The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-01
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The Favorlts Amusement 5ofs! Many Lovers.
I'D Washington City.
BUT The VERY WALLS HAVE EARS.
And OceassonaIIy They Seem TO Have
RIonths--A CoIored Compile Nearly
Scared TO neath---A Point as TO the
Selection OF q Fit Chnperon FOR
Lovers Party-.A Fine Conductor.

(F'rom the st. Paul Daily Globe.)

(From the st. Paul Daily Globe.)
, There is no elevator In the dome Of the
Capitol at Washing on, the outside and
inside are devoid Of stairs, and visitors
are puzzled to know, how the people get
to the top Of the dome. In the little,
dark circular passage north of the ro-
stunda. between the rotunda and the STU
preme Court room, are two little swing
ing doors covered with green baize, look
ing very rusty, dirty and old; small
doors, which nobody would notice un-
less they were pointed out by q guide
or some one familiar with the Capitol
building. Whoever opens these doors.
however, looks upon a narrow stone
landing from which their leads circu-
lar, Well-Norn stone staircase, with iron
railing, upward into the darkness. Even
when started up here by one of the Cap
1tol guides, the visitor is generally puz-
zled very much to know which way to
60 After climbing three or four steep
StafTwayS one comes 70 Il door which
is barred, and SO much of the climb has
been for nothing. .Retracing ones steps
half way down a swinging door is reach
ed, which yields readily to the touch,
ana the visitor steps out into the open
air. Above and all around him is iron
frame work, while, after passing along
narrow iron portico more winding iron
stairs are reached BY twists and turns
this leads up through the rough iron
the dome itself. It has been estimated
that 500 people climb the dome every day
throughout the year.
On some days there are not less than
500, and occasionally there are a thou
sand people going up by twos land
threes, and sometimes in larger groups.
Neither the hot weather OF summer
nor the chilling winds Of winter can
prevent the tourists, male or female,
from winding their laborious way up the
narrow staircase, which leads by these
spiral twists through dark passages: a
mysterious way into that mysterious
egg shell. The people who have heart
disease, wooden legs. apoplexy, or who
weigh over 400 pounds, especially fat
feminity Of the chaperon order, are the
only tourists who do not climb the dome
They come from every State III the
Union, from almost all conditions OF life.
from all nations, and their talking and
laughing make strange sounds, some Of
them very startling indeed 10 any quiet
thoughtful person who ascends the
stairway for the first time. :
The only people who climb the dome
and do not get tired and complain OF
It for months afterward are the young
lovers or bridal couples They take
their time, too. in summer and stop on
every landing to whisper those things
which nobody can hear and yet which
everybody knows by heart. When these
uSaIlS beloved DfOtnerS ana sisters have
reached the tip-top. ana stand right
close to the great painting. sixty feet
IN diameter, and lean over the railing
looking down at the pigmies ,ramping
about on the floor Of the rotunda below,
they are occasionally startled by soft
voices Of spirits in the air. Sometimes
In their most tender moments they are
aStoniShed to be addressed by name in
the most familiar way by a voice from
one Of the allegoricai pictures painted
on the canopy above them. The fact OF
he matter is, this great circular picture
Is one Of the finest sound conductors
III America, and makes an absolutely
perfect whispering gallery A man sit
ting on the opposite side of the gaZyry
can listen to the young couples talking,
billing and cooling and mentioning peo-
pie at home, until he can become sufii-
GENTLY familiar with them and their
surroundings to almost scare them out
or their boots by some whispered re-
mark. Whatever is said on one side Of
the painting Is carried right across and
sounds like q whisper in the ear Of the
person to whom it is addressed.
On one occasion there was young
couple here from Fostoria, o., who re-