St. Paul daily globe., 1888-03-23
LOST IN THE BIG DOME.
Experience Of a Bridal Couple in the
National Capitol.
THE BRIDE SHUT THE DOOR.
She Became Prisoner and Her Younu
Husband Nearly Killed
Himself.

Not half dozen people among the
thousands who daily pass from the senate
wing of the capitol through the corridor
past the supreme court room and around
the well to the great rotunda lave any
idea that above them in the little round
tops that crown the we'll and corridor
ceilings is curious maze of dark,
winding, gloomy passages and irregu-
lar chambers that fairly rival the
classical labyrinth of mythology, writes
washington correspondent to the New
YORK World. The great demand for
space III which to store the immense
quantities of government publications
annually issued has finally encroachpd
upon these dimly-lighted recesses. and
to-day 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. People who
have climbed the winding. ZigZag stair
way to the tholuS 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 i'm the
ascent they pass near these miniature
labyrinth chambers. In moving a stock
OF tIme-stalned documents filling one of
those round tops yesterday the laborprS
disclosed door that for ten wears has
never swung upon its rusty hinges. 1t
Is heavy iron affair, and guards the
pasSageWay with spring lock and
stout iron bar. Years ago it opened
upon an upper landing of the stairway
to the dome, but for the last decade,
Veteran Architect Clark says. it has
never stirred so much as to shake off
the cObwebS with which it is now fes-
TONED.
The discovery of this forgotten exit
served to remind an old guide who has
plloted sight-Seers about the capitol for
a quarter OF century of an incident
which recalls viyidly the romance of
Lady Ginerva, the miStlet0e bOugh. and
the great oaken chest. Before the i'll
Ventlon of the electric light the great
circles of burners about the galleries OF
the dome and the clusters about the
senate and house Skylights were ignited
by an electric current that flashed
through series of wires leading from
ali enormous battery. This battery was
located i'll the round top above the well
and lined its cylindrical walls with
great generating jars.
One Wlntry afternoon, but a few mill
uteS before the hour set for the closing
OF the dome stairway, this guide began
the long ascent, plotting one of the
numberIesS bridal couples that every
season make Washington a Mecca The
young man was an enthusiastic sight
seer, and as the guide pointed out the
interesting features of the ascent, he
suffered his BRIDES hand to slip from
his arm and pressed on several PAGES
ahead. until sudden turn in the
stairs hid hlm from her view. Piqued
at his deSerti0n of her, she tOiled up
the stairs alone until her eyes fell
upon door standing ajar at the head
OF short flight of steps leading OFF to
the right. In spirit of mischief she
ran up these steps, pushed open the
door, and entered the electrical labOra-
tory, resolved to hide from her husband.
Hardly a ray of light penetrated the
glow of the chamber, but for a moment
curiosity oyercame her, until with
bang d strong draft swung the heavy
iron door shut with loud click of the
spring lock. For a moment she was
daZed, and then, realizing that she was
shut in, Sprang to the door and endeav-
Ored to open it, beating upon It's hard
surface with her little hands and crying
loudly for help.
Many minutes that seemed 10 her
hours, she tuggcd at the heavy fasten-
ing of the door and called yainly to her
husband for assistance. Help me, All
bert, help mel" she cried, but her voice
hardly penetrated the stout door, and
echoed mOurnfully in the yaulted re-
cesseS above her. She pressed her ear
against the cold iron of the great lock
and her heart almost stopped its beat
ing as she listened intently for
approaching footsteps. Once or twice
she heard footballs echOing down the
iron stairway, but though she cried
aloud for help; they passed Oh and were
| lost in the depths below. Then She
sDrang up and ran aimlesSly about the
| chant er On all sides dark passages
| led her into narrow winding recesSeS
| that stopped in thick, dead walls.
Finally tired out she found her way
back TO the door through which she had
entered, and fell fainting against it.
In the meantime. her husband, who
did not for several minutes observe that
she was not following, had climbed
from above the laboratory. Then call
ing to her and receiving no reply he
hurriedly retraced his footsteps. expect
ing 10 find her hiding behing each angle
| of the descent. Becoming thoroughly
alarmed he called her loudly by name:
annie, Annie, where are yOu?" Tho
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
endeayOred to calm him, but breaking
away from him he ran down the stairs
| to a certain turn i'll the flight, lost his
| balance, and fell over the rail dis
| tance of thirty feet to 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 a carriage and
drove him to his hotel. where he lay I'M
| conscious for hours.
Believing that the injured mans wife
| must have found her way out Of the
building, the search for her was aban-
doned. At about Q o'clock that night
the electrician of the capitol had Occa-
sion to visit the laboratory. Finding tue
key in the door, he pushed it open and
was astonished to find woman lying on
| the floor apparently dead. Rising
her carefully, he bore her TO the Office of
the captain of the watch, where she
was speedily resuscited. Though suf-
fering greatly from the shock Of her
| fright, her sOie anxiety was for her nus
band. and entering a carriage she was
rapidly driven TO the hotel just in time
to fall into his arms as he recovered
consciousness.