ms, and
the President brought the beauty back, seated her, and took his own seat
beside her on the sofa.

But the cup of bitterness for the envious was not yet full. Another hum
and buzz went around the room, announcing some new event of great
interest; which seemed to be a late arrival of much importance.

Presently the British minister and another gentleman were seen
approaching the sofa where sat the President, Judge Merlin, Miss
Merlin, and Mr. and Mrs. Middleton. They paused immediately before the
President, when the minister said:

"Your Excellency, permit me to present to you the Viscount Vincent, late
from London."

The President arose and heartily shook hands with the young foreigner,
cordially saying:

"I am happy to see you, my lord; happy to welcome you to Washington."

The viscount bowed low before the gray-haired old hero, saying, in a low
tone:

"I am glad to see the President of the United States; but I am proud to
shake the hand of the conqueror of--of--"

The viscount paused, his memory suddenly failed him, for the life and
soul of him he could not remember the names of those bloody fields where
the General had won his laurels.

The President gracefully covered the hesitation of the viscount and
evaded the compliment at the same time by turning to the ladies of his
party and presenting his guest, saying:

"Mrs. Middleton, Lord Vincent. Miss Merlin, Lord Vincent."

The viscount bowed low to these ladies, who courtesied in turn and
resumed their seats.

"My old friend, Judge Merlin, Lord Vincent," then said the plain,
matter-of-fact old President.

The judge and the viscount simultaneously bowed, and then, these
formalities being over, seats were found for the two strangers, and the
whole group fell into an easy chat--subject of discussion the old
question that is sure to be argued whenever the old world and the new
meet--the rival merits of monarchies and republics. The discussion grew
warm, though the disputants remained courteous. The viscount grew bored,
and gradually dropped out of the argument, leaving the subject in the
hands of the President and the minister, who, of course, had taken
opposite sides, the minister representing the advantages of a
monarchical form of government, and the President contending for a
republican one. The viscount noticed that a large portion of the company
were promenading in a procession round and round the room to the music
of one of Beethoven's gran