re hasn't been the ghost of one while Lent kept
people down to a fish diet and morning meetings; but now, when the
flowers of Easter-Sunday have all withered up, people begin to visit one
another again, and this grand reception at the White House sort of opens
the way and sets the fashions a-going once more.

Well, when the time came, Cousin E. E. and I were on hand. My pink silk
dress was a little rumpled; but I shook it out and smoothed it down.

Cousin E. E. came out like a princess, in pale lilac-colored silk, with
a whole snow-storm of lace crinkling over it. I declare, sisters, she
looked fresh and sweet as the first lilac that blows! I was really proud
to introduce her as my relation.

Cousin Dempster, having a claim, had to go to the Capitol; so E. E. and
I went together--no gentlemen being absolutely necessary to a daytime
reception, you know.

Well, we got out of the carriage as light and chipper as two birds. The
driver held out his arm to keep our dresses from touching the wheel, as
they streamed out after us; and I must say Vermont didn't suffer much as
to ladies when we walked, with the slow dignity befitting persons with
the eye of a State upon them, into the blue room, where Mrs. President
Grant recepted. Well, I reckon the ladies were two to one against the
men in that blue room, and it just looked lovely!

In the centre of the room stood the round, blue silk sofa, I have told
you about, cut up into seats, and rising to a point in the middle, as if
a silk funnel had been turned bottom-side up there. On the nozzle end of
this point a great white flower-pot stood, a-running over with pink and
white flowers, rising in great clusters one above another, till they
brightened the whole room with a glow like early morning.

In front of this ring sofa the Mrs. President stood, looking just as
smiling and sweet as a bank of roses. She had on a pink dress--no, not
exactly what we call pink--but the color was soft and rosy as a cloud;
snowflaky lace floated around her arms, and shaded her neck, which was
plump, and white, and pretty as any girl's. She hadn't a sign of a
flower, or anything on her head; but the soft, crinkly hair curled down
to her forehead sweetly, and she seemed almost like a young girl.
Everybody there said that they never had seen her look so handsome.

Well, there she stood, with a nice little lady on one side, helping her
recept; and she did it sweetly, which was likely, she being the wi