Public Recreation—Flights to New York—Jenny Lind—Charlotte Cushman—Mrs. Gilbert and the Comedian Brougham in “Pocahontas”—Mr. Thackeray—Dr. Maynard—Blind Tom at the White House—Marine Band Concerts on the White House Lawn—President Pierce and the Countryman—President Buchanan and the Indians—Apothleohola, a Cherokee Patriarch—Dr. Morrow and the Expedition to Japan—Return of Same—Ruse of the Oriental Potentate to Prevent Our Securing Germinating Rice—A Plague of Japanese Handkerchiefs 101 CHAPTER VIII. THE BRILLIANT BUCHANAN ADMINISTRATION. Miss Lane Becomes Lady of the White House—Her Influence on Washington Life—The Coming of Lord and Lady Napier—Their Hospitality—They Give a Ball to Lords Cavendish and Ashley—Mrs. Crittenden Puts to Rout a Younger Belle—Lord Napier Proposes a Toast to the Chevalier Bayard—Washington Citizens Give a Ball to the Napiers, at Which James Gordon Bennett Is Seen in the Dance—Some Prominent Citizen Hostesses—Lilly Price, the Future Duchess of Marlborough—Mr. W. W. Corcoran—His Lavish Entertainments—Howell Cobb’s Appreciation—A Stranger’s Lack of It—I Take the Daughter of a Constituent to See the Capitol 114 CHAPTER IX. A CELEBRATED SOCIAL EVENT. Mrs. Gwin’s Fancy Ball—To the White House for Inspection—Aunt Ruthy Partington Presents Herself to Mrs. Gwin—Mrs. Pendleton is Mystified—Senator Gwin and “My Boy Ike”—Lord and Lady Napier and Others of “Our Furrin Relations”—The Squelching of a Brave Baltimorean—Senator Seward Gives Welcome to the Stranger from Beanville—Mr. Shillaber Offers “to Immortalise” Me 126 CHAPTER X. EXODUS OF SOUTHERN SOCIETY FROM THE FEDERAL CITY. Gayety Begins to Wane in the Capital—A Wedding in Old St. John’s—Lord Lyons Replaces the Napiers—Anson Burlingame Rescues Me from a Dilemma—Political Climax—Scenes in the Senate—Admiral Semmes Declares His Intentions—Mr. Ruffin’s Menacing Arsenal—Ex-President Tyler’s Grief—We Hear News from Morris Island—Senators Clay, Davis, Fitzpatrick, Mallory, and Yulee Withdraw from the Senate—Visits of Representatives Pendleton and Vallandigham, and Senator Pugh, of Ohio—Joseph Holt Writes Deploring the Possible Loss to Our Country of Senator Clay’s “Genius and Patriotism” “A Plain New Hampshire Minister” Writes of the Times—We Leave the Federal City—Mrs. Philip Phillips Describes It a Few Weeks Later—Blair’s Alarm at Loss of Lee, Magruder, and Other “Good Officers” 138 CHAPTER XI. WAR IS PROCLAIMED.