The Republican journal., 1917-05-10

windows of the west facade have carvee
heads representing the different races Of
mankind; the three wonderful bronze
doors represent Printing, Writing ane
tradition. In the foreground, at the base
OF the broad flight of white granite stems.
IS most picturesque bronze fountain
aodlng much to the beauty of the ex-
terror adornments. This fountain renre-
sents the court of Neptune; colossal
bronze figures of Neptune enthroned
mermalds riding sea-horses, serpents.
frogs and turtles spouting spray.
! Maiestically beautiful as is the exterior.
the visitor is totally unprepared for the
magnltlcence which greets one on STEP
ping into the entrance pavilion, and a
dumb man it must indeed be who fails of
entering without EXPLANATIONS of wonder
and delight bursting from his lips.
never weary of admirng these beauties,
and at different times have entered into
conversation with many visitors from
different States and also from foreign
countries, VINO invariably voice the same
/ stair hall is considered unsurpassed by
any other entrance hall in the world 1t
is lined throughout with fine Italian
marble, highly polished; the gold of the
ceiling is like that of the dome, % carats
line. The great height of this entrance
hall, rising II feet to the skylight, with
its vaulted ceiling, the grand double stair
cases and glistening, white balustrades
| carved In such exquisite designs and fig
cures as bewilder the imagination, the
lofty columns in Corinthian design, the
arches, all Lare vision in polished stone
"a dream palace, as many call it.
In the center of the tessallated marble
| floor is sun inlaid in brass from which
radlate 1.-THE points of the compass, and
around the four sides of the floor are the
signs of the zodiac in polished brass, a
striking contrast to the white marble
10 the right one goes into halls filled
| with cases containg rare old books and
| manuscripts; farther on is the Senator S
| reading room and the Representative s
reading room, both magnificently furnish
| ed, the walls and ceilings frescoed in rare
paintings, the ceiling gold ground with
floating female figures At one end of
| each room are huge mantles done in
Mosaic work in colored Italian marbles
and gold, these pictures reaching to the
ceiling and representing Law and History.
The work of these nantes, with the
Mosaic plcturesof Minerva at the landing
OF the main staircase, are the richest and
most beautiful adornments of the build
| ing, and one should not fail to search
them out and study the details of each
i In the right wing is also the periodical
reading room large enough to seat many
| hundreds of readers. Here are the latest
copies of every magazine printed, and
racks under the State name, contain
| copies of all the leading daily papers,
There have been but few days that | have
IdlISu W Su III duQ 1cdu Lie MdlIlG UdllleS
and in that way met several people from
the. dear home State, who were there fol
| the same purpose In the left wing
among other things, is the reading room
tor the blind, and the music room, where
every Tuesday evening at o'clock the
blind gather, accompanied by theil
friends, and are entertained by some OF
the best musical artists and talented
readers that come to this city, and who
generally offer their services for that pur-
pose. All are allowed admittance who