The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-03-30
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence. j


big zebra. Ras wrote: II am sending
the beasts as a token Of esteem and
good will toward the American people.
l would suggest that the return present
be in the form of repeating rifles Or
cannon of the latest pattern"
Consul Skinner says it is the custom
In b%enighted Abyssinia when Il man
makes a present to suggest what be
given in return. The question of what
to send Ras must be referred to the
committees. because there is no appro-
priation from which TIC take the money
needed to pay for the presents Ras de-
sires. The beasts he is sending are
worth about $500. and that sum OF
money will buy a rapid fire field gun.
The Improved Rotundn.
When the rotunda Of the capitol Is
lighted up on the occasion Of a night
Session Of both houses of congress per-
sons who have become accustomed to
the dingincss and darkness of that
ished at its changed appearance through
the new system Of illumination that has
just been installed.
1t is perhaps n misnomer to speak of
the present illumination MS a "new' sys-
tenn. as the rotunda has never been
really lighted save through the agency
of a few miserable gas Jets, which the
officials were afraid to light On account
Of the leaky condition of the pipes that
carried the gas.
A Novel Arrangement.
The rotunda has been equipped with
1,912 sixteen candle power incandes-
cent globes, distributed on the three
principal cornices, with a fourth row
hidden back Of the balustrade at the
top for the purpose Of lighting up the
allegorical picture. 1.-The A%potheosis Of
| Washington" the famous work OF Bru-
midi, which forms the ceiling beneath
the top of the dome.
The illumination Of this interior is
unique, in that not a light can be seen
from within the rotunda. Although the
interior of the great space is Brilliant
~ illuminated. the light is soft and
pleasing to the eye.
Ancient Slang.
Some day soon former Speaker kei-
fer and Senator Lodge will foregather
in the rloakroom to discuss the ques-
ton of slang. Both are connoisseurs
In that form of speech. Both delight
to discover the fact that what often
passes for the last work in the lexicon
Of slang is older than the Christian
era. The expression, Not in it," ac-
cording to the reading Of the former
speaker, is so old that the man who
uses it as slang ought to be punished
for disrespect to old age. ''That ex-
preston Is 1000 years old at least"
said the former speaker. "Epietetus
uses it In tulking about the coward in
battle. he used it in exactly the same
sense that 1t Is used today. He said
that the coward is there in the sense
really he is not in it-that is, he is no
more in it than the man who makes a
poor run for an office and who is doing
something his heart does not approve"
Civil War Carpenters.
Representative Blackburn B.. Dove
ner of West Virginia believes ihat a
bridge carpenter who exposed himself
to the fire Of the enemy during the civil
war was just as brave as the man who
wore soldier clothes and accordingly
should have q pension If he needs one.
He has introduced a bill placing bridge
carpenters and bridge repairers on 9
pensionable status.
4 Venetian I-n1ace.
A real Venetian palace is one Of the
.<r;1.ipr ,,,oJuofipnc in Oro1,ifaot,ro
that will eoon meet the eyes Of visitors
to Washington.
Ex-senator and Mrs. j. B. Hen6er-
son. among the social leaders here. are
having this palace erected. 1t Is III We
netian Gothic style, unique in Wash
ington and in it's way is l.lely to
eclipse III splendor the W.shington
mansions Of the Washes, tie Letters.
the Andersons and Others.
1t Is being built c. TIE highest ground
OF Sixteenth + 1eet and will command
a VIE OF tue whole city. Like the We
netiun ''palazzos.' it will have it's ga
Ion. 20 by 40 feet: its boudoirs, it's log
gias and the like. An immense roof
garden VIII be one Of the attractive
features of the mansion.
White House Visitors.
1t has been customary for many
gears for the White House attendants
to permit all persons who presented
themselves to go through the drawing
rooms and the picture gallery. No list
Of such visitors was kept, but the pres
ident recently expressed a desire to
know something Of the names and ma