The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11
the GUARDIAN OF THE DOME.
An Old Man In Washington Whose Day
Are spent Far Above Other Men.

WAsHlNGTON, March lO.-As visitors climb
the iron spiral stairway 10 the dome Of the Capitol
a voice gives them friendly greeting when they
are at a particularly steep angle Of the stairs
about halfway up. Many a young couple have
been startled by this greeting as they look up
u the whispering gallery above and over at the
plgInicS on the floor Of the rotundh below. They
look at the blank walls Il bout them and the dark
stair, winding above and below, and conclude
that II Is another Of the remarkable Capitol echoes
until another greeting reaches them, and through
an arch in The wall they see the old man who lives
IN the dome.
4 curious character is this old man. lie Is
tall and we'll built, with remarkably bright eyes
aud q clear ruddy complexion, and would scarcely
be called the old" man except for his white hair
and beard. With his cheery, good-day h. sDme-
times dis,urbs a cosey couple, but he is 70 sociaole
and good-nstured that they cannot complain, and
a few words with him Awakens the interest OF
the stranger. he Is a philosopher In his way
o student Of human nature. From his high perch
In the dome ne looks down each day at the states
men passing through the ro'Inda from House
~ Senate and from Senate 70 House, and al the
never ending procession Of sightseers looking
like crawling turtles. From the high windows
is broadcned. His philosophy Is directed by
the expanse OF his vision and as q lookeIOn he
has slowed AWAY In hts capacious head sune
quaint and original IDEAS Hour after hour,
or NOR he has sat there IN his tower Of observe
tion and gathered In his impressions. DE is not
a traveller, bu, the world, represented by. the
thousands NJ strangers from all quarters Of the
glob, pa sses before him Ike a panorama and
he knows much that the widely travelled man
learns. He can tell strangers az sight what
little corner Of the world they first opened their
eyes upon, and many ,ther things about them
selves one would not be 'ipected TO know on such
short acquaintance. lie gives expression " many
quaint ideas, causing the intelligent stranger
" Try further T. draw him out and u make many
notes in hi, diary when the talk il ended. But
the old man Of the dome Is no much OF a philoso-
phcr =, be much Of a talker, AID he cuts q con-
IerSatlou of just whore he wants u N end. He
i one Of the inhabitants OF the dome there by
authority. H doe, not actually live, eat, sleep
ard dram in the dome, but his days ora spent
there the year round. Every hour that the dome
l. opened he IL there, and when h" goes he hCks
all the doors b. hind him IN his winding way down
aud hang his keys IN the watch room for the night.
lie l. the watchman OF the dome. whose duty
il ~ H. see that no vandalism n committed and
that no he nm comes ~ the visitors, II hs sud
den appeaThnCa is sometimes a shocking inter-
ruution /, anectuunie demonstrations by young
people who nope In the future h. elm the wind
Ing stairs Of life together, II is also an insurance
AGAINST danger irlm injury OF rudcness, As a
philosopher the old man never secs anything
Il l. not necessary T. see, and n"vert lis hall that
hc secs. He Is not sn ordinary policeman " no
goes his iuqui~itive rounds. He used u BE- on
the Capitol force, years nRo, and after ne was
retired from tho force he secured n Judgement
in the dome. Hi~ castla in tho cir Is the arch.
way o. tie nr,t -ailery oi the rotlnda above the
the CracAs stopped " keep the wind away, and on
u shelf in one corner h. keeps the books which
he g,ts from the ational Library. sitting there
he can look over the top Of his books and ommard
q view Of the staircase, and his books nre hts
companions on dull days.