Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Glory of the Capitol. By Garrett P. Serviss. The great white Capitol on its green hill is one of the most power ! ful features of Washington. It reach es the essentials of monumental archi tecture as well as the Parthenon at Athens taught them in its day. It is one of the happy hits of A*mcrican genius, like the Federal Constitution. There is no other thing in Washing ton so well worth seeing and study ing. But who studies it? The vast majority of visitors take a glance at the Capitol, get a passing impression of a huge, towering dome and an enormous outstretching of architec tural wings that glare in the sunshine as if a gigantic white bird had settled down upon the city, and go away with only a confused notion of what they have seen. It has stirred their imagi nation, but they cannot tell why. It was a "mighty big thing,'' that is all they are able to say about it. This is one of the weakest points 1 in American education-the lack of j any general knowledge or apprecia tion of architecture. It is a funda mental cause of the common ugliness of our cities and buildings. The A B C of architecture ought to be taught in the public schools. Archi tecture was man's first great progres sive art. Birds and mice can make nests, but they make them the same now as their predecessors made them a million years ago. Man began in caverns and leaf-covered huts and towers in trees, but proved his intel lectual superiority by rising to the construction of a Parthenon. A building like the Capitol is a na tional symbol. This particular symbol in Washington stands for the Ameri can people, and the people ought to study it, for it will repay the trouble. Foreigners judge us by it; to their .eyes it is a token or measure of our importance, as the Pyramids are a measure of the might of ancient Egypt or St. Peter's of the historic greatness of the Christian Church. We find that foreigners admire the Capitol rather more than we do. One reason is that educated foreigners generally know more about architec ture; another is .that they study and Appreciate such things more and bet ter. They look askajit at some of the architectural performances of New York and Chicago, but they never smile at the Capitol in Washington. It may hcAp some Americans to be more attentive to this magnificent struc ture if, they are assured that it can triumphantly boar comparison with architecture in the Old World. Many thousands of the American soldiers ^re now passing through Washington, expecting in a few months to be marching to victory through the fa mous cities of Eurone. They will see nothing there to make them blush for th'j majestic Capitol that symbol izes the power of their own country. They should look well at it and fix its image in their minds before they go. Pts -towering form will be an in spiring memory for them. It is incomparably more splendid and impressive than the vast houses of Parliament in London. The palace in Berlin is a barn beside it. Vienna's splendid Parliament building falls far below it in majesty. *Thc- gorgeous Kremlin, that whipped Napoleon out of tho heart of .Russia with lashes of flame, is a nondescript aggregation of whitewashed walls, bulb-topped towers, mushroom church domes, and gilded minarets, utterly lacking the unity and sublimity of our great pal ace of democracy. See if you cannot find for yourself what are the elements of the wonder ful impression that the Capitol makes on your eyes and your mind. Sit down on one of the stone benches be fore its great cast front. If you are an architect, or a connoisseur of architecture, you will perceive faults and inconsistencies; but no matter for them; it is the general impression that counts. Notice the admirable un ity of the design: how, notwithstand ing its enormous size, the entire structure hangs together and makes a harmonious whole. That will be a lesson for you in the elements of ar chitecture. With the great building actually before you, you will see (what no picture shows) that there is a separ ate unity pertaining to the old, cen tral portion, which makes it by far the most beautiful part of the struc ture. Tin's is brought out by the white paint covering the old part, in con trast with the darker shade of the un painted stone of the new wings. In a photograph this distinction is lost. When you perceive it you are tempt ed to regret the necessity of adding those wings. Without them, the vast lofty dome is the master feature of the entire pile. The old wings seem to be only happily proportioned ex tensions of the base, a kind of high, white terrace for the great dome to stand upon, like the buttresses of a snowy mountain peak. By placing yourself in the center of East Capitol Street, about in line with the third pair of lamp posts, you will find the new things shut out on each side by the trees bordering the way, * ' then you can see, without the distraction produced by their pres ence, how very beautiful and harmo nious the old building was before the i additions at the ends. The new wings, where .the Senate and the Representa tives assemble, are accordant in de sign with the older portion, but their elaborate groups of sculpture in the tympanums above the projecting por ticos are less pleasing than the sim ple three figures that adorn the cor responding tympanum above the old portico. Then study the extreme beauty and harmony of proportions exhibited by the magnificent -dome, with its five superposed parts, only the lower one of which, the base, has the least ap pearance of heaviness. . for all the rest seems.wonderfully light and airy although it carries nearly nine mil lion pounds of metal. The Capitol is so large and so con spicuously placed that it becomes a dominant landscape object and shares with such objects the variation of as pect produced by changes of light, such as are caused by the passage of clouds, or an alteration; in the angle of view. You should, therefore, look at it af different hours of the day and' evening, in different states of the weather, and from many different points. The western side, intended to be the back, faces the city as it hap pened to grow, and, with the green, tree-shaped slopes that lead up to it and the great white stone terraces, fountains, flower beds and flights of steps, presents in some ways the 'most impressive view of all. But the real architectural beauty of the Capitol is to be seen from the east. Finally, in order to see how the vast building retains its majesty when viewed from a distance, go out upon the distant hills and lock back at it. That sight will increase your pride in your country, which is not a bad thing to cultivate just now.-Wash ington Times. Tho Pi!5s Thai Do Cure 9 To buy Liberty Bonds, Stamps on the purchase pr piano or organ. Reason* price of instrument. Foi pianos and five makes of p Reference: The Bank o: strongest bank in Greenwo John A. The Greenwot ARRINGTON Wholesale Grocei Corn, Oats, IKinds ( Corner Cumming a: On Georgia Augusl Distributors of Marathon Tires and YOUR PATRON) See our representativ BARRETT & (INC0RP COTTON Augusta - - , a SRO*! xtZ-MZ i>*T*>:<; ? >< ' 1 NOTICE. Notice is hereby given that all ! trespassing in every form is forbid den upon the lands owned and con ! trolled by the undersigned. The law will be enforced against all who fail to heed this notice. This means ev erybody. Abner B. Broadwater. 10-23-Stpd. lifer? Mrs. J. A. Cox, of AI derson, W. Va., writes: "My daughter . . .suf fered terribly. She could not turn in bed ... the doctors gave her up, and we brought her home to die. She had suffered so much at. .. time. Hav ing heard of Cardui, we got it for her." ssa The Woman's Tonic "In a few days, she be gan to improve," Mrs. Cox continues, "and had no trouble at... Cardui cured her, and we sing its praises everywhere. We receive many thou sands of similariletters every year, telling of the good Cardui has done fer women who suffer from complaints so common to their sex. It should do /ou good, too. Try ^rdui. E-77 wm War Savings or Thrift ice of a piano, self player tble credit on balance of irteen different makes of layers to select from. f Greenwood, oldest and iod county. Holland }d Piano Man BROS. & CO. ?s and Dealers in Hay and all )f Seeds nd Fenwick Streets R. R. Tracks ta, Ga. Tubes. None better, but our price ess. \GE SOLICITED -e, C. E. May. a i> COMPANY ORATED) . FACTORS Georgia Every Department Well Supplied VV e placed large orders early for the several departments on our second floor and invite our friends, the ladies especially, to inspect these attractive goods; We are showing some good values in bed-room suits. Also see our sideboards, hat-racks, sofas, dining tables and china closets. A beautiful assortment of rockers to select from. ? . We have a large stock of iron and enameled beds and the best bed springs on the market. A large stock of cotton and .felt mattresses. j We extend a special invitation to the ladies to come and see our beautiful assort ment of rugs and art squares. Many attractive designs at very reasonable prices. We have bought a large stock of stoves, ranges and heaters. Now is the time to discard your old one and purchase a new one. We were never better supplied than now to fill the needs of our customers in har ness, bridles and saddles. Large assortment to select from. Our undertaker's department is well supplied with coffins and caskets of all sizes and prices. A share of your patronage is solicited. Our hearse responds to all calls promptly. On our first floor will be found a large stock of heavy groceries and plantation supplies. We buy in large quantities and can make very satisfactory prices. Large shipment of Texas oats for seed-no better quality on the market. Let us fill your orders. Edgefield Mercantile Company rm Buy War Saving Stamps until you can't see. Then see me. Geo. F. Mims, Optometrist. Edgefield, S.C. . 1 B.x E. TiUSSELL, JR. E. E. ALLEN RUSSELL & ALLEN INCORPORATED COTTON FACTORS 857, 859 and 861 Reynolds Street AUGUSTA, GEORGIA Bonded Warehouse. Liberal advances on cotton in storage. Correspondence invitedjand consignments solicited. Edgefield Farmers Attention! We desire to announce to our Edgefield friends that we are well supplied in every g department to supply their needs. Have a Large Stoek of Plows and Harrows Just what you need for turning your land in the fall. Our Stock of Harness, Saddles and Bridles is Complete Anything you want in harness, wagon or buggy harness, single or double, we have it-WITH PRICES RIGHT. Large stock of NAILS and all kinds of Builders' Supplies. If you need shop tools of all kinds come to us. Poultry and pasture fence wire all widths. Large stock of carriage and wagon material. The best roofing on the market. Shotguns, loaded shells and cartrides of all kinds. If we have not in stock what you need we will order it for you at once. Come in to see us when in town. Mr. J. H. P. Roper is with us and will give his friends a cordial greeting. Whittle & Plunkett 1289 Broad Street Augusta, Georgia