A Little Girl in Old Washington

by Amanda M. Douglas

  CHAPTER XIX.

  IN THE MIDST OF WAR.

  The summer of 1813 was destined to rouse the legislators at Washingtonfrom their supineness. Some fishermen discovered a large fleet ofsail sweeping in between the royal capes and settling at anchor, asif undetermined what course to pursue. They gave the alarm; and asthe ships sailed up the Chesapeake, Baltimore was believed to be theobjective point.

  Commodore Barney's little fleet was chased up the Patuxent. GeneralArmstrong's orders were to burn it if there was danger of its fallinginto the hands of the enemy. Then with his men he was to join GeneralWinder for the defense of Washington. The vessels were fired without asingle blow, and the men made a forced march across the peninsula.

  There were no forts for protection, and only a few hundred regulars andseveral militia companies. With fatuous obstinacy it was still believedBaltimore would take the brunt of the attack, giving time to rallythe troops to the defense of Bladensburg if there should be an inlandmarch. All the adverse opinions and counsel delayed what might havebeen done for the protection of the City.

  But that August night, when the intentions of the enemy were beyondall doubt, a courier spurred post-haste over the heavy, sandy roads andthrough long stretches of somber pines and giant oaks, a very prophetof evil. At the little post-towns of Nottingham and Marlborough thestentorian tones roused the people from their sleep. "The British havelanded at Benedict and are marching inland. To arms! to arms!"

  At Bladensburg he stopped at the ancient tavern, and the quiet townwas thrown into a panic. Everybody was called out for defense. Then onto Washington, and the startled rulers looked into each other's facesin dismay. And then Colonel Monroe admitted that though there wereno great treasures in Washington, the moral effect of capturing theenemy's capital would be equivalent to a greater victory. There werestate papers that must be at once sent to a place of safety, and thosewho had valuables had better fly with them.

  General Armstrong still believed no large army would march forty milesfrom its base of supplies and run the risk of being cut off, sinceAdmiral Cockburn could not know how well able the City was to defenditself.

  All was wildest panic. Everything in the shape of cart or wagon wasloaded with cherished possessions, and the road to Georgetown lookedlike a universal moving day.

  It was decided to meet the enemy at Bladensburg and oppose the marchinto Washington, if that was their object. Everybody--a motley throng,indeed--was hurried to the front, the women and children left to thecare of servants.

  The Carrington household had for days been in the deepest anxiety. Afortnight before Jaqueline's little son had been born, to the greatjoy of them all. Mrs. Mason and Marian had come up to the City--thefirst time Marian had visited the place since her joyous girlish winterand its ill-fated consequences.

  All had gone on well, when a sudden and utterly unexpected turn hadfilled them with alarm. A fever had set in, and for several days ithad been a fierce fight between disease and skill, but there had grownup a faint hope in the night, to be met with tidings of such terribleimport.

  Mrs. Jettson had come, wild with affright.

  "We are going at once," she said. "What can the wretched little army doagainst four thousand trained British soldiers? And Admiral Cockburn,it is said, has sworn to be revenged for the treatment of the Englishminister, and that he will compel Mrs. Madison to entertain him and hisstaff at the White House. Can Jaqueline be moved?"

  "Only at the risk of her life," said Dr. Collaston. "All the news hasbeen kept from her, though she could not have taken it in. I have sentPatty and the children and some valuables over to Arlington. We muststay here."

  "But Marian and--Annis--can they not join us?" entreated Jane.

  "Annis will not leave her mother. Marian may be of great service. Sheis a most excellent nurse. Even the servants are panic-stricken, andcannot be depended on."

  "Where is Roger?"

  "At the capital. We men may be needed to defend our homes. AdmiralCockburn is said to be ruthless. General Winder has started forBladensburg. Heaven grant the battle may be decided there! But you hadbetter go at once, for the children's sake."

  "Oh, poor dear Jaqueline!"

  "We can only trust the very slender reed," and the doctor's voice washusky with emotion.

  "If I could do anything----"

  "No, you cannot. Thank you for all your kindness in the past."

  Mrs. Madison has been handed down by history as the one serene figurein the turmoil and danger. She moved quietly to and fro, securingvaluables and state papers and sending them away by trusty servants.The President and several members of the Cabinet had started for thescene of action.

  Mrs. Mason and Marian watched by the bedside with minutestinstructions, while the doctor went out on some pressing business.

  "A soger gemmen say he must see Miss Annis," announced the new butler,who had been but a month in his place. "I jus' done fergit de name.Dar's flustration in de berry air."

  "To see me?" asked the child in surprise.

  "He want de doctor awful much. Den he say send Miss Annis."

  Annis held out her hand to Marian. "Come with me!" she exclaimed. "Wewill not disturb mamma."

  They went down together. The man in the hall was covered with dust andgrime, and purple-red with the heat. A soldier, sure enough; but thefirst moment Annis drew back.

  "Oh, little Annis, don't be afraid!" and she knew the voice."Marian----"

  And so the two met who had just touched their lips to the cup of joyin the spring of youth. A grave woman half a dozen years older, a manwhose life might be ended this very day. All these years he had beenbitter and resentful, but if he were dying----

  "Can you not fly at once? The battle has been disgraceful, but whatcould such an army do against overwhelming odds. The whole thing hasbeen a piece of shameful imbecility in our rulers. The British aremarching into Washington."

  "Then you have not heard----"

  Something in Marian's tremulous voice awed him. He wiped the sweat andgrime from his face.

  "I have not been in Washington for three months."

  "Mrs. Carrington is lying at the point of death."

  Annis began to cry, and caught his hand.

  "Then Heaven help you! No one can tell what the end will be. Now I mustaway to warn all who can fly, and then do the best we can to protectthose who remain. If possible, I will send a guard. Little Annis,good-by, if I should never see you again."

  She threw her arms about his neck with a convulsive sob. He held outhis hand to Marian, but neither spoke. Then he rushed away. There wasnot a moment to lose. He strode over to the White House, where allwas still uncertain, and Mrs. Madison had given orders for the dinner.To procure wagons was a labor of love and infinite persuasion, to saynothing of money.

  Then the messenger came shouting that General Armstrong had ordered aretreat. Daniel Carroll had sent his carriage, but Mrs. Madison refusedto go until the President arrived.

  "It will not do for you to fall into the hands of the British,"declared an officer. "That would crown the triumph."

  Pale and weary from his fruitless journey, the President and his wifestepped into the carriage to be driven across to Georgetown, wherefurther difficulties awaited them. The opposition journals made merryover the undignified flight, yet there is no doubt but that it was theaim of both the Admiral and General Ross to crown their victory by thecapture of the most conspicuous figures of the Capital.

  The British marched steadily on the heels of the flying foe, leavingtheir dead and wounded exposed to the pitiless sun, and proceededat once to the Capitol, which they ransacked and then set on fire,striking down anyone who dared to raise a voice in its behalf. Thenthey marched along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, chagrinedto discover only a few servants left, but gratified to find a banquetawaiting them. There had been covers laid for forty guests. Dishes ofall kinds were ready in the kitchen to be served. Wines were in thecooler, handsome cut-glass and silver trays of
delicious fruit stood onthe sideboard. The hungry officers and men, scorning ceremony, feasteduntil the place became the scene of the wildest orgie. The wine cellarwas broken open and its contents passed around, rooms were ransackedand combustibles piled up; and as they found little worth carrying off,the match was applied, and the house that had been the scene of so manyjoyous occasions was soon in flames.

  From thence to the Treasury Department, and then to the office ofthe _National Intelligencer_, whose editor had denounced Cockburnunsparingly for his acts of vandalism on the coast and amongdefenseless towns; and the houses of some of the more noted citizenswere added to the conflagration. Women flying for refuge were insulted,wagons stopped and despoiled of their goods. The few regiments couldmake no stand against the wanton destruction.

  Suddenly there came a strange darkness over the city. From the far-offhills the wind began to roar like another ravening army. There weresullen mutterings of thunder. The order was given to retreat, andby the lurid light the ranks re-formed, though many, wearied out,straggled behind. The red blaze was made visible a moment by thelightning, when the town seemed in a molten glow, and then dense smokyblackness.

  As if this was not enough, a frightful tornado seemed hurled from thehills on the doomed City.

  The roar of the elements was terrific. Trees were uprooted and housesblown from their foundations, crashing down in the general ruin.

  All day they had watched between hope and fear. Jaqueline's fever hadabated, and she lay half unconscious. After the soldiers marched intothe City, and he had seen Mrs. Madison started on her perilous journey,Roger felt he could be of no farther service. The enemy would wreak hisvengeance unopposed. He found there was a guard in citizens' clotheskeeping watch over his house in an inconspicuous manner. But when theflames started at the Capitol his anxiety was harrowing. What if theyshould continue their work of devastation in this direction?

  "Oh, do you think we shall all be burned up?" cried Annis in terror,dreading the sight and yet running from window to window.

  No one could guess the power or purpose of the enemy. And no one couldmeasure nature's devastation.

  Dr. Collaston was in and out. Jaqueline lay, unheeding the tumult anddanger.

  "She does not really lose," he said. "Ross has gone over to the WhiteHouse. Oh, the poor doomed City! And relief is needed for the woundedat Bladensburg. Half the women are crazy at their husbands being sentto the front. And all this might have been avoided!"

  Indeed, it transpired afterward that Mrs. Madison had been refusedshelter by a shrieking virago because her husband had been enrolled forthe defense of the City.

  "They are going to the White House. Perhaps they may not molest us,after all."

  This proved true. The ravages were continued over eastward. Theywatched one building after another. The public rope-walk was devotedto the flames. The dockyards and arsenal and naval stores, powdermagazine, and a fine frigate just ready to be launched were fed to thedevouring element that roared in devastating hunger.

  But that seemed nothing to the tornado. Annis flew to her mother'sarms, and could not be pacified. Marian and Mrs. Mason would not go tobed, and Annis drowsed with her head on her mother's shoulder, askingnow and then if morning had come.

  It dawned presently over the ruined City. Rock Creek was a rushingtorrent. The Potomac had overflowed its banks. Tiber Creek was swollenout of bounds. Cellars were submerged, boxes and bales and furniturefloated out.

  The British left their wounded behind, and when they reachedBladensburg there were more than could be cared for. Heartlesslytrusting them to the mercy of the beaten enemy, they marched on,striking terror to the smaller towns through which they passed, andthen attacking Baltimore, the heroic defense of which is a matter ofhistory. General Ross was killed in the first skirmish, and AdmiralCockburn forced to withdraw, and was condemned even by his owngovernment for his ruthless vandalism, which had won nothing.

  But the attack on Fort McHenry gave us one of our most beautiful anddeathless songs, and indeed seemed the turning-point of misfortunesin a campaign that had been conducted with so little foresight andsagacity. But even this disaster may have been needed to bring thewarring factions together, and convince them that to keep a countryintact the strength of all is the salvation of each one, of every home.

  Dr. Collaston could hardly call it hope in the morning, but Jaquelinehad not lost anything through the terrible night. Roger was nearly wornout with anxiety and the work that had devolved upon him. Wounded menwere lying in the streets, and had been brought in from Bladensburg.

  "I must get a message over to Patty," the doctor said. "The end of thebridge is burned, but there are some boats. Something must be done forthe relief of our poor men who turned out so bravely for the defense ofour homes."

  Certainly it was a ruined city. Twenty years of labor and interest andexpenditure laid waste, many of the inhabitants homeless, some lyingwounded, not a few dead. A deserted place, indeed; and it was not untilthe British were before Baltimore that the panic really subsided.

  The President and Mrs. Madison were among the earliest to return.Mrs. Cutts opened her house, for the White House was a charred andblackened ruin. Everybody vied with attentions. The Tayloe mansion,called The Octagon, on New York Avenue, and built in the latter part ofthe preceding century, by a wealthy planter of Mount Airy, was chosenfor the present home. Indeed, Mrs. Madison was never to go back to theWhite House as its mistress, but she made a not less notable centerelsewhere.

  Slowly people returned with their goods and stores. The inhabitants ofthe adjacent towns were generous with assistance. For a month or moreWashington had a continual moving-day.

  Meanwhile the victories at Plattsburg and the surrender of the fleet onLake Champlain, as well as the signal victory at Fort Bowyer, put heartinto the Americans, and England seemed not indisposed to discuss termsof peace, convinced perhaps a second time that here was an indomitablepeople, whose friendship was possible, but whose conquest could neverbe achieved.

  Slowly Jaqueline Carrington came back to life. The intense heat hadgiven way to cooling breezes, the sun was often veiled by driftingclouds. For a week there were alternations, then a steady improvement.

  Temporary hospitals had been secured. Some of the wounded had foundshelter within their own homes or those of friends.

  Louis came in one morning. He had been among the volunteers so hastilyenrolled, taken prisoner, and then allowed to go, as General Ross didnot want to be hampered.

  "Collaston, has anything been heard of Ralston? He came into Washingtonthe morning of the battle. Now that things are cleared up a little, heis reported missing. The British did not stop to bury their dead, andhe certainly would have been noted."

  "I thought it strange we did not hear. We must make inquiries at once.We have been most fortunate, except for pecuniary losses, and sinceJaqueline is likely to be restored to us we have no right to complain.I must set out to find Ralston, though. The country has need of suchmen."

  It was true that Arthur Jettson and the doctor were likely to beconsiderable losers by the misfortunes that had overtaken Washington.But they were young, and could recover. Patty and the two babiesreturned, and she declared the losses were really not worth thinkingof, since everybody had been spared.

  When Jaqueline was well enough to sit up a little, she insisted onbeing taken to her favorite window, which commanded a fine view of theCity.

  "While you have had one trouble, you have escaped another," said herhusband gravely. "Our beautiful Washington--for it had grown beautifulto us, partly by the eye of faith, I suppose--is no more. We have hadwar and devastation of the elements, and must begin over again. Wecan tell our children about Old Washington, if she was not ancient inyears; but a new one must arise on its ruins."

  "War!" Jaqueline cried in amazement. And then she glanced at thedestruction, bursting into tears.

  "Never mind, my darling wife. We have you and the boy, thanks to yourmother and Marian and Dr. Coll
aston's skill. He was faithfulness itselfthrough all that trying time. When you are stronger you shall hear thewhole story."

  "And Louis--is everybody safe?"

  "Louis shouldered a musket and marched like a trained soldier. Oh, wehave some brave men left, I assure you! The enemy came; and what wewere unable to do the storm did--forced them to retreat before we hadbeen laid quite in ruins."

  "It is terrible!" said Annis. "I have been driving about with thedoctor. The beautiful White House is gone, and ever so many places. Andthe storm was terrific. Oh, dear! what a horrible time it was! I sat upall night long with mamma and Marian."

  "Dear Marian! How good you have been to me! You and mother have takensuch excellent care of my baby."

  Marian glanced up with a grave smile.

  "And no dear ones are lost? I suppose Lieutenant Ralston was in thethick of the fight?"

  "Yes," answered her husband, "like many another brave man. I think weowe him something also."

  Everything was so changed. Marian often mused over it. She felt likequite an old woman. She was hardly likely to marry now. She had put hercandle out, she remembered. But her heart gave a quick gasp when shethought of Ralston. "Evangeline" had not yet been written, but dailyshe felt moved to enact the romance, to go in search of him. Somehowshe felt sure she could find him. And if he was among the dead shewould have a right to cherish his memory, and that happy episode, theone brief romance of her life.

  Dr. Collaston came in. Yes, his patient was doing nicely. When shecould be moved with safety, the air of the old plantation, with itsrich autumnal fragrance and ripeness, would do her good. Patty shouldgo with her for a holiday.

  Annis was hanging to the doctor's arm.

  "Won't you take me out with you?" she said coaxingly. "I like so to gowith you, there are so many things to see."

  "I am going to take Roger out on a little business, if everybody canspare him. Your turn may come to-morrow."

  She nodded good-humoredly.

  Carrington followed his friend downstairs. "We have news aboutRalston," the doctor said. "There is a messenger here with tidings.There is no time to lose. You can hear the story as we go along."

  A pale, large-eyed young fellow with an anxious face was awaiting them;and as they were driving over the old road that had been traversed manya time in pleasure, and was to be historic, Carrington listened to theyoung man's tale. A British soldier, he had been wounded and left onthe field, and someone had paused to give him a drink of water, whenthe stranger had been struck by a stray shot and wounded in the leg.They had made their way slowly to a deserted negro hut, where he hadfainted. His new friend had dressed his wound, which was more painfulthan serious, but both were weak from exhaustion and loss of blood.The storm coming on, they had been glad of shelter. The next day hisnew-found friend could not walk, and his leg was terribly swollen. Theywaited in the hope that someone would find them out. But on the thirdday the American was ill and delirious. A negro woman had discoveredthem, and visited them daily with food, and had attended to both theirwounds as well as she knew how. Now his companion had come to his rightmind, and he was a Lieutenant Ralston. He had begged him, EustaceStafford, to find his way into the City and hunt up a certain Dr.Collaston and tell him the story.

  "He is still very ill," declared Stafford. "And he must be taken outof that wretched hole at once. Still, we have been very glad of theshelter."

  "You look ill yourself----"

  "You should have seen this young fellow half an hour ago," declaredthe doctor. "You would have thought him a ghost. He has a bad wound inhis shoulder that has not been properly treated, and healed up on theoutside too soon. I have a carriage here at the door. When Patty heardthe story she insisted that I should bring Ralston home at once. Wehave plenty of room, and, after all, have not been so hard hit."

  Young Stafford, they found, had a cousin who was a major in the Englisharmy. He had been quite enamored of a soldier's life, had been attachedto the staff, and was a sort of private secretary to his cousin. Butthe romance of war had been driven from his youthful brain by his firstbattle, that of Bladensburg.

  "But you must have better soldiers than those raw recruits," heexclaimed, "when you have done such wonderful things! Still, everythingis so strange----"

  He glanced furtively at the two men, not knowing how far it was safeto confess one's feelings. The ruin at Washington had filled him withshame and dismay, and he did not wonder that people on every hand wereexecrating the British. Even the old negro woman had denounced thembitterly.

  "Most of our real soldiers were elsewhere. There is a great stretchof country to protect. We have the Indians for enemies, the Frenchoccasionally, but we shall come out victorious in the end," said thedoctor confidently.

  "Where are the Admiral and General Ross?" asked Stafford.

  "At Baltimore now, where there is a prospect of their being defeated.We were not prepared as we should have been, to our shame be it said."

  Then they lapsed into silence.

  "I am afraid I have forgotten my way," the youth admitted as theypassed a partly overgrown branch road, used mostly for the convenienceof farmers. "I tried to mark it by some sign. There was a tree that hadbeen struck by lightning. And a clump of oaks."

  "There is a clump of oaks farther on."

  "You see, that day--it was horrible with the groans of the wounded anddying. And the awful heat! I tried to crawl to a little stream, butfainted. And this soldier came along presently, when I begged him fora drink."

  "These are the oaks, I think," said the doctor, who knew the road well.

  "Then it is a little further on."

  They turned into a cart-path. In a sort of opening stood a blackenedpine that had been grand in its day. After several curves they leftthis road and soon found the hut.

  Lieutenant Ralston was in a bad condition, indeed--emaciated to adegree, his eyes sunken, his voice tremulous, his whole physique soreduced that he could not stand up. Stafford had made a bed of firand hemlock branches, and the little place was fragrant, if otherwisedreary.

  "We will not stop for explanations!" exclaimed the doctor briskly. "Thebest thing is to get you to some civilized place and attend to you."

  "And the lad, too. I should have died without him and poor old Judy.She will think the wolves have eaten us, only she won't find anybones."

  He was lifted carefully into the carriage, and they journeyed homewardas rapidly as circumstances would permit. Patty had cleared the sittingroom on the lower floor, and a cot had been spread for Ralston. Theylaid the fainting man upon it, and the doctor proceeded to examine hisinjuries.

  The bone in the leg had been splintered, and a jagged wound made.Judy's simples had kept it from becoming necessarily fatal, but thefever and the days that had elapsed rendered it very critical.

  "I only hope he won't have to lose his leg," said Roger. "That would beterrible to him."

  "We will try our utmost."

  It was a painful operation, but at last it was over. Then Stafford'sshoulder was looked after, and had to be probed. Roger proved aninvaluable assistant.

  "We may as well have a hospital ward, and let the enemy and the patriotlie side by side. They can't fight, and I do not believe either of themhas the vigor for a quarrel." So another cot was brought in. Patty wasquite important, and full of sympathy for Ralston.

  It was mid-afternoon when Carrington returned, and they were allanxious to hear the story. For Jaqueline's sake he made as light ofit as possible, dwelling considerably upon the heroism of both men,"although the English lad is a mere boy, not twenty yet. What distortedideas they get over the water!" nodding his head. "As if we had notbeen of one race in the beginning, equally courageous, equally proudand resolute, and animated by the same love of liberty. Think how theyhave waged war with tyrants and wrested rights from kings!"

  Marian waylaid him in the hall.

  "I was listening inwardly to what you did not say," she begantremulously. "Does the doctor think he _wi
ll_ recover?"

  "He is in a bad way, of course. But the leg is the worst feature. Oh,let us all hope! Things have gone so well with us that I am filled withgratitude, and cannot despair."

  Marian's eyes were downcast, her face pink to the very roots of herhair; and her lips quivered.

  That evening Roger was sitting beside his wife alone, caressing thethin hand that returned the fond pressure.

  "Marian is in love with Philip Ralston," he began abruptly. "Jaqueline,can't you think of the magic touch that will bring these two together?You found it easy enough before."

  "And bungled and made no end of trouble," she returned with a sad smile.

  "It was old Mr. Floyd who made the trouble. Why couldn't he have givenhis daughter to the young fellow who loved her? What I am afraid ofnow is that he has ceased to care. Still, he has been a favorite withwomen, and no one has captured him. An attractive man has to quite runthe gauntlet. And when he thinks a woman's love has failed----"

  "Do you speak from experience?" inquired Jaqueline archly, her eyes ina tender glow.

  "Yes." There was a rising color and a half-smile hovering over hisface. "It _is_ true that hearts are caught in the rebound."

  "But no one caught you."

  "Because, month after month, I waited. I said at first, 'She will marryRalston.' Then there were other admirers--you know there were a host ofthem more attractive than I, but I could have forgiven you for marryingRalston. If it had been someone else I should have turned bitter, andthat would have been the danger-point. I might have wanted to convinceyou

  "That, Miss Jacky Mason, I care as little as ye care for me,"

  paraphrasing an old ballad and substituting her own name, while sheglanced up laughingly.

  "Since we found the making-up process so delightful," returnedJaqueline, "we are anxious to pass it around. You see, now, Marian hasno interest in life but to play the part of maiden aunt. Jane willabsorb a good deal of her with the most generous intentions. She isa lovely nurse, and I think grandpa's and Mr. Greaves' influence hasmostly died out. They were both so narrow and dogmatic about women thatthey reduced her to a sort of slavery. Mamma has brought her out to asense of freedom. Single women may be heroic, yet, as I remember, theRevolutionary heroines were married and mothers, most of them, and itis the wife and mother who has the most exquisite happiness."

  "What a long speech! We will try and get Ralston well, and then trustgood-fortune. There will be no one to interfere this time."

  While Ralston lay tossing on a bed of pain, his leg in splints andbandages, events moved on rapidly. The bold exploits and undyingcourage that had won such brilliant successes on the seas had settledthe question of sailors' rights. England virtually admitted this whilestill haggling with commissioners. And from having no position amongnations, from being considered feeble and disunited, and possessingno innate right to establish a commerce of her own, the United Stateshad won the respect of the countries abroad, and to a great degreeharmonized the jarring factions at home.

  The crowning battle of the war was that of New Orleans, with Jackson'sbrilliant victory, though some of the preliminaries had been settledbefore this.

  And one day a messenger came rushing into town, swinging histhree-cornered hat in one hand and holding the bridle-rein in theother, and cried out in stentorian tones, "Peace! peace! Peace has beendeclared! Mr. Carroll, American messenger, has arrived with the Treatyof Peace!"

  In spite of blackened ruins and heaps of debris, there was a great timein Old Washington. For, indeed, it seemed old now, since it could boastof ruins. Flags were hung out. Neighbors called to one another. Thena coach came thundering along the avenue, another and yet another, andstopped at the Octagon House. Congress presented themselves, at leastall who could be gathered on a short notice, to take the news to thePresident, who had suffered considerably from the exposure and fatigue,and perhaps from the mortification of having been a fugitive flyingfrom the enemy.

  The circular vestibule, the white winding stairway that was open tothe top, and the drawing room to the right were crowded with guests,felicitating their chief and one another. Animosity, coldness, andblame were forgotten. Peace! peace! like the refrain of some sweetmusic, went floating around all the space, and Mrs. Madison was muchmoved with emotion. Strong men thanked God with softened hearts. Theconflict was over, and now they knew the bitterness of war.

  For this year young Daniel Webster was in the House, and Clay andCalhoun and men who were to have much to do with the nation's destinieslater on.

  Houses were illuminated, tar barrels were burned, and the streetsseemed fairly alive with people. Voices rang with joy.

  True, the Treaty was to be discussed and signed, the British troopswere to go home, the news to be carried about on the high seas. Portswere to be opened, and "Madison's nightcaps"--barrels that had beenhung to protect the rigging of ships--were removed with shouts of joy.

  There was a lull in Europe. Prussia drew a long breath. Russia plumedherself on giving the famous Corsican his first blow, while the Battleof Waterloo was the last. France had a king of royal blood again. Spainwas repairing her fortunes; while England was counting up her lossesand gains, and preparing to shake hands in amity with the young countryacross the ocean and grow into friendship with it.