Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-04-13
cost IN The Big DOME
A Romance Of the Capitol at
Washington.

How a Sightseeing Bride Was Locked Up in
Dark Psssage-The Frantic Groom's
Fearful Fan-The Happy Denouement
A Washington correspondent of The Nep
York World writes:
Not a half dozen people among the thous-
ands who daily pass from the Senate wing OF
the Capitol through the corridor past the su-
preme court room and around the well 10
the great rotunda have any idea that above
them in the little round tops that crown the
well and corridor ceilings is curious maze
Of dark, winding, gloomy passages and irregu-
lar chambers that fairly rival the classical
labyrinth Of mythology. The great demand
for space in which TO store the immense
quantities OF government publications an
nually issued has finally encroached upon
these dmly lighted recesses, and to-say
stranger would quickly lose himself in these
veritable catacombs piled high with dusty
volumes that were old when the war Of the
rebellion was the sensation of the day Peo-
pie who have CLIMBED the winding, z!gzag
stairway to the thous of the dome on which
stands the Goddess of Liberty quickly lose
the points of the compass, aud would never
imagine that at any point in the ascent they
pass near the miniature labyrinthne
chambers.
In moving a stock Of time stained doc
uments filling one Of these round tops yester-
day the laborers disclosed a door that for ten
years has never been swung upon IS rusty
hinges 1t Is very heavy iron affair and
guards the passage-way with a spring lock
and stout iron bar. Years ago it opened
upon an upper landing Of the stairway 10 the
dome but for the last decade veteran Archi-
tect Clark saws it has never stirred so much
as to shake OF the cobwebs with which it is
now fcstooucd.
The discovery Of this forgotten exit served
TO remind an old guide who has p.loted sight
seers about the Capitol for quarter OF
century of an incident which recalls wildly
The romance Of LADY Gineyra, the mstetoe
bough and the great oakeu chest Before the
invention OF the electric light the great circle
Of burners about the galleries OF the dome
and the clusters about the senate and House
skylights we're ignitcd by an electric current
that flashed through a series Of wires leading
from an enormous battery. his battery was
located in the round top above the we'll and
lined its cylindrical walls with great general
ing IRIS.
one wintry afternoon, but a few minutes
before The hour set for tie closing 81 the
dome stairway, this guide began the long
ascent, plotting one OF the numberless bridal
couples that every season make Washington
Mecca. The Young man was an enthusiastic
sghtseer and as the guide pointed out the
interesting features OF the ascent he suffered
his BRIDES hand 10 slip from his arm and
pressed on several PAGES ahead, until
sudden turn IN the stairs hid him from her
view. PiQued at his desertion OF her, she
tolled up The stairs alone until her eve fell up
on door staudin. ajsr at the head OF a short
flight OF steep, leading of TO the right In
spirit OF mischief she ran up these steps,
pushed open The door and entered tue eectrI-
cal laboratory. resolved to hide from her
husband. Hardly raw Of light penetrated
the gloom OF the chamber, but for moment
CURIOSITY overcome her until with q bang
drsught swung the heavy iron door shut with
a loud click OF the spring lock For
moment she was daZed, aud then realizing
thai she was shut IN, sprdng 10 the door aud
eudeayorcd 10 open 10, heating upon It's hard
surface with her little hands and crying loud
~ for help.
Many minutes that seemed 10 her hours she
tugged at the heavy fastening OF the door and
called vainly 30 her husband Tor assistance.
"Ilclp me, Albert, help mel' she cried, but
her voice hardly pene rated the stout door
and echoed mOurufuily in the yauited re-
cesses above her. She pressed her ear against
the cold iron OF the great lock, and her heart
almost stopped its beating as she listened in
teutly for approaching footsteps. once or
twice she heard footballs ecLoing down the
iron stairway but though she cried aloud for
depths below She then sprang up and ran
aimlessly about the chamber On all sides
dark passages lei her into narrow winding re-
cesses that stopped in thick dead walls Fl
nally, tired out, she found her way back to
the door through which she entered, and fell
fanting against IL.
In the mean time her husband, who did not
for several minutes observe that she was not
following had climbed from above the labrs
tory. Then calling 10 her aud receiving no
reply he hutriedly retrsced his footsteps, ex-
pected to find her hiding behind each angle Of
the descent. Becoming thoroughly alarmed
he called her loudly 10y name Annie. An
ME, where are youin The echo of his voice
alone responded and crazed with fear he
rushed up and down the stairway shouting
wildly for help TO find his lost wife. The
guide eudeavured to calm him, but breaking
away from him be ran down The stairs 90
sudden turn in the flight, lost his balance and
fell over the rail distance Of thirty feet 10
the roof below. The guide climbed quickly
down after him and found HIM stunned by
the fall. Summoning assistance he bore the
insensible man TO carriage and drove him TO
his hOiei, where he lay unconscious for
hours.
Believing that the injured mans wife must
have found her way out Of the building the
search for her was abandoned At about .
O'Clock that night the electr clan Of the Cap.
itol had occasion 10 visit the laboratory. Fit
ting the key i'm the door he pushed il open
and was astonlshcd 10 find woman living on
the floor apparently dead Raising her care
fully, he bore her TO the Office OF the captain
Of the watch. where she was speadily rcSusci-
ated. Though suffering greatly from the
shock OF her fright her sole ANXIETY was for
her husband, and entering carriage she
rapidly driven 10 the hotel just iu time TO fall
into his arms as he recovered consciousness.
The Vicious trusts" Must 60