So the luminous pictures flash, so fresh breezes of happiness blow over from the past into my gray, lonely present, as I look back upon the journeys which we two took together, when we carried with us everywhere, into the most serious days filled with work and political problems and into the different imposing surroundings, our modest, sunshiny bit of home. On that first morning in the capital of the Swiss Confederation the mail brought me various letters,—from Count Hoyos a poem dedicated “to the Peace Council at Bern,” and entitled NEVER THROW DOWN YOUR WEAPONS _Wenn blinder Haft die Krallen regt_ When blindfold Hatred’s claws are shown And Falsehood’s wings come dark behind, Stand to your arms, and lay not down The weapons of the Mind! The war of nations, demon strange, Before the truth shall shrieking flee; Man’s genius good shall fearless range After the victory. Pour from your sword-blade floods of light, Be love the sign upon your shield; These arms by their o’erwhelming might Shall make the tempter yield. From the Liberal member of the Herrenhaus, Fürst Camillo Starhemberg, whom I had requested and half persuaded to come to the Interparliamentary Conference at Bern, I received the following communication, interesting from many points of view: Schloss Hubertendorf, Nied.-Oest. August 21, 1892 Honored Baroness: The quite abnormal heat that has been prevalent for some time has so affected my nerves and made me so unwell that I shall hardly be able to carry out my intention of taking part in the Conference at Bern. I will not yet definitively decline, but I hardly believe that I can get to Bern. I have no desire to act as a dumb listener and looker-on, and for taking a part in word and deed I do not, to speak frankly, feel myself either in the mood or well enough. At the request of Baron Pirquet I have, during the recent sessions, put questions to various members of the Herrenhaus, and sounded them as to whether they would not be pleased to take part in the deliberations of the Conference, and, anyhow, to express their sympathy with our endeavors by letting their names appear on the list of those who are working for peace in the world.