The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-13

They cast their shadows upon the grea,
i obelisk erected tosthe memory OF Wash
1 ingten. It was'as white as alabaster
| and the shadows chased each other from
its foundation to its apex, while Hthe
| aluminium point. 555 feet from its base.
| sparkfed at times like an immense
Nohinoor. The party was charmed with
| the scene, and expressions Of admiration
were heard on every SIDE
The guide next led them to the old
Senate chamber now the Supreme Court
room. This was the room in which
Webster delivered his famous reply to
Hayne. and where Henry Clay awokc
the world with his elouuencc on behalf
OF the Greek patriots. II was here also
hat Brooks assaulted Sumner and that
the electoral commission which mnde
HAYNES President met.
Here the Congressman came 10 the
front. He assured the young ladies that
the guide was mistaken. as Henry CLAY
was Il member of the House, when. ia
1921. he made his great speech on be-
half of the struggling Greeks.
Passing the robing room of the Judges
Of the Supreme Court the guide con-
Quoted the party to the room in the
Senate wing set apart for the use Of the
President Of the United States. II is
said to contain the finest frescoes Of
any room on the Western continent
Here is the choicest work Of Brumidi
1T was here that President Arthur sat
NllSll lle SlSlicN tuc Dil pluClnS General
Grant on the retired list with full pay
in 1885. And here President Harrison
signed the Mckinley bill on October 1,
1890. The President usually visits this
room out Of courtesy TO Congress in the
last days of each session. Here he
signs bills that have been passed, en-
rolled and engrosscd IN the last hours
OF the sessions. All Presidents but Mr..
Cleveland have followed this precedent
established by President Madison. Mr..
Cleveland never visited the Capitol but
once for this purpose. 1T was during his
first term. The only time that he APP
peared here in his last term was to at
tend the funeral Of Senator Vance, Of
North Carolina.
The teachers listened to the detailed
statements of the guide with increased
interest. Passing through the marble
room. which is only the lobby Of the Sen
ate. they entered the sarictum of the
Vice President. 1t contains Rembrandt
Pearle's famous portrait Of George
Washington. 1t was In this room that
Henry Wilson died while Vice-President
Of the United States. His bust in Car
ara marble stands upon a bracket in
serted III the wall. While Levi p. Nor
ton was NiccPresident. the Secretary
OF the Senate bought magnificent Ink
stand and placed it in this room. Mr..
Morton. it Is said, deemed this an unwar-
ranten extravaganza. He returned the |
and carried the inkstand away with
MIN.
Some Vice Presidents have been cN-
tremely gracious to visitors. while others
keep the door closed. Ndlai Stevenson
was Il great favorite, and Carrot a.
Hobart promises to become equally rs
great. Stevenson invariably left his
door open, except on special occasions.
He did more than this. for frequently
he shook hands with the visitors. and
called attention TO the objects Of inter
est in the room. The guide recalled the
visit OF some teachers from Haverhili.
Mass. the year before. Mr.. Steven
son left the Presidents chair TO
greet them. They were so charmed with
him that they wanted his autograph. AT
the suggestion Of the guide the hand
soonest one Of the party asked him to
oblge her by giving it TO her for an
autograph fan. This opened the way
for the others. and Adlai lost half an
hour in signing his name. nile the
e-Presdent was thus engaged Henry
Cabot Lodge entered the room
-"Oh, here is our Senator exclaimed
one Of the Haverhill beauties, I'VE GER
tainly must have his autograph"
The great descendant OF the Cabots
Of the time Of Henry VII. was overcome
| by this array of loveliness. He sank in
| q seat and spent twenty minutes in
writing his name.
|
and mp the marble stairway trailed the
| teachers. They were attracted by Il por-
trait of jefferson different from any ever
| seen In print.
why, never knew that Thomas JEFF
| ferson had n red head said n teacher.
| Look at him. He Is really the only
| handsome man that l ever saw with
a red head"
She told the truth It is a painting
| of more than ordinary merit The col
| of the day some one is seen in the sub
| dued light in front Of it, quietly admir-
ing it. More singular still, nobody
seems to know who painted it and
| where it came from. The painting re-
| Of Henry Clay now hanging in the
| fercnt committee rooms for many years
and was finally placed among the por-
traits OF the other Speakers. 1t was
cracked and faded when it first attract
| ed attention. Under the order Of the
chairman of the House committee on
| library it was renovated by the srperin-
tendent Of the Corcoran Art Gallery five
! years ago.
/ The visitors spent much time in front
! Of Thomas Moran's immense paintings
of the Chasm OF the Colorado and the
Grand Canon of the Yellowstone They
| then descended the stairway and moved
| backward toward the House of Repre-
| seniatives. The hall of statuary rang
with merry laughter as they were in
itiated into the mysteries Of the whisper
| ing cubes. Three Of the party made a
l flSC0TarI a linz ~