Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-02-01

continuously in the construction, and p
years passed before the completion of
the stately monument.
The total cost for materials is re-
ported to have been $20,00O,00O; nearly
all the labor was free or forced labor
so that the total value was probably
nearly $60.O0O.OO0.
1t would be very dificult to reproduce
such a charming edifice today and 1t
would be hard to find workers and art
lists equal in skill to those that built the
Tai.
Every traveller around the world
hears a great deal about the Tai Mahal
People say that it is the finest building
in the world and that there is nothing
else like it on the globe. After listening
to such talk. the ordinary person be-
comes a little hostile towards the TAI
Mahal He feels that possibly people
are exaggeTating, and somehow he be-
lieves the building will not come up to
descriptions. After hearing so many APP
parently eXtravagant words of praise,
and after reading so many of the rhap-
sodies which have been lavished upon
the building, he decides that he will lay
aside sentiment and that ne will DELHI
erateIy examine all parts of the build
ing for himself and that he will coolly
form his own unbiased opinion.
With such feelings, approached the
Tai Mahal. not believing that IT could
come up to the ravishing descriptions or
beauty that had been heaped upon IT.
But as I looked on the massive struct-
ure of pure white marble surrounded
by a garden of rare beauty, as looked
at the enormous elevated platform up
on which it stood, as l looked at its
domes. it's towers and its minarets, all
standing out so clearly against the sky,
as I perceived the exquisite beauty and
the perfect symmetry of 1T all. l was
spellbound and there came over me an
indefinable pleasure.
The effect was finer than that OF the
capitol at washington, finer than St
PauPs in London. finer than anything in
Paris or Versailles, finer than st. Pc
ters at Rome-yes, finer than any struct-
ure upon which my eyes had ever gazed.
1t seemed like "a dream of celestial
heauty." Such dazzling whiteness. such
a splendid dome, such delicate minarets,
such graceful towers. such perfect
proportion. Would that my friends
could share with me the joy of this I'M
PARALLEL sight!
'Tbou dids't CLEAN before our visions
eye,
In dreams like fair mirage.
Our lips are dumb, o. Tai
No words can describe IL as it is. l
had seen a hundred pictures and pho
tographs of it, but not one had ever
given me q real conception of this. en-
chanting structure.
The Tai is situated in a garden Of
AZ acres located on the banks OF the
Junea river. In the middle OF the gar
den rises q platform with four grace
full and lofty towers on each corner. In
the midst of the platform, rises the Tai
surmounted by a great white dome ana
reaching about 240 feet from the level
Of the garden.
I walked closer and stood by the side
of the building itself; ON the pure white
marble were delicately covered flowers;
the scores of the lace-like screws were
large slabs of marble, which had been
perforated in a thousand places by the
artists chisel; the delicate colors were
not paintings, but were found to be mil
lions of precious stones imbedded with
in the immaculate marble itself in form
of flower and fruit and other exquisite
designs.
Within under the great dome, rested
the bodies of Muntoz Mahal and Shah
Jahan; the simple tombs of white mar
BILE were inlaid in form of flowers with
rich gems-emeralds. turquoises, agates,
comedians, and corals. Truly the white
tombs blossom with never fading Per-
sian flowers" wrought by the magic
of the fastidicus Moghul artists. In ac-
cordance with the Mohammedan custom
there is carved on the woman's tomb.
slate, and on the mems, pen box.
1.-THE pen is active; the slate is passive.
1t is the pen that fashions the writing;
it is the slate that bears it's surface to
be written on"
Around the tombs runs toll railing
or screen OF perforated marble, lace
like in appearance and wrought with
elegant designs. The screen is itself