much of.

THE SUNNY SIDE OF DIPLOMATIC LIFE

WASHINGTON, 1875-1880

WASHINGTON, _November, 1875_.

Dear Mother,--After my hurriedly written letter of the 24th you will
know that we have arrived here safely. My first introduction to my
first post as diplomat's wife was made unwittingly by a gentleman
walking with a friend just behind me. "Who is that gentleman?" said he,
indicating Johan. "That? That is the Minister of Denmark." I,
struggling with an arm-load of flowers culled from well-intentioned
friends at different stations on the road, my maid and Johan's valet
bringing up the rear with the overflow of small baggage, passed
unnoticed. Now we are quite established here, and I have already
commenced my diplomatic duties. There seems to be no end of
card-leaving and card-receiving, and a list of rules on etiquette (the
Ten Commandments of a Diplomat) as long as your arm. I never knew of
anything so confusing. I try to remember the things that I must do and
the things that I must not do. How many cold shower-baths of reproval
have I already received; how many unruly things have I already done! We
are invited to many dinners, luncheons, and entertainments of all
kinds. I am knee-deep in engagements, actually wading in them. The
engagement-book you gave me is already overfilled.

We were very much amused at the collection of newspaper cuttings you
sent us. Johan thought the one describing him as "a massive blonde of
magnificent proportions, whose pure heart and clean hands had won all
hearts in Washington" [previous to winning mine], was much too
personal. "The medals [his prized decorations] were not his fault, and
should not be laid up against him; and as for the gold key which he
wears on his back, it is considered a great honor, as few Danes have
had it conferred on them, being, as it is, the key of the king's own
bedchamber, and giving the wearer the privilege of entering there when
he likes."

Another one which amused us says "the bride is to be congratulated on
having annexed as fine a specimen of a viking as any one could desire,
and, although she has not secured a golden crown for her marble brow,
she has secured a name that ought to be good for a '_three-bagger_' on
any diamond, and that just to see it written on a hotel register makes
any hotel clerk faint." Johan asked me what a "three-bagger" was, but I
could not tell him. Then the worst one! "Mr. de Hegermann is envoy
extrao