of Revolutionary days. It was worn at the Martha Washington Centennial Tea-Party in Philadelphia, in 1876.

The State Dining Room is paneled in dark English oak, and decorated with heads of American big game. The white marble mantel is surmounted by an old Flemish tapestry depicting a country scene and having in a panel a verse from Virgil in praise of hunting. The massive mahogany table will seat one hundred guests. The table services, of silver, china and cut glass, were specially designed for the White House. The china, numbering 1,500 pieces, was selected by Mrs. Hayes, and was decorated by Theodore R. Davis, the war artist, with exquisite paintings of American flowers, fruits, game, birds and fish. Each of the 520 pieces of the cut glass is delicately engraved with the Arms of the United States. The Dining Room is the scene of three brilliant State functions. which mark the Washington official season: the Dinner to the Diplomatic Corps, the Cabinet Dinner, and the Dinner to the Supreme Court. These occasions have been observed by successive occupants of the White House for more than half a century. President Taft added in 1911 a fourth, a

Dinner to the Speaker of the House. The President's receptions are held in the East Room and include the New Year's public reception, the Cabinet, the Diplomatic, the Judicial and the Congressional receptions, and that to the officers of the Army and Navy.

The President's Room and the CABINET ROOM are in the Executive Office, west of the White House.

The surroundings of the White House are worthy of note. The front windows look out over the lawn and across Pennsylvania avenue upon Lafayette Square, beautiful with trees and flowers, and rich in historical association. On the east is the Treasury, on the west the State, War and Navy Building. The house is set amid the President's Grounds, with trees and flower beds and fountains and sloping lawns. The grounds merge into the Mall, and stretch away to the Monument and the Potomac. To the slopes south of the house Washington children repair for their Easter egg rolling on Easter Monday, where scores of brilliantly colored eggs are sent rolling and tumbling down the banks. The custom is of European origin, and comes from an earlier one known to the children of the Pharaohs. Concerts, open to the public, are given in the east grounds by the Marine Band on Saturday afternoons, from June to September inclusive.

THE CAPITOL.

THE CAPITOL is situated on Capitol Hill, 1 miles from the White House, and Treasury. It is three squares from the Union Station via Delaware Avenue.

The building is open daily, except Sundays and holidays, from 9 to 4:30, or until one-half hour after adjournment. During a term of Congress the forenoon is the best time for inspecting the legislative halls and the various committee rooms. Congress goes into session at 12 o'clock noon; visitors are allowed upon the floor of Senate and House until 11:45, thereafter in the galleries only. The several galleries are designated over the doors: Gentlemen's, Ladies', Reserved, Diplomatic Corps, Press. Those marked Ladies' and Gentlemen's are open to the public.

*** CAPITOL GUIDES.-There is a staff of regularly authorized Capitol guides, who conduct visitors through the building, and point out and explain all objects of interest; and it will be found advantageous to employ their services, which may be had for a reasonable charge.

T

HE CAPITOL is distinguished for its commanding situation and majestic proportions, for dignity, grace and beauty of design, and adornments and decorations which beautify it without and within. All these unite to give it rank as an architectural object among the noblest in the world. From an elevated site on Capitol Hill, 97-ft. above the level of the river, it overlooks the amphitheatre of the Potomac and is a conspicuous feature of the landscape from miles on every side. It is set amid grounds whose extent and arrangement add much to the architectural effect.

The building faces the east, for in that quarter the projectors assumed that the city would grow; but the development of Washington has been toward the west, and it is from this direction that the Capitol is usually approached. From the main western entrance of the grounds, near the Peace Monument, the approach leads up the gently rising lawns to flights of steps, which give ascent to the upper terrace or open court, which extends the entire length of the west front and around the north and south ends. Here a beautiful view is afforded of the city and encircling hills From the court the west door of the building gives access to flights of stairs which lead to the Rotunda. The Amateis bronze doors which will adorn this entrance are shown in the Corcoran Gallery.

On the east front are three grand porticoes with Corinthian columns, and there is a portico of similar columns on the end and west front of each extension, and a loggia on the west front of the main building. Broad flights of marble steps lead up to the porticoes from the esplanade on the east.

The central building is constructed of Virginia sandstone, painted white; the extensions are of Massachusetts marble. The 24 columns of the grand central portico are monoliths of Maryland sandstone, 30 feet high; the 100 columns of the extension porticos are monoliths of Maryland marble. The entire length of the Capitol is 751 feet 4 inches; width, 850 feet; area, over 81⁄2 acres.

The cornerstone of the main building was laid by President Washington, Sept. 18, 1793. The wings of the central building were completed in 1811, and were partially

burned by the British in 1814. The entire central building was finished in 1827. The cornerstone of the extension was laid by President Filmore, July 4, 1851; Daniel Webster was the orator. The extensions were first occupied by Congress 1857 and 1859. Up to that time the Senate Chamber was the present Supreme Court Room; and the Hall of Representatives was the present National Statuary Hall.

Dome. The crowning glory of the Capitol is the imposing Dome springing from a peristyle of fluted Corinthian columns above the central building and terminating in a lantern, which is surmounted by the Statue of Freedom, towering 3071⁄2 feet above the esplanade.

The height of the Dome above the base line of the east front is 287 feet 5 inches; from the roof balustrade, 27 feet 11 inches; diameter at the base, 135 feet 5 inches. It is of iron, and weighs 8,909,200 pounds. It is so constructed that with the variations of temperature, the iron plates expand and contract, "like the folding and unfolding of a lily." The peristyle has 36 columns and 36 windows, with a balustrade above. The lantern is 15 feet in diameter and 50 feet in height; it has electric lights, which illuminate the Dome during the night session. The Dome, designed by Walter, was completed in 1865. The bronze statue of Armed Liberty, designed by Crawford, is 19 feet 6 inches high, and weighs 14,985 pounds. It was set in place on Dec. 2, 1863. A full-sized model of the figure is in the National Museum, where the majestic expression of the countenance may be noted, with the details of the crest of the eagle's beak and plumes, sheathed sword, shield and supporting globe with its legend, E Pluribus Unum.

House Portico.-In 1900 Congress authorized the decoration of the east portico of the House, and the commission was entrusted to Paul W. Bartlett, who designed for the tympanum the sculptured group which was put in place in 1916. The central figure is the Goddess of Peace; she is armed with the buckler of defense and holds out the olive branch. On her left are represented Hunting (Indian with slain deer) and Agriculture (mower, plowman, husband-woman); and on her right are Manufactures (printer, metal workers) and Navigation (youths stepping the mast of their boat). The bronze doors are described on page 42. The Rotunda Portico has an allegorical group by Persico, after a design by John Quincy Adams, of the Genius of America. In the center stands America, with the eagle at her feet. Her shield, with its legend, U. S. A., rests upon an altar inscribed with the significant date, July 4, 1776. She is listening to the inspiration of Hope, and indicating her reliance upon Justice, whose scroll of the Constitution bears the date of the adoption of that instrument, September 17, 1787. Of the two colossal groups in marble, one is Persico's Discovery of America-Columbus and an Indian girl (the armor copied from a suit worn by Columbus, and preserved in Genoa), the other Greenough's Settlement of America-a pioneer in desperate conflict with a savage. There are marble figures by Persico of War-Mars in Roman mail, with shield and spear; and Peace-Ceres, with olive branch and fruits. Over the door is a composition of Peace and Fame placing a wreath of laurel upon the brow of Washington. The bronze door is described on page 32.

Senate Portico. The fortunes of the American Indians furnish a theme which we shall find constantly recurring throughout the decorations of the Capitol. The marbles and bronzes of the Rotunda portico are sug