The times., 1897-11-02

history, however, to say that the new
reading-room is open TO the public on
The Contrary it is open only 10 those who
visit it for the purpose OF reading.
At the west door Of the reading room
stands All usher in uniform. You seek
to 60 in. he asks you If you are going
to read II you have not been indoc-
triRated you say no, and you don't 20 i'll.
# yoC are Constant Reader "Vox
Populi, Jasl ria" or any relative Of
THESE worthless, you are recognized by the
liferarg Argus and you walk in When
You come out you read a sign on the door
which you can understand and translate
fluently If you have just been reading
inscriptions from the tomb or Metelus
The sigh on the door inside is simply
PYLL. Il IS in the antique vie, pos
sitiy to remind one of The antique which
was the vogue ri the old library in dust,
Chairs, tables and manuscripts.
The Congressional Library Itself, which
has NO Iarailel in architectural elegance
and beauty anywhere in America and
which many tourists lave declared To ne
only its own parallel has been open to
the pu6liC tOr many Iaenths. Volumes but
not too many, have already been written
about its exterior, its wonderfully fas-
cinating iaterior, with its rich, florid
coIoring. is Iabyrnths above and below
aud its gorgeous corridors, each 4 picture
gallery. teople who look at this build.
ing tine aud aga in do not know that
there we're engaged on it twenty one
painters ana tWent y-four sculptors wers
engaged on the various parts of the
structure. When one, however, looks at
the CongrarsiunaI Library and asks who
is is Greater the answer is J. L. Smith
MEYER. he is 3 WaShingtonian, and an
architect OF whom the marvel OF Capitol
Hill Is not his only, bat his best. monu-
Tnent.
II was not the best day of the season
FOR 50 interesting an event as the dInis-
sion TO the Tea ding-room Of the public on
literary pleasure or profit bent. The an
nOunccmenU was made that this little bit
OF local history would begin at a. n
At that hour it was raining volumes: Yet
the rain hal lis uses. 1t was so hard
and yet failed TO terrify so yoodly a
number "f people that it was At once a
Compliment tc the event and a suez sstion
Of what crowds would have been there
had they been obliged by the fair skies
ami autumn temperature OF The cay be-
fore.
1t was johnson, by the way. who said
that the most miserable of human beings
Was lie Or She who could not read on raiuy
day There was ample opportunity in the
splcndidI ainand The equal ySplendid library
TO have m;.de The whole community happy
had il Joined the silent majority under
the dome Of the picturesque rotunda. The
bookworm has,infact. never been classified.
He is aIHphibious, land or fresh water ami
NAL as the occasion demands
There is nc place III the world where 50
much business is lone with such mechanical
perfection as II this reading room. There
is only one restriction on the visitor. As
he enters he sees a sign, which, if it were
alive, would have forefineer on its lips.
Asftis dead cold type, it merely says Keep
quiet" pleasing variation OF the hucolic
and eternal Keep off the grass. In
that sole respect it is melancholy place.
You think almost intuitively OF that other
place where weeping willows grow, where