The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-03

private door yard at the back, present
a very home-like looking place. The
square is shaded by century-old trees
mostly that gracefullest Of all shade
trees. the dropping elm, and the grounds
are all cut up into knobs or terraces for
the public buildings to stand upon.
Each one is on its own elevation, for
both the ancient and modern Richmon-
dite has had the taste to adapt his town
to the lay of the land, and not level up
or cut it all down into prosaic angular.
tiles.
Richmond wanders all UP and down
hill, every which way, and any other
city horses would go into fits of Stub
bornness over up hill work which the
Richmond horse takes as a matter of
course, without 30 much as wheeze of
dissent.
The Old State House.
On one of these knobs stands the old
State House built one hundred and six
years ago. 1t is classical of course with
the deep front portico under the gable,
supported by Doric columns with CORN
THAN tops. Like our Arlington house
or Mount Vernon. inside it is quainter,
than quaint. The House of Delegates
is low ceiled chamber with small gal
lery at either end, and the delegates
desks are like school desks. On the
wall are two pictures of ancient date;
one OF William Pitt, in Roman toga, when
he was making his celebrated speech in
Parliament in favor of the rights of the
colonies. And on the other side of the
door is Thomas Jefferson, full length
| portrait, in great coat OF colonial cut
his ruddy countenance and red hair still
made more blooming by the bit of red
undervest just Visible above his vest
under his white choker. In this hall
two or three men were busy compiling
the history of Virginia from the rare old
books in her archives, for the State of
West Virginia. In the Senate Chamber
opposite. couple of young women were
busy over the same thing. The Senators
are evidently regarded now as of old,
notch above the delegates in dignity, by
the Virginians. as their chamber is much
finer in upholstery. with better desks
and easier chairs.
| In the gallery under the rotunda,
which last is nothing more than sky
light, both ancient and modern portraits
of Virginias greatest men adorn the
walls. But few il any States can boast
so many, or with such interesting his
tories, for during the throes of the birth
of these United States, the Virginia
statesmen led all the rest.
| Some of these portraits are probably
made up from imagination. like Poca-
hontas's and possibly Sir Walter Ra-
leigh's. if not Captain John Smith. in
his waist armor which looks like cor
set. Pocahontas. daughter of the mighty
| prince Powhatan, is represented in red
dress with we'll starched Elizabethan
ruff around her slender throat. Her
cuffs of lace are turned back over her
crimson velvet gown. Evidently she
was dressed up in fashionable style by
her proud husband, Thomas Rolf, to
whom she was married after receiving
Christian baptism, and to whom some of
the first families of Virginia proudly
trace their descent.
On another hill in this charming en-
closure, the new State library is stu
ated. 1t is very valuable library in
historical books, colonial records, land
grants which Thomas Jefferson made
the first attempt at sysiematizing. The
library is just being moved into its new
quarters from the old capitol. and is to
have it's privileges, which hitherto have
been rather exclusive, extended to the
| citizens Of Richmond. They are now to
have the use of the reading room at cer-
tain hours of the day. The new build
ing is Of brick and not at all pretentious,
but it is commodious, up to date in it's
appointments and far in advance of the
old cramped quarters in the Capitol
building. where only delegates and SEN
ators or professional men could use it's
| treasures. Even now it is not to be in
any sense circulating library.
There are many rare volumes in this
oldest library in the country, but have
only room to speak of one. 1t is what is
called 1.-The Vinegar Bible,' which was
printed in Oxford England, in 1717. 1t
gets its peculiar name from typograph-
ical error in the margin referring to the
parable Of the Vineyard, Luke Goth. 1t
is printed as 1.-The Parable of the Vine
gar" When discovered the whole edi-
ton, as far as possible. was recalled and
destroyed, but this one had sailed across
the seas and become the property of the
Council Chamber. 1t is an immense
volume. "a inches long. 8 deep and IA
broad; very large clear type, but full of
old style SIS" made like IFS" and which
make the modern reader want to lisp.
On a corner opposite Capitol Square
is st. Paul's church. with needle spire
where Jefferson Davis was at worship
when the news reached him that Gener-
al Lee had surrendered. and the Confed-
eracy was "as a tale that is told" On
1 -. q