shed lady who, that
season, ruled the domestic affairs of the White House.

As Mrs. Middleton and Claudia had finished their toilets, to the
sticking of the very last pin, before leaving their dressing rooms at
home, they had now nothing to do but to give their opera cloaks to a
woman in attendance, and then stand near the door to watch for the
appearance of Judge Merlin and Mr. Middleton. They had but a few minutes
to wait. The gentlemen soon came and gave their arms to their ladies and
led them to join the throng that were slowly making its way through the
crowded halls and anterooms towards the audience chamber, where the
President received his visitors. It was a severe ordeal, the passage of
those halls. Our party, like all their companions, were pressed forward
in the crowd until they were fairly pushed into the presence chamber,
known as the small crimson drawing room, in which the President and his
family waited to receive their visitors.

Yes, there he stood, the majestic old man, with his kingly gray head
bared, and his stately form clothed in the republican citizen's dress of
simple black. There he stood, fresh from the victories of a score of
well-fought fields, receiving the meed of honor won by his years, his
patriotism, and his courage. A crowd of admirers perpetually passed
before him; by the orderly arrangement of the ushers they came up on the
right-hand side, bowed or courtesied before him, received a cordial
shake of the hand, a smile, and a few kind words, and then passed on to
the left towards the great saloon commonly known as the East Room.
Perhaps never has any President since Washington made himself so much
beloved by the people as did General ---- during his short
administration. Great love-compelling power had that dignified and
benignant old man! Fit to be the chief magistrate of a great, free
people he was! At least so thought Judge Merlin's daughter, as she
courtesied before him, received the cordial shake of his hand, heard the
kind tones of his voice say, "I am very glad to see you, my dear," and
passed on with the throng who were proceeding toward the East Room.

Once arrived in that magnificent room, they found space enough even for
that vast crowd to move about in. This room is too well known to the
public to need any labored description. For the information of those who
have never seen it, it is sufficient to say that its dimensions are
magnificent, its decorations superb, its furni