The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-08-03

art, architecture, mythology, and GUS
toms of the Roman Empire at time
when at the height of its departed
glory. The house of Pansa was select
ed as model, from its being the most
extensive and perfect In plan of all the
private houses excavated at Pompeii,
and the solarium, the atrium, the tabli-
mum, the exedra, the peristylium, the
triclinia, and all the various Roman
apartments are SO well represented as
to be Immediately recognized with the
aid of the complete explanatory pamph-
let furnished each visitor. The many
difficulties attendant upon this restora-
ton of a Ponpeian house can be partly
imagined when.it is known that it in
volved three successive trips to the bur-
led city and careful study of all the
best models under the direction of such
eminent authorities as the Curator of
the National Museum of Pompeian rel
les at Naples, and of the Professor of
Architecture in the University of Ma
pies; also a thorough examination of
the many casts i'm the British Museum,
the Louvre, and the School of Fine Arts
in Paris; and last, but not least, the inn
portation of two well-known artists
whose paintings hold an honored place
in the great French "Salon." All this
was required to give the 10th century
an idea of the elegance and luxury
with which the old Roman noble was
wont to surround himself in that famous
city lying for nearly two thousand years
beneath its winding sheet of ashes and
finally eXhumed for the edification of
the modern world.
Our last forenoon at Saratoga was
devoted to pilgrimage to Mount Nc
Oregon and visit to what was former
ly known as the Drexel Cottage, within
whose walls the "Hero of Appomattox"
died as bravely as he had lived. 1t is
now known as the Grant Cottage, be-
ing owned and cared for by the Grand
Army of the Republic, and the furni-
ture is the same and as near as possible
in the same position as at the time of the
great Generals death. AS our merry
excursion party filed through the
rooms and gazed upon the chair in
which he passed so many painful hours,
the bed on which he died, and the clock
stopped at the very moment of his last
breath, hush fell upon all and the
silent tongues and solemn faces spoke
eloquently of the universal respect for
the nations brave dead. Adjoining the
sick room are many of the floral relics,
ooiii III Soou oI"oo VI PiCoOi Naoioh,
conspicuous among them being the
large Gates Ajar, surmounted by the
name, u. s. Grant, in purple letters of
never-fading amaranths.
The railway ride thither carries one
past daisy -carpeted meadows, by the
side of rocky gOrges, or through prime
val forests, up, ever upward, until the
summit is reached and magnificent
picture spreads before one of far-reach-
ing meadow and winding rivers, the
countless lakes looking like shining
mirrors set deep in an emerald frame.
Returned from the fairy vision to
earth again, we took the noon train
for Albany and found ourselves upon
reaching the capital city so weary that
we were fain to rest little at the Globe
hotel before our visit to the magnificent
state house which has been in process
of erection for twenty years at an ex-
pense of nineteen millions of dollars,
and will require at least five years more
labor for its completion. At five o'clock
we repaired thither, and though this is
the usual hour for closing the rooms,
we were so fortunate as to find the
deputy state supt. of public instruction
at his post, and by his courtesy were
furnished with competent guide who
conducted us through the principal
apartments. The executive and senate
chambers, assembly hall and state Ii
brary are each perfect in their way,
but the latter with its panels of Next
can onyx and Italian marble, its ele-
giant embossed leather seats and artistic
ceiling is the very acme Of luxury and
scarcely capable of being surpassed.
The Scotch, Tennessee, and Vermont
granite, and great variety of other
stone used in its construction, render
the building study to the tourist,
while the artistic carving of the Scotch
brown stone i'm the wonderful senate
staircase furnishes veritable-art gal
lery to the observer. The grandeur of
the great western staircase is as yet
only foreshadowed, but it is expected
to be the most beautiful portion of the
whole building. The main entrance is
also but just begun, the roof of which is
upheld by 16 pillars of polished granite
costing $500 apiece. The interior of the
stupendous pile is very impressive, but
the exterior, being of light colored
granite that easily discolOrs upon ex-
posture, is not so beautiful as one would
expect it to be. 1t is finely located at
the upper end of State street, and dom
mates all the landscape, reminding us
in this particular of the great Mormon
temple at Salt Lake City.
That evening "a ride out to Pine Hill
on the electric cars gave us a good view
of the better part of the city, which
abounds i'm comfortable and well-kept
homes, and next morning at o'clock
we boarded one of the magnificent
Hudson river steamers that ply between
Albany and New York city, and on its
spacious decks spent a restful, delight
full day looking out upon a changing,
ever lovely view of river scenery that
surpassed all we had yet seen and is
beyond the power of pen to describe.
About o'clock we landed at historic
West Point and drove up the rocky,
winding road leading to the Post,
alighting before the old hotel that is
the only public house near the Military
Academy. Being under governmental
control and subject to the whim of
every parsimonious Holman who may
consider himself the watchdog of the
treasury" and deem it necessary to cut
down even the allowance of soap for
| the cadets, the hotel is somewhat dilap-