Evening journal., 1888-12-07

usually, ana not dlsilgured by the heavy
wheels Of numbering truck or plebeian
dray, are frightened by tho gay dresses
and splendid equipages Of people, all
tending toward the mighty pile on the
grassy hill, glistening like a eail at sea-
the Capitol. The crowd around the Cap
itol is almost classic. The procession Of
people all going one way, swarming ali
the streets, and finally arriving at the
many entrances to the Capitol (all the
principal streets Of Washington branch
off from the CapitoD is sight that can
scarcely be seen in any other city in
the United States. True, the people
do not, as in ancient times, carry sacri-
fees to tho gods, nor do they unite in a
low chant of praise or thanksgiving.
They are, On the contrary, very Jolly.
eminently good natured, not at all
reverent in speaking of the statesmen
they are on their way to sec, and are
palpably out for q holiday, for q good
time. Many Of the people are from the
north-from New York, Boston, Detroit
and it is easy enough to distinguish
them from native Nashingtonians be-
cause Of the rich, heavy furs displayed
by tho women, the heavy listers By the
men, which are altogether unnecessary
in Washington in December. But those
iurf end those ovcrcoatg must be ex-
hibited.
la the Capitol the crowd is tremendous.
The vast rotunda is densely packed; the
hall Of statuarv is completely filed, and
IN every ont Of the way nook YOU win
find groups Of people taking things in.
Even on the top Of the massive dome,
which rears its front against the sky sew
eral hundred feet, you will see people
walking around surveying the thrilling
prospect before them-the wide Potomac
washing the docks Of old Alexandria;
the sleepy little village Of Bladensburg,
where was fought the battle between the
Americans and British in 1914, and the
scene Of many bloody duel in the early
part Of the century; tho stupendous
Washington monument, with the blue
hills of Virginia as a background. and
many another sight enchanting to the
stranger ia Washington for the first time.
~
The scene on the floor of the house is
worth remembering. It is so active;
everybody seems to be in such feverish
haste. If yoa have ever been in the
stock exchanges of Chicago or New York
you have some sort of idea Of what the
scene in the house of representatives,, SO
fer as the men are concerned, is like
A-ssN A+AN HA~A RAtAAAAlAo III AAAt I0uSE dAG aO
much more magnificent. In place Of o
bare floor there is a carpet into which
your foot sinks half an inch; in place of
panels the walls have rich paintings of
historic personages; the vast hall is fres-
coed by the best artists Of Europe; in
place Of q 'conamon plaster ceiling there is
an acre of glass. on which are painted
the symbols Of all the states, and through
which. IN the day time q soft hpht falls
or The heads OF the members at inter-
walls Of every twenty feet at the side
there are large open CRATES, the
burning logs making a CHEEKY glow
ct the back of the hall. The
galleries, with their sharply ascending
tiers, the seats filed with all sorts Of peo-
ple-black and white, rich and poor, some
dressed magnificently, others in tatters-
form picture almost incapable of being
handled by the painters brush. There are
galleries for all classes. The diplomats
have gallery, there is q gallery for the
congressmens families. and galleries for
both sexes. But b. all odds the hand