ures of the old-fashioned
minuet, a murmur rose near the entrance to the hall, and spread until
every one was whispering, that news had come of a great naval battle,
a victory. Word was brought to the Secretary of the Navy. He directed
that the bearer of the despatches should be at once admitted; and,
amid cheers and clapping of hands, Lieut. Hamilton entered the hall,
and delivered his despatches to his father, the Secretary of the Navy.
The tenor of the despatch was soon known to all; and Lieut. Hamilton
turned from the greetings of his mother and sisters, who were present,
to receive the congratulations of his brother-officers. He had brought
the colors of the captured ship with him to the city; and Capts.
Stewart and Hull immediately went in search of them, and soon
returned, bearing the flag between them. The two veteran sailors
marched the length of the hall, amid the plaudits of the gay company,
and laid the colors before Mrs. Madison,--the Dolly Madison who is
still remembered as the most popular of the "ladies of the White
House." Then the company proceeded to the banquet-hall, where, to the
list of toasts already prepared, was added, "The health of Commodore
Decatur and the officers and crew of the 'United States.'"

Two weeks later, Capt. Decatur and his officers and the crew of the
"United States" were sumptuously entertained by the citizens of New
York. The officers were tendered a banquet in the great assembly-room
of the City Hotel, which was decked with laurel and ship's spars and
sails. The chief table at the head of the room, at which sat Mayor De
Witt Clinton and Capts. Hull and Decatur, was a marvel of decoration.
Its centre was taken up by a sheet of water with grassy banks, bearing
on its placid surface a miniature frigate floating at her moorings.
Each of the smaller tables bore a small frigate on a pedestal in the
centre of the board. On the wall at the end of the room hung a heavy
sail, on which was printed the motto,--

"OUR CHILDREN ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR COUNTRY."

After the dinner was ended and the toasts were begun, the health of
the navy was proposed. At the word, the great sail began to ascend,
and, being drawn to the ceiling, disclosed an illuminated transparent
painting, showing vividly the scenes of the three great actions won
by the "Constitution," the "United States," and the "Wasp." The whole
company rose and cheered, until the walls of the hall fairly rung.

Three days lat