The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-04-11
a CAPITOL TALE.
An o1d Washington Guide Relates azs N
cident of His Experience.

ClQGnC Oh BIS Experience.
Not half dozen people among the mass
thousands who daily pass from the Senate
wing of the capitol through the corrido,
past the Supreme Courtroom and around
the well to the great rotunda have any idea
that above them in the little round tops
that crown the well and corridor ceilings is
q curious maze Of dark, winding, gloomy
passages and irregular chambers that fair.
.ly rival the classical labyrinth or mytholo-
gy, writes WaShin gton correspondent. In
moving stock of time-staincd documents
filing one Of these round tops the laborers
disclosed door that for ten years has nev,
er swung upon its rusty hinges. The dis
coverv of this forgotten exit served to re.
mind an old guide who has piloted sight
seers about the capitol for a quarter of
century Of an incident which recalls vividly
the romance Of Lady Ginevra, the mistle.
toe boush and the great oaken chest Be.
fore the invention Of the electric light ths
great circles of burners about the galleries
of the dome and the clusters about the
Senate and House skylights were ignitea
by an electric current that flashed through
series Of wires leading from an enormous
battery. This battery was located in the
round top above the well, and lined its cynu-
drical walls with great generating jars.
One wintry afternoon this guide began
the long ascent, plotting one of the number
less bridal couples that every season makes
Washington q Mecca. The young man was
an enthusiastic sight-seer, and as the guide
pointed out the interesting features Of tbs
ascent he suffered his brides hand to slip
from his arm and pressed on several PAGES
ahead, until q sudden turn in the stairs hid
him from her view. PiQued at his desertion
of her She toilcd up the stairs alone, until
her eye fell upon door standing ajar at the
head Of short fight Of steps leading off to
the right. In a spirit Of mischief she ran up
the steps, pushed open the door, and entered
the electrical laboratory, resolved to hide
from her husband. Hardly ray Of light
penetrated the gloom Of the chamber, bus
for {. moment curiosity overcamc her, until
with bang a strong draught swung the
heavy iron door shut with a 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 endearored to
open it, beating upon its hard surface with
her little hands and crying loudly for help.
In the meantime her husband, who did
not for several. minutes observe that she
was not following, had climbed from above
the laboratory, then calling to her and re-
ceiving no answer he lurriclly retraced his
footsteps, expecting to find Eer hiding be-
hind each angie Of the descent. Becoming
thoroughly alarmed. he called her loudly by
name: "Annic! Annie! where arc you"
The echo of his voice alone responded, and,
crazed with fear, ne rushed up and down
the stairway shouting wildly help to find
his lost wife. The guide endeavored to calm
him, but, breaking away from him, he ran
down the stairs to 4 sudden turn in the
flight, lost his balance and fell over the rail,
distance of thirty feet, TO the roof below.
The guide climbed quickly down after him
and found him stunned by the fall. Sum-
moning assistance they bore the insensible
man to a carriage and took him to his hotel,
where he lay unconscious for hours. Be-
ievine that the injured mans wife must
have found her way ont Of the building the
search for her was abandoned. About nine
O'Clock that night the electrician of the capi-
tol had occasion to visit the laboratory.
Fitting the key to the door and pushing it
open he was astonishcd to find a woman
lying on the floor apparently dead. Raising
her carefully he bore her to the Office OF the
captain Of the watch, where she was resusci-
tated. She was rapidly driven to the hotel,
just in time to fall into her husbands arms
as he recovered consciousness.