Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-09-25
Climbing up tho Stairs.
rnr carroll DONE AT WARRINGTON
Iwashlngtoa siAf.l

Ankts sba hhtSeku $3.50 -
tsrisus way neither out doors nor vim
In. up into ,ha, immense ess-'hsh OF
dome. Take 10 the summer thfoash,
the estimate Is tha, an average OF ooo
people End their way up there each Gay.
About a. many women |. men TAKE 'he
climb Of over 400 steps. A wooden 'es'
heart disease, spoplsxy. of something
over 200 pounds Of flesh arc about the
only things that can re,srd the human
ambition 10 20 up.
The little swinging dor 10 . d.r
circular passage just moth OF the ro'and.
would never be notierd II no, pointed
oa, by . guide. . policeman. or some ne
else who kno~. the my''ef-' OF th''
massive pile Of architecture. This door
lead. TO w,ll.~or winding stats, eniins
in odd little square handbags With little
closed door. which lead nobody sno~s
~hers, and % passages which may OF
n.y no, be night. by twists .ad turns
,hi. lead. up among the rough ifJn braces
and raftsrs and then into the dome.
A reporter say fat oolored woman
the other day saading In . passage s'oa'
. third Of the way up. soc Wa dfe''-d
gorgeoa,ls in parp.s b,mbsrine, and
carrying a hAnd-b.s and . cotton um'
bslla. Shs weighed sboa, $50 Poand';
her eyes popped out. and she wiped the
perpirs,ion from her bro~ With bright
red bandsnns I. she rested against the
railing and p.u,ed.
claws, chile" she said Ia fdsh,snsi
whisper. I'll hears voice. Dis baildin Is
10. fall oh VOICES Dsy'. sbp-hsr bout.
Al dem ehillan. done gas ap an LET
me. and yeie | IL. Nun | don much
like dem voices r.e feared III neobef
xil out Of dis" She ". trying To be
lin With . great effort.
desc voices are . gfss, source ei
fear aud superstition to .imPls.miaded
visitors. Country eolo'ed people. par
ueul.rly. srs frightened =, the vo'e' 4
they hear an ins the clustering eIl-mri
and arched passages. sJmstimss TIE
voice. come up from under the feet, some
time. from IN, solid s.ons arches ov T.
head. Again they sound from amo g
the shadow. IA . corner where nobody 10
They are heard in the egypt. 'lill mofs
mysterious IN the hall. where there ATE
plenty Of people 'iin.ns around 10 . Hood
Of sunlight, and more strangely still In
the srea, dome. from whose hsish, men
have committed suicide. The baildins
4. Away. full Of eehoe. "De.e voice.
ate sbsrywhar.' With th.si many OF
the employ,. of the Capitol aud Others
fond Of practical joking play uPon the
nerves Of the .upes,i,l1a' e1lored people.
Sometime. the joke. are PI.y'd on Peo
pie who are not .aPer',iiiOa. The '.a.
esr.lke canopy. upon which the great
.llesory roofing the ro,unds IL painted,
act. .. . sounding. board. add ~ill eonvey
the ls.s, whisper With perfect distinct
ness from any place IN the upper gallery
TO the point directly opposite.
When sentimental couples get close
together 10 ,hi, circular gallery aad le.n
over the rail. watching the people moo.
ing about on the hoor u The ro,anda D..
lo-. and whispering gentle things 10
each other. mean, for ~ ears but their
own. they are oftea overhead by iano.
cent looking young men Who happen TO
be lollins 90 the opposite side Of the gal
lery 90 far away as possible. The yoang
couple may be startled by some mos, ia
opporiune remark sounded in their ears
shsn no one /, near ,h-m. A, q moss
tender momen, 90 irrvyepn, % Gu a.
remark IL startling 10 their sense u se-
sari,y. When p,r,ie. Of tourists CLUB
ap To the doms they are often a'tonl,hsi
10 lie addressed by name Ia tue most Il.
miliAr way by . voice from one Of ,h-
silesOfiesl terrors painted on the esalPy
above. Somstims. they are inviei Io
come up and take lunch. A party Of
Ohio people were Ia the gallery talking
10 each other about their home matters.
A young man 90 the other eide Of the
gallery listened until be 70, the NAM.
Of several Of the party. where they were
from. &c. Then be called out. 81, thu,
you, Mr.. Blank! Why. ho~ do you do ,
Come up here We have laaea here foe
Ohio folks" They all looked ~ .ii.
denly. The voice apparently came
through the e.nOpy. from some chamber
still higher up Tney we're no, .,toai.h.
ell that the gJysfnmsnt should make e.-
pecial provision for The ea,srt.inn men, Of
Ohio folks, aud they promptly accepted
tue invitation. The whole party uuis.
up the very steep and d.nseror. hisn,
OF stairs leading to the worm.lish,. at
the head Of which they we've me, by tn,
notice: "Vi.itors no, allowed to &c
higher And lhsre va. GO lunch any.
where IN sight. Some Of the l.dl-.
were anxious to get down =, soon as Po..
sible.
Two eolored men leaned over the raj
under the great allsgoy and talked
about L,nehburg, whispering my.,sn.
ou'ly abOu, things strictly private to
themselves. A young man lOlled against
the r.il JUS, opposite thsm-,oo far .~.y
to hear. They did not mind h,m. d..
rectly voice came out Of one Of the
painted figures over their heads, warning
them to 10 bach TO Lynehbars. surrender
themselves up - the proper authorities.
aud repen, OF their ~rons.doing.
"wss 1t murder p the voice inq airel
"Ds good Lo'd." cried the two ,rem.
bling men. as tehy made break for the
stairs, aiding down on their back.
Another very old ex. slave VS. aeei..
ed by voice that appeared to come from
the mouth Of the figure supposed to look
Like JEFF Davis Of being "a runaway mig.
GER" and threatened With the whipping.
pos' and return to slavery. These thing.
surround the dome with mystery, ba,
such would no. be permitted 18th. pe-pe.
traitors could be caught 81 IL. Bat the
fact u that no one exeep, the people
standing ., the points directly Opposite
.er' the gallery can hear word Of ~hsl
s going on 20 IL attracts no attention
from Others.