an appeal to justice that the thought of war was dear to
the women of our riven country. Riven it was already in spirit, though
not as yet in fact; the shadow of coming strife lay heavy on the land
long before it took substance. There were still those, chiefly among the
men, who believed that from all this lurid smoke there would result
nothing worse than smouldering embers, which would eventually perish
unharmful; that thus it could not be was owing in greatest part to the
influence of those who in the bitter days to come were to bear the brunt
of the suffering and agony of war, the women of America.

It is grateful to turn for a moment to look upon the last days of
Washington society under the old regime. Buchanan was the last of the
old-time presidents, and under his administration Washington society
went its normal way of gaiety, though disturbed in its enjoyment by the
thickening cloud that hung over the land and gathered most darkly at the
capital. President Buchanan was a bachelor; but his mansion did not lack
female rule, for his niece, Harriet Lane, took upon herself the onerous
duties of mistress of the White House, and never were they more
gracefully fulfilled. Young as she was, she had few rivals and no
superiors in knowledge of the requirements of her position and ability
to meet those requirements; never was the White House ruled in more
dignified and gracious manner than by this young woman. She had had
excellent training for her dignities; when her uncle, in 1852, was sent
as Minister to the Court of Saint James, she accompanied him thither,
and her beauty and accomplishments won instantaneous recognition and
admiration from the most prejudiced of English critics in these matters.
Her character was as admirable and admired as was her beauty, and she
was in all ways fitted to grace a court, hether that court were royal or
republican.

During the four years of her uncle's stormy administration she ruled the
social world of Washington as of right and title, and her rule was on
all sides acknowledged to be worthy of allegiance. It was the last day
of old-time American society, and it died in splendor. No more courteous
and cultured gentleman than James Buchanan ever occupied the White House
as its master, even though as a statesman he was sadly lacking in the
qualities which were demanded by the circumstances of his times; no more
gracious lady than Harriet Lane ever presided over the social destinies
of t