The National tribune., 1904-06-02

oh color. Here's my pass. You kin read
for yourself, subj"
We'll, you won't need that pass any
more. That sad day is gone by" said the
Adjutant. You are a free. sovereign, in
dependent American citizen now, just as
same as anybody but before any North
ern man will recognize you as a man and
brother, you'll have to drive a better team
! than that. We Yankees amt so particu-
Lar about the color of mans skin We
are about the hOrsehesh he owns. a man
with such team as that wouldn't be adj
gates of Salvation would be closed against
him"
We'll. dis is de best team you kin git"
"Certainlv Uncle, there ought to be son''
way to pick up better-looking outfit
than that
No. de pententiary amt running. now.
so dey don't take de trouble to rest horse
thieves no mo- Dey jess shoots dem on
sight. | done tuck 'nough risks endurin'
de wah. l don't intend to take no mo-.
We'll. we're wasting time said the
Adjutant. Lets get in and start. I've
been looking around little, and L reckon
this is the best we can do. The carriages
here look even worse than in Washington,
which | never before believed possible.
Probably the politicians demoralize the
horsefiesh as badly as they do the men.
Get in, and let's start. Driver, take us
first to the State House."
DE Confederate Capital. sah?"
mo: it isn't the Confederate Capital
any more. That went glimmering the other
day at Appomattox. It's now back to its
old position as merely the Virginia State
House."
You mean, sab. de place whar Congress
used 10 set!'
Yes. yes. where the so-caled Congress
used to set, and hatch out trouble by the
train-load. That's the place we want to
see first"
The State House of Virginia is really
very imposing edifice. 1t was then. 1t re-
mains so vet. in spite of the country hav
ing many far more costly and extensive pub
| lie buildings. 1t stands out i'm roval domi
nation upon the summit of Shockoe Hill,
which oyerlOoks the whole of the rest of
| the city. and from the Capitol's porch. sus-
| tanned by massive pillars. one looks through
| the church spires and over the roofs of
| tall buildings, clear to the broad, winding
James, lined on both sides with great fac
tories. mills, iron works. warehouses and
docks. Standing there. the Adjutant and
his companions surveyed the ruined expanse
where had stood 1000 buildings, burned
| when the city was evacuated on that mo-
mentcus April 2. On the edges of the
| burned district, but untouched by the fire.
were the dingy, forbidden-looking Libby
Prison and Castle Thunder. and farther
away. where huge sign read 'Old Domin-
| ion Nail Works." was Belle Isle. the scene
of thousand mournful tragedies.
On an eminence at a little distance from
the Capitol rose the high, long, white
| washed walls of the Penitentary. at that
| time one of the largest prisons in the
| United States. Eastward of the Capitol
is the beautiful Governors Mansion"
which was the official residence of Jefferson
Davis. Around the Capitol Square,
charming plot of eight acres. and shaded
by venerable trees. were the municipal and
loth nr h,,1 Al
Paul's Church, in which Jefferson Davis
was seated when a messenger from Lee
brought him the news that the Southern
Confederacy was topping into the dust un-
der the fierce. remorseless blows delivered
by q. s. Grant.
Most impressive of all was that where
ever their eyes turned the boys and their
wives saw striking mementoes of men and
days long before the rebellion, when the
fathers were building strong and well the
foundations of the Great Republic On
magnificent pedestal, 40 feet high. was
Washington. the greatest of the sculptors
works, and upon which he lavshed an in
| Unity of thought and labor. The pedestal
stands upon a six-pOinted star. on each
point of which is statue of man great i'm
the country's service. and whom Virginia
could be well proud to call her son. There
were bronze statues of Patrick Henry,
Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, Andrew
Lewis and George Mason. Near by is a
marble statue of Henry Clay. In the great
square Hall of Entrance" to the Capitol
is Houdon's splendid statue of Washington.
placed there even before the death of the
Father of His Country. Everywhere were
mementoes and reminders of the glorious
days Of the struggle for independence, the
War Of 1912, in which Virginia had taken
so creditable part. of the Mexican war, of
the long, brilliant line of Virginia's Pres
idents, jurists, statesmen, soldiers and sail
ors.
A fine bust Of Lafayette stood in niche
like the shrine of a saint.
"Fadder Album Lincoln stood right where
you is. said the coachman reverently, TAX
Ing of his hat. at the memory. "He stood
right whar you's standin'. Cap'n," he con.