, and others. Mrs. Douglas always dressed in deep
mourning, with excellent taste, and several of the leading ladies of
Washington society were extremely jealous of her superior attractions.

CHAPTER VI

WILLIE LINCOLN'S DEATH-BED

Mrs. Lincoln returned to Washington in November, and again duty called
me to the White House. The war was now in progress, and every day
brought stirring news from the front--the front, where the Gray opposed
the Blue, where flashed the bright sabre in the sunshine, where were
heard the angry notes of battle, the deep roar of cannon, and the
fearful rattle of musketry; where new graves were being made every day,
where brother forgot a mother's early blessing and sought the lifeblood
of brother, and friend raised the deadly knife against friend. Oh, the
front, with its stirring battle-scenes! Oh, the front, with its ghastly
heaps of dead! The life of the nation was at stake; and when the land
was full of sorrow, there could not be much gayety at the capital. The
days passed quietly with me. I soon learned that some people had an
intense desire to penetrate the inner circle of the White House. No
President and his family, heretofore occupying this mansion, ever
excited so much curiosity as the present incumbents. Mr. Lincoln had
grown up in the wilds of the West, and evil report had said much of him
and his wife. The polite world was shocked, and the tendency to
exaggerate intensified curiosity. As soon as it was known that I was the
modiste of Mrs. Lincoln, parties crowded around and affected friendship
for me, hoping to induce me to betray the secrets of the domestic
circle. One day a woman, I will not call her a lady, drove up to my
rooms, gave me an order to make a dress, and insisted on partly paying
me in advance. She called on me every day, and was exceedingly kind.
When she came to take her dress away, she cautiously remarked:

"Mrs. Keckley, you know Mrs. Lincoln?"

"Yes."

"You are her modiste; are you not?"

"Yes."

"You know her very well; do you not?"

"I am with her every day or two."

"Don't you think you would have some influence with her?"

"I cannot say. Mrs. Lincoln, I presume, would listen to anything I
should suggest, but whether she would be influenced by a suggestion of
mine is another question."

"I am sure that you could influence her, Mrs. Keckley. Now listen; I
have a proposition to make. I have a great desire to become an inmate of
the White Ho