And, oh! my land! to stand in the hall below, and look up--and up--and up--and see all the colors of the rainbow, and see what kinder curious and strange pictures there wuz way up there in the sky above me (as it were). Why, it seemed curiouser than any Northern lights I ever see in my life, and they stream up dretful curious sometimes. And as I walked through the various lofty and magnificent halls, and realized the size and majestic proportions of the buildin', I wondered to myself that a small law, a little, unjust law, could ever be passed in such a magnificent place. [Illustration: SAMANTHA VIEWING THE CAPITOL.] Says I to myself, “It can't be the fault of the place, anyway. They have got a chance for their souls to soar if they want to.” Thinks'es I, here is room and to spare, to pass by laws big as elephants and camels. And I wondered to myself that they should ever try to pass laws and resolutions as small as muskeeters and nats. Thinks'es I, I wonder them little laws don't get to strollin' round and get lost in them magnificent corriders. But I consoled myself a thinkin' that it wouldn't be no great loss if they did. But right here, as I was a thinkin' on these deep and lofty subjects, the hired man spoke up; and says he,-- “You look fatigued, mom.” (Soarin' even to yourself, is tuckerin'.) “You look very fatigued: won't you take something?” I looked at him with a curious, silent sort of a look; for I didn't know what he meant. Agin he looked close at me, and sort o' pityin'; and says he, “You look tired out, mom. Won't you take something?” Says I, “What?” Says he, “Let me treat you to something: what will you take, mom?” Wall, I thought he was actin' dretful liberal; but I knew they had strange ways there in Washington, anyway. And I didn't know but it was their way to make some presents to every woman who come there: and I didn't want to be odd, and act awkward, and out of style; so I says,-- “I don't want to take any thing, and I don't see any reason why you should insist on it. But, if I have got to take something I had jest as lives have a few yards of factory-cloth as any thing.” I thought, if he was determined to treat me, to show his good feelin's towards me, I would get somethin' useful, and that would do me some good, else what would be the use of bein' treated? And I thought, if I had got to take a present from a strange man, I would make a shirt for Josiah out of it: I thought that would make it all right, so fur as goodness went. But says he, “I mean beer, or wine, or liquor of some kind.” I jest riz right up in my shoes and my dignity, and glared at him. Says he, “There is a saloon right here handy in the buildin'.”