Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-05


impressed with the towering dome OF the
Capitol. whose beauty grows and develops
in the subconsciousness whether one
needs it or not; but after all 1t Is tho
Washington Monument which arises like
a vision in the minds eye wheneve: one
lapses into reveries Of the scat OF national
government Partly is this true because 1t
is almost impossible to find place IN The
whole city Of Washington from which the
Monument cannot be seen. rising In lis
majesty chaste, severe and perfect. At a
distance it may seem slender ana
fragile almost to be wfisked ovsr by
a. strong wind Near at hand IL seems
like a part of the immutaoie: IN
yielding. time-defying skeleton OF the
earth itself as imperishable as lime.
Standing at its base and craningiy peer
ing at its huge bulk rising aloft an almost
Unreasonable distance. until II seems 40
If the very sky must resi- uPG itL tis soar
ing greatness of it-oppresses one Win d
sense of mortal insignihcanee. At a ols-
lance there is a different KIND OF appIe-
citation of its greatness, Tor no mate. n atM,
distant the beholder. the Monument SUI
dominates the landscape IKE a nlgh
mountain. 1t towers abort IKE SEM. III
mel and while distance so1tens us Sc
verity' the beauty of its proportions Is
but accentuated..
Az no Japanese artist seems to consider
a bit of landscape from brush complete
without the sacred mountain, FuJlyama
snowy crown in the background, so the
photographers who daily snap the smut
ters of their cameras on washington
scenes like to have the great obeisk
somewhere in the field of vision. some
times it is the central figure in the pic
lure with nothing to relleVe us ilneS ~
cent the background of the sky and horl-
ION line. Sometimes the focal point IS 1ar
enough away to permit part or the PARK
in which 1t stands to appear. AGAIN 'ile
broken reaches of water lying adjacent TO
the monument are happily chosen for fore
ground effects, with the trees along the
waters edge casting their reflections IN
the placid shadows. and percnance by
bit Of good luck or careful maneuverlnS
the artist or tourist succeeds IN finding a
viewpoint whence the camera can eaten
the tall shafts reflection in the pool. Or.
again. the Monument may appear unex-
pectedly in the background OF a photo
graph of some suburban view where the
foreground effect had engrossed the atten-
ton Of the photographer. and only on de-
velopment the towering shaft mad Deen
found as an added and unexpected beauty
in the picture.
-
There Is something inspiring, resttul and
comforting in the sight Of the Monument
no matter from how great distance.
Many persons have grown into the habit,
perhaps unconsciously, Of looking up at
it occasionally when the spirit has begun
to flag. to find in contemplation of its
strength and beauty inspiration and re-
pose. One busy man who has an office
in tall pile of bricks and mortar. where
the click Of the typewriter blends into
The sound Of traffic from the street. has
a window which. through a narrow rift
between high buildings. gives an unob-
structed view Of the Monument from Its
base to it's very summit. Sometimes his
brain grows dizzy with the monotony
of his daily tasks. but when it seems
as If he would not be able to go on for
another minute he lays aside his work
ior a moment and looks out and away to
that finger of stone pointing aloft to the
Infinite, and somehow his cares fall from
him and his eyes grow clear. and he is
able to take up again his tasks with fresh
resolution.