ining above the
city in the sky. In splendid and austere whiteness the Capitol rises
terrace upon terrace above the trees, its columns, its cornices and its
dome blanched in the cold radiance of scores of arc lights hidden among
the trees.

Like fireflies attracted to this centre of light, cars moved their
sparkling points of brightness down the vivid avenues, and at the
vestibule of the Library, which lies in the grounds apart from the
Capitol, set down fit denizens for this kingdom of radiance.

Senators and parliamentarians generally are sober entities, but wives
and daughters made up for them in colour and in comeliness. In cloth
of gold, in brocades, in glowing satin and flashing silk,
multi-coloured and ever-shifting, a stream of jewelled vivacity pressed
up the severe white marble stairs in the severe white marble hall.
There could not have been a better background for such a shining and
pulsating mass of living colour. There was no distraction from that
warm beauty of moving humanity; the flowers, too, were severe, severe
and white; great masses of white chrysanthemums were all that was
needed, were all that was there.

And at the head of the staircase a genius in design had made one stroke
of colour, one stroke of astounding and poignant scarlet. On this
scarlet carpet the Prince in evening dress stood and encountered the
tide of guests that came up to him, were received by him, and flowed
away from him in a thousand particles and drops of colour, as women,
with all the vivacity of their clothes in their manner, and men in
uniforms or evening dress, striving to keep pace with them, went
drifting through the high, clear purity of the austere corridors.

It was a scene of infinite charm. It was a scene of infinite
significance, also. For close to the Prince as he stood and received
the men and women of America, were many original documents dealing with
the separation of England and the American colonies. There was much in
the fact that a Prince of England should be receiving the descendants
of those colonies in such surroundings, and meeting those descendants
with a friendliness and frankness which equalled their own frank
friendliness.

III

Thursday, November 14th, was a day of extreme interest for the Prince.
It was the day when he visited the home of the first President of
America, and also visited, in his home, the President in power today.

The morning was given over to an investiture of t