Barry Wynn grabbed the rail of the day coach of the Washington Express and swung himself on to the platform of the car with the ease and enthusiasm of a healthy boy of fifteen. The world had suddenly expanded for him and he was aglow1 with life and vitality2. He had been appointed a page in the National House of Representatives, and now, in response to a telegram from Congressman3 Carlton, he was about to go to the Capitol to take the oath of office and assume the duties of his position.
His heart was swelling4 with the thought of the big things in the future. He had studied the history of his country in the Cleverly schools and he had also an intelligent idea of the great organization which we call the United[Pg 2] States Government. He had not neglected to read the debates of Congress in the daily newspapers and now he was to be in the midst of great events, to be a part of our great central law-making machine at Washington. He was dwelling5 on this thought when his attention was attracted by a voice from the crowd on the platform.
"Barry! Barry!" it shouted above the puffing6 of the locomotive, "Wait a minute."
The call came from Mr. Smithers who had been his school teacher and who now was also the President of the local Board of Trade. Barry leaned over the platform and Mr. Smithers, making his way through the throng7, handed the boy a bulky manilla envelope fastened with rubber bands.
"Give this to Congressman Carlton as soon as you arrive in Washington," he said.
"All right," replied Barry.
"Be careful with it," continued the man; "it contains a matter of vital importance to the people of Cleverly."
[Pg 3]
"You can depend on me," was the confident response.
The conductor gave the final warning, the bell began to clang, and the train steamed out of the station with Barry standing8 on the platform waving good-bye to his faithful friends. His eyes were so dimmed with tears that could not be suppressed that he scarcely recognized the upturned faces that were shedding their good will upon him in such generous measure. One exception to this was his mother. She seemed to stand out from the crowd, fluttering a little lace handkerchief until the station at Cleverly became a mere9 speck10 in the distance.
The journey in itself was uneventful, although it furnished constant interest and amusement for the boy who was about to get his first large view of the world. Thoughtful ones at home had provided him with a dainty box of lunch, and before long he was attacked with the pangs11 of hunger and devoured12 every last scrap13 of the cake and fruit and sandwiches.
Finally, after a ride of nine or ten hours the[Pg 4] city of Washington began to come in view. The outlying section was not very inviting14, but as the train came near to its destination the view improved. A sudden turning of the train brought the magnificent dome15 of the Capitol into the range of his vision. Barry gasped16 with wonder and delight. It was as though some magician had waved his wand over vacant space and suddenly brought the wonderful creation into being. In all of the time he was in Washington Barry never lost his sense of delight at each recurring17 sight of that noble specimen18 of architecture. To him the solidity and beauty of the Capitol seemed symbolic19 of the strength and splendor20 of the Republic.
As the train came nearer and nearer to the new union Station the boy was enabled to get a closer view of the great structure which stood outlined on the horizon in all of its majestic21 proportions. He had an instinctive22 sense of the beautiful and the symmetrical pile of marble filled him with an unexplainable joy. The main building, with its two finely designed wings,[Pg 5] more than realized Barry's anticipations23. But it was the dome rather than the Capitol itself, which kept him under its magic spell. He felt for the first time the full force of the poet's words, that "a thing of beauty is a joy forever." The vaulted24 roof of the rotunda25, with its gradual swelling sprang into the air so gracefully26 that one could hardly look upon it as a thing of iron and steel and marble. And overtopping it all was the colossal27 statue of Freedom, typifying everything for which the Republic was founded and maintained.
The cry of "All out for Washington" brought to an end Barry's meditations28, and also announced the fact that he had finally reached his destination. He picked up his suitcase and hastened out of the train and into the great union Station which burst upon his astonished vision like another scene from the Arabian Nights. It was so great and so impressive that it fairly took his breath away. In a few minutes he was seated in a trolley29 car and on his way toward the Capitol. He was[Pg 6] so eager to see everything that was to be seen on the way that he almost twisted his neck out of shape. In a very short time the car reached the foot of the hill where the great edifice30 is located. When Barry alighted he stood for a moment undecided which way to turn. There seemed to be all sorts of entrances to the building. He chose the nearest one, which led him to the basement of the great structure. Looking about, he saw an elevator standing with the door invitingly31 open. Without further ado, he hustled32 into the door. The attendant turned to him with a smile:
"Have you got your credentials33?" he asked, tauntingly34.
"My credentials," retorted Barry; "what do you mean?"
"I simply want to know whether you are a member of the Supreme35 Court."
"Why?"
"Because this elevator is for the exclusive use of members of the Supreme Court."
And so it proved to be. Barry turned aside[Pg 7] a little bit confused at his first lesson in American democracy. Finally he found an elevator that was used by the public. He boarded it and in a few minutes found himself standing in the centre of the rotunda of the Capitol. It is, as most boys are aware, the great hall which stands in the centre of the Capitol between the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
Barry set his suitcase on the floor and gazed up at the interior of the vast dome, spellbound with wonder and delight. The light, coming through the windows of the great ceiling, revealed a wilderness36 of art. In the very centre he beheld37 the marvelous allegorical fresco38 called the "Apotheosis39 of Washington." Beneath this were designs in panels and medallions showing Raleigh, Columbus, Cabot, La Salle, and the other great characters that Barry had studied about in school, and below these he gazed on a series of brilliant pictures showing scenes in the Revolutionary war.
How long he remained there in this attitude[Pg 8] of wrapt admiration40 he could not tell, but when he glanced down at the floor to look for his suitcase, he found that it was gone. He rushed over to a gray-coated guide:
"Did you see anything of my suitcase?" he cried in alarm.
"Your suitcase," smiled the man; "I didn't know you had one."
"I had a minute ago," said Barry; "I set it on the floor here and now it is gone."
"Where could it go to if you had it by your side?"
"Why, I was looking at the pictures in the ceiling," said the agitated41 boy, "and someone must have crept along and stolen it."
"Well, I didn't see anything of it," was the calm response.
In despair, Barry ran from one person to another until the marble space below the dome was a scene of unusual excitement. In the midst of the agitation42 a bright-looking, well-dressed young man came striding across the hallway leading from the House of [Pg 9]Representatives. He noticed the stir, and something about Barry's manner attracted him. He went up to the boy and said in kindly43 tones:
"What's the trouble, my son?"
Barry explained as best he could.
"Do you expect to meet someone here?" asked the stranger.
"I do. I was to report to Congressman Carlton."
"Why, I know him well," was the comment of the young man. "He is one of my best friends. We will have to see if we can't recover your suitcase for you."
At that moment the alert young man happened to see a red-headed youngster peeping from behind one of the pillars that supported the dome. Instantly he understood the situation.
"Joe," he called, in authoritative44 tones, "come here at once."
Joe, thus called, responded obediently. The stranger took Barry by the arm, and pointing to the other, said:
[Pg 10]
"This is Mr. Joseph Hart, one of the pages of the House of Representatives. Joseph, I want you to meet Mr. Barry Wynn, who is to become your associate."
"Hello," said Joe.
"How are you?" greeted Barry, taking the outstretched hand.
"Joe," continued the gentleman, "get the young man his property."
Very sheepishly Joe went behind the pillar and, bringing out the suitcase, handed it to Barry.
"Now, I will introduce myself," said the stranger, with an engaging smile. "My name is Felix Conway. I am the correspondent of a New York newspaper, and if you ever need any assistance while you are in Washington, don't fail to call on me."
"Thank you," was the grateful reply, "I am not likely to forget you."
"Now, Joe," said the correspondent, turning to the second boy again, "why did you take Mr. Wynn's suitcase?"
[Pg 11]
Joe gazed at the floor in an embarrassed manner for a moment and then, raising his head, said defiantly45:
"I couldn't help it. He looked so green that I simply couldn't resist hiding his bag."
"Well," said Mr. Conway, "if you hope to be respected in this world, you'll have to resist a good many temptations."
At this point in the conversation, Congressman Carlton, of all persons in the world, came along. He recognized Barry at once, and going over, shook his hand warmly. He also talked pleasantly with Mr. Conway concerning matters in which they were both interested.
"Barry," he said, finally, "I'm awfully46 busy this afternoon, but I'm going to put you in care of Joe Hart here. He'll take you to a pleasant boarding-house and see that you are properly installed. Report to me here in the Capitol at ten o'clock in the morning. In the meantime, Joe will post you on[Pg 12] your duties. You will find him a very nice boy."
"Yes," said Barry, gazing at Joe somewhat skeptically, "I suppose I will find him to be a very nice boy."
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1
aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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Congressman
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| n.（美）国会议员 | |
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4
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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6
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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14
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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recurring
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| adj.往复的，再次发生的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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symbolic
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| adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的 | |
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splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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rotunda
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| n.圆形建筑物；圆厅 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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28
meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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29
trolley
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| n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车 | |
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30
edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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invitingly
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| adv. 动人地 | |
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32
hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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33
credentials
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| n.证明，资格，证明书，证件 | |
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tauntingly
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| 嘲笑地，辱骂地； 嘲骂地 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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37
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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38
fresco
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| n.壁画；vt.作壁画于 | |
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39
apotheosis
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| n.神圣之理想；美化；颂扬 | |
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40
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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41
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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42
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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43
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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44
authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 | |
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45
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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46
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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