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under it, which she fills and plays with her foot, while her fingers are employed on the Forte Piano (fig. 4). 10 The gentlemen, generally, spend a part of two or three evenings a week in Mr. King's room where Miss Anna entertains us with delightful music. After we have been fatigued with the harangues of the Hall in the day, and conversing on politics, in different circles, (for we all talk nothing else) in the evening an hour of this music is truly delightful. On Sunday evenings she constantly plays psalm tunes, in which her mother, who is a woman of real piety, always joins. We have three gentlemen in the family (General Mattoon, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Perkins) who are good singers and extravagantly fond of music, and always join in the Psalmody. Miss Anna plays 'Denmark' remarkably well, and when joined with other singers, it exceeds what I have ever heard before. But the most of the psalm tunes our gentlemen prefer are the old ones, such as 'Old Hundred,' 'Canterbury,' which you would be delighted to hear on the forte-piano, assisted by the organ and accompa- nied with the voice. 11 We breakfast at 9, dine between 3 and 4. If we happen to be in the parlor in the first of the evening, at the time Mrs. King makes tea in her own room, she sends the servant with a salver of tea and coffee and a plate of toast, but we never eat any supper. I can not conclude without giving you some description of our fellow-lodgers, with whom I enjoy a hap- piness which I by no means expected. We have Mr. Hillhouse, of New Haven, and Judge Foster, of Brookfield, two of the most sensible and respectable members of the Senate; Mr. Davenport, of Connecticut, who is a deacon and a very pleasant, agreeable man: Mr. Smith, who is the son of a clergyman, of very sprightly and distinguished talents; Mr. Perkins, of New London, a man of very handsome abilities; and Mr. Read and myself. It is remarkable that all these gentlemen are professors of religion, and members of the same churches to which they respectively belong. An unbecoming word is never uttered by one of them, and most perfect harmony and friendliness pervades the family. Colonel Talmadge came here with the hopes of boarding with us, and tarried two or three days, but, when the other gentlemen came, who had previously applied to Mr. King, he was obliged, much to his regret and mine, to take lodgings in another house. 12 I must add that I am exceedingly happy with Mr. Reed. Were I to have made my choice among all the members of Congress for one to have lived in the same chamber with me, all things considered, I should have chosen Mr. Reed. But, after all I have said to you, it is not home, it is not where I wish to be, and I long for the day when I shall set my face eastward, to return to our family. Your affectionate parent, M. Cutler. 27 THE CAPITOL DOME Fig. 3. This conjectural reconstruction of the "Oven" appeared on page 46 of History of the United States Capitol by William Allen (Washington, DC, 2001). The room was so poorly built that exterior braces were added in 1803, as was the roof lantern. ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL