It is strange in the present memory of past events to think how many people were assembled there that winter who more or less. entered our after-lives and were important factors therein. Mr. Seddon was there with his handsome bride. Colonel, afterward General Dix, was then a Senator from New York, and was one of the distinguished few who "kept house."

Mr. Lincoln, I have heard, was a member of Congress that session. Mr. Slidell passed through Washington en route from Mexico, where he had been on some diplomatic mission, and we called to see him. When Mrs. Slidell entered the room her beauty, which was of the best "creole type," impressed us most agreeably. Mr. Slidell was also a man to be noticeable anywhere. He had an air of quiet refinement that was very attractive, and his features were regularly handsome; but he looked, and indeed was, so much older than his wife that the contrast was sharp. Her features were regular, her figure noble, and she looked so dignified and was so fair and courteous with her French empressement of manner that the impression she made on me then was never effaced, and years after ripened into a sincere friendship that was never interrupted.

Mr. Buchanan, who was then Secretary of

State, came to the hotel one evening, and made a strong impression on me. He was very tall and of fine presence, and always wore a wide and spotless white cravat, faultlessly tied. His complexion was very fair and delicate, and his eyes were blue; but one of them had sustained some injury that had obscured the sight. The first thought that one had in looking at him was, how very clean he was. The only drawback to his appearance was a nervous jerking of his head at intervals, but it was not so often as to render him at all absurd. His unwilling footsteps were then just upon the boundary of middle age, and a more charming man could hardly be imagined. He was particularly gifted in polite repartee, and quick as a flash in response. In those days he liked society, and to be bon camarade to thoroughly refined women. At an evening entertainment Miss B very much desired a little dove that was nestled in a wreath of ivy, but had not uttered the wish. The master of the housean aspirant for office, and not over fond of Mr. Buchanan-seeing her admiration of it said, "I wish I were tall enough to reach that dove, Miss B you always put me in mind of one, and I would give it to you." Mr. Buchanan reached up several times to get it, and the host remarked, "Take care,

even you may reach too far." Mr. Buchanan turned a searching look upon him, and, making another effort, secured the toy and remarked, "Fearless minds climb,soonest unto crowns, you know." He had a reticent temper, but masked it under a diplomatic frankness of speech that was very engaging.

Montgomery Blair, then a slender young widower, used to come very often to see Judge Woodbury's fair daughter; he was tall and not personally graceful, and had what English people call a thoroughly American type of face, but he was only ten minutes behind the handsomest man present, for his smile was genial and he listened and responded with intelligent sympathy, and was as faithful and sincere as he was tender and sympathetic. It is much to escape that most terrible scourge to society, one who listens to

controvert.

After about ten days we found rooms in a house near by on the Avenue, and joined a Congressional mess," that is, a boardinghouse into which a certain number of men holding the same political faith agreed to go. for the session, reserving the right, if the equivalent was paid, to exclude any objectionable person.

In our mess were the two members from Mississippi, and their pleasant, kindly wives,

Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Thompson, and Mr. Steven Adams with his wife; General Jones, of Iowa, was there for awhile; and a Mr. Foster, of Pennsylvania, and several others, with the memory of whom forty-three years have played sad havoc. Robert Dale Owen, the younger, boarded quite near us, with Daniel S. Dickenson, of New York, who was as cheerful and enthusiastic as a boy; he came to us almost every evening for what he called a little "confab."

Now began Mr. Davis's earnest work. He visited very little, studied until two or three o'clock in the morning, and, with my assistance, did all his writing. Between us we franked all the documents sent to his constituents, and all the letters, and to calls upon him for service he scrupulously attended. He was "a working member;" but, I think, believed it his destiny to attain distinction at some future day. There was always something lofty about his bearing, for his was the natural dignity which cannot brook familiarity. An instance of this latter peculiarity, which occurred very soon after our arrival, always provoked a smile.

One of the Senators from Mississippi, Mr. Jesse Speight, was a singularly handsome. man, and no respecter of persons. He did not hesitate to call Mr. Cass or Mr. Clay to his seat if he wished to speak with them.

They all liked him, and came with an indulgent smile. Two or three times he had called my husband from home at quite a late hour to confer with him on some subject which could have been postponed. At last, one snowy morning, at about eight o'clock, a note was handed in at our door,

"Come over.

"SPEIGHT."

To which Mr. Davis made answer,

"Can't.

"DAVIS."

It was taken, however, in good-humor by the Senator, and never mentioned without a laugh by either side, though while writing his reply, my husband was in no pacific mood. It bore the relation to us then that a telegram at dawn of day about a trifle does now.

A propos of telegrams, I find in an old letter at this time this announcement:

"We went down to-day to see Mr. Morse's machine make the wires talk, and repeat messages from one town to another. There are small wires stretched from Baltimore to this place, and they are brought into the windows of a house on the Avenue. Inside of a little stall a man sits and sends messages and receives the answers. I think it is a trick, but paid my two-bits (twenty-five cents) to get a message that it was a fine day.'"