The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-10

the highway. That spot, hidden away
among the trees in quiet neigh9orhood,
is of moro interest to most sojoarners
than Waramaker's palace, or Jay Cooke s
once famous home. 1t is one OF the homes
akin to those of Emerson, Alcott or Haw-
thorne, any spot where they lived and
wrought for humanity is sacred ground,
however humble or obscure the place in
othec respects. Happily, genius is not
crihf5ed or confued to any kind of regula-
tion house or home. Where it dwells in
palace or howell there is glimpse of
heaven on earth.
Phila@elphia and its aemo5ers.
l cannot remember the number of times
/ have pxid visit to historic shrines in
Philadelphia. l hope l may never have
done, for it impresses me as the most in
terestiuy city outside of Washing ton in
the country, and on each visit something
old as the history of our Independence,
but new to ms, is always in store, and
that aeeps up che interest, making it de-
siraole to ''come again. even if the peo-
pie themselves were not so enticingly
hosp,table anG friendly.
Chestnut street., as everybody knows, is.
the principal business thoroughfare, and
Independence Hall, with the Liberty
: Bel, and the portraits of the signers of
the Declaration of Independence, always.
| draws the visitors to that shrine and
I '<+oradle of azoerty;'; but there is another.
! a shrine within shrine, Carpenters.
He'll, - where John Adams and John Han
cock "did wickedly ~ incite the Colon
Ree to revolt against the rule of King
George So it is written over the door
| Cf'this quaint place To reach Carpenters
Hell one leaves Chestnut street by what
seems to be an alley, really the entrance
to a court, and in the little corner squares
on either side are plants and shrubs,
while the small building resembles the
cozrt house of rural towns built fifty
years ago, Sut here one stands in front of
the veritab1e ''cradle of Liberty
The company that built this first public
hall in Philadelphia was instituted in
114. 1t is built of brick of the English
pattern, said to be imported from the mo-
ther country. Only master mechanics,
weM-to-do carpenters, could obtain men,
bership in this company which still sur
wives. That they cherished high ideals
is certain; from the beginning they estab-
lished alibrary to be enjoyed by it's men,
bers and there have been AIS of them in
its history of 173 years; and during that
time the librarianship has been retained
in one family, probably the most unique
fact relating to any library in the country.
The assembly hall on the first floor still
has the old high backed Windsor chairs,
and the wooden settles on which the Col
onists sat when they were not on their
feet plotting treason to King George ".
and Reputation of the mother country.
On the walls and in cases are many i'm
portant historic mementos. The stairway
leads from the front vestibule up into the |
library rooms, where we found descend |
ant of the original librarian, little old |
lady who looked as though she had stepped |
down out of a Colonial picture frame. |
On entering into conversation she seemed |
well informed in regard to all that per-
tanned to her business as librarian, but she
gave us quite a surprise when, on some
mention being made of that splendid
structure, the new Congressional Library,
she looked up and innocently questioned, ;
''Are you the Librarian of Congress9"
Where had this woman been all these
years? Had she never heard of Ainsworth
r. Spofford? Verify it seemed not 1t
seemed incredible woman past middle
age could live almost upon that great
Chestnut street. and not |
have heard of our proudest monument to
literature and art.
Fairmount Fark.
Philadelphians have long rejoiced in |
one of the most beautiful parks in the |
country. A park that has more beautiful |
natural scenery than any other know Of |
The Schuylkill and the Wissahicon |
rivers, with their uplands and romantic, |
storied shores, afford scenes of rural de-
light to the picnicers, and to poets and |
artists alike.
Twenty-Five years ago it was the busy |
scene of the Centennial, and only those |
who visited it can realize what that was
to the American mind-a revelation and |
an inspiration far greater than the Co. |
lumbian Exposition as an object lesson,
because it was the first lesson in art and |
opportunity. The alphabet as it were;
learning that, we in due time shall be |
able to spell out all that the world knows |
in that direction if not to improve upon |
it. OF all that grand show nothing tang |
ible remains except Memorial Hall, - |
which we were moved to visit for ''days of |
auld lange syne." But little remained of |
the conglomerate exhibit of Art that char |
acterized it during the Centennial, but |
there was more method in the display of |
pictures, tapestries, and objects of inter- |
est. Here and there students were copy |
ing picture or design, but in a side room |
we found an exhibit of Pompeian antiq- |
uities that was well worth seeing. TAX |
ing little peeps into mirrors set in a |
wooden screen round the room, one |
seemed to see literal transcript OF that |
lurid fire of ashes and storm as it swept |
over the city full of revelers, and buried |
them under its debris. 1t made it awfully |
vivid, and terribly realistic. One passed |
from one scene to another, and saw inner |
courts set about with statuary and foun-
tains, the lounging place of women and |
children, becoming under this dreadful |
visitation of volcanic power, a place of |
terror and death. Stone buildings as |
fine as any of the public buildings at