ow, but who is the Speaker, and what does he
do?" asked Alfaretta.

"The Speaker," continued Mr. Ludlow, "is the head of the House,
elected by vote of the members."

"And I have a question," said Ruth. "What is a mace?"

"In this case, the mace is a bundle of black rods fastened
with transverse bands of silver. On its top is a silver globe,
surmounted by a silver eagle," answered Mr. Ludlow, "and when the
sergeant-at-arms is executing the commands of the Speaker, he is
required to bear aloft the mace in his hands, unlike the House of
Parliament, where there is much form and ceremony, there is little
else here than quiet dignity."

Grouped in concentric semi-circles are the desks of the
Representatives, all small, uniform and handsome.

"The Republican party all sit on the Speaker's left and the Democrats
on the right," volunteered Mr. Dauntrey.

"My, but there are a lot of seats," said Alfy. "Who uses them?"

"In the galleries," said Mr. Ludlow. "Those over the Speaker's head
are for the press. The others are for onlookers, some for diplomats,
friends of the Congressmen, and some for ladies. They hold more than
a thousand people, I think."

Going downstairs they came to the House lobby. This apartment is
richly furnished and contains many portraits, most of them being
crayon drawings of the Speakers of the past. Passing through this room
and out, one comes to the committee rooms in one of which is hung a
notable collection of paintings of the principal forts of the United
States.

From this corridor, the party descended the eastern grand staircase to
a basement corridor which extends from end to end of the Capitol on
this ground floor. This they traversed till they came to the Senate
chamber. The white marble pillars in this at once attracted their
attention.

Mr. Ludlow said, "I want you all to examine these marble pillars
carefully and notice that though they are of Corinthian mold, their
floriated capitals represent leaves of American plants, the one most
used being the tobacco leaf."

Passing onward, to the right, they saw the old Supreme Court chamber,
now used as a law library. All the corridors at this end are bright,
and the walls and ceilings are very elaborately decorated with mural
designs in the Italian manner, being daintily drawn and brightly
colored. Among them are many portraits of early men of note, in
medallions, and a long series of charming drawings in colors of
American birds and flo