Whatever might have been thought of the beauties of the United States Government Building as a whole, there was but one opinion as to the attraction of one scene its interior presented, that being directly underneath the dome of the great structure, and having for its single unique exhibit a house made within the trunk of one of California‘s monster trees. The section of trunk shown was thirty feet long and twenty-three feet across, and was divided laterally into three parts, two of fourteen feet each, and the other of but two feet. The divisions are perceptible in the illustration. The two long sections had been hollowed, making large rooms, and the short section served as a floor between them. A spiral stairway connected the lower room and the chamber above. The queer house, as it stood, was of a character to have made a comfortable home for a settler, while, at the same time, considerable of a fortress as against attacks of wild beasts or Indians. The tree from which the sections were cut stood over four hundred feet in height. The rotunda in which this curious exhibit was placed was a charming place. There were eight entrances, upheld by groups of pillars upon either side, the pillars of steel but colored to represent bases of marble, supporting shafts of malachite with gilded capitals. The dome was colored a pale blue, and upon panels ornamenting its sides were painted figures representing the arts and sciences, executed in masterly style. Of the effect produced in this part of the building the United States had no reason to be ashamed.

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