make up fol
, this on the way to the dome. Now, just
count the landings, and you've got it
But it amt fair TO call them cranks. IT,
only temporary with them. The genuine
jumper, the man with a mission, and the
man who takes all his clothes off are al
we reckon cranks. There is no doub
that the jumping cranks are in the ma
jority. l expect they come from grea
distances for the express purpose o
leaping from the dome. If they wer
} allowed to go up there would be an in
quest every day, p Washington Star.