Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-27
TALES OF THE TIMES.
Tho Old Guide Nsrrstss = Few stos1ss
About the Capitol ~ Washingtcn.

echoed tho old guide who shows visltOrs
the curiosities In the corridors Of the great
marble palace on tho hill II reckon
could tell you hundred II / happened TO-
think OF 'em. Do you want somethin
about tho wanderin ghost In the crypt,
the same as was forgotten there one night
by his soldier companions and never was
heard OF AGAIN. Now that would make n
nice story fora newspaper, for his spirit IL
supposed 10 be cavortin around the crypt
still, loollin for way out. But that's been
done up In print before. This same ghost
belongs to soldier chap, but that crypt
really did come nigh causin n tragedy
once. At least, I'm told it's true though
wouldn't bet on It,
Late one afternoon young woman,
married to new congressman just six
weeks her first visit TO Washington. was
shown through the crypt with party Of
friends. Somehow the bride became sep
arated from her companions and couldn't
find her way out. The congressman
looked for her everywhere, and everybody
looked. No trace Of her could they find,
SO they went home, thinkin she mig mt
have got out ahead Of them. But she
wasn't there either. Next mornin an
other search was made. At last they
passages Of the crypt where she had been
all night with the rats and bugs. They
picked her up, but when they got her
home she was a ravin maniac. The ter
rors Of tho night had been too much for
her. think did hear she recovered but
I'm not sure. In fact, don't believe the
story, though It's mighty interestin one
for lively newspaper.
IT amt much on mythology" continu-
cd the old guide, "but here Is yarn
sometimes tell to a parcel OF schoolma ans
when guide 'em through the capitol. It
don't take with the average run of brides
and bridegrooms, which Is our support
durin the season. They amt interested
In ancient history much. They're smash
up to date, right up to the hour.
GIVE got on good authority that the old
hall Of congress, what's now Statuary
hall, was copied from the sanctuary of one
of the Greek oracles-probably the one at
Delphi. This here oracle used to give out
some very reliable information, which was
just as good as gospel writ with the Greeks.
"a few Of the old guides up here know
neat little trick about acoustics. They
put man on a certain stone certain
number Of feet from the statue Of Ethan
Allen. Then they place another man in
certain position behind pillar where
the first man can't even get a glimpse Of
him. When the man that's standin be-
hind the pillar begins to talk in low
voice, the man on the stone will swear
that 1t Is the statue talkin. 1t Is simply
a freak Of the acoustics, but / reckon
that's the way the oracles were worked
II was takin parcel of scientific gents
through the buildin one time. After we'd
done Statuary hall one of 'em stops in the
middle Of the floor and gazes round kinder
inquirin'ly and sezee:
=" Here we have the explanation of the
Delphic oracle, gentlemen. You have
tested these remarkable echoes. Well, the
sanctuary of the oracle possessed just such
echoes, and therein lies the solution of the
power of the speakin oracle
Putin two and two together you have
four" continued the old guide sagely,
"and rememberin what that scientific gent
said and putin 1t with the fact that the
hall was copied from the sanctuary of the
oracle, had u good story for the entertain
ment of people who want somethin. old
and scientific.
"If Captain Bassett, the watchdog of
the senate, ever dies, l hope he'll leave to
posterity one of his secrets that would
make rich pickin for us guides" resumed
the old fellow after a moments pause.
"You know JEFF Davis had seat in the
senate before he switched off on secession.
That seat Is still there. Some senator sits
In it through the whole session. but don't
know that it once belonged to Jeff Davis.
Whyp Cause Bassett won't tell, though
he knows. He's SO blanked careful about
the property Of the senate chamber that
he's too stingy to tell for fear visitors will
chip of splinters for souvenirs. Durin
the war lot Of soldiers got into the
chamber and stuck their bayonets into the
desk, and reckon they thought they'd
made kindlin wood of 1t. But old Cap
tain Bassett goes to work and patches 1t
all up with screws and putty and varnish,
till it looks like any other old desk In the
chamber. 1 know for certain that some
mighty influential senators have tried to
got the secret out of the old man, but they
might as well talk to the Goddess of Lib
erty on top of the dome as to get him to
tell which Is jeff Davis seat. AS before
enunciated, he's too stingy to tell, and the
secret will die with him, l reckon, unless
some Of his senatorial friends like Sher-
man or Hoar get right down into the old
mans soul and pray with him to reveal
the secret In his will.
"That Goddess of Liberty, by the way,
is curious creature" said tho old guide,
"and II had time could toll you lot Of
intercstin facts about her. That goddess
is thoroughly protected with lightnin
rods. The points Of her coronet are little
rods tipped with gold. II you take posi-
tion some three or four blocks away from
the capitol on the east side early Of morn
In, when the sun Is still low, you'll think
her crown Is set with diamonds. It's n
beautiful sight to behold, caused by the
rays Of the sun shirln full on the gold tip
ped prongs Of her crown. There used to
be young fellow on Capitol hill with
sort Of tenderness of heart, that fell wildly
In love with the goddess, and many n time
wo watched him sittin on the curb Of a
bright mornin, cngagin In desperate fir
tation with the goddess This may sound
like moonlight, but there Is authority for
III a