presidency of Wetmore was the place of all others for which she herself
was fitted. Indeed, until Lyons had offered himself she had cherished in
her inner consciousness the hope that the course of events might
demonstrate that she was the proper person to direct the energies of
this new medium for the higher education of women. It irritated her to
think that an institution founded by Benham philanthropy, and which
would be a vital influence in the development of Benham womanhood,
should be under the control of one who was hostile to American theories
and methods. Selma felt so strongly on the subject that she thought of
airing her objections in a letter to Mr. Flagg, the donor, but she
concluded to suspend her strictures until her return to Benham. She
sent, however, to Miss Bailey, who was now regularly attached to one of
the Benham newspapers, notes for an article which should deplore the
choice by the trustees of one who was unfamiliar and presumably out of
sympathy with Benham thought and impulse.

Selma's emotions on her arrival in Washington were very different from
those which she had experienced in New York as the bride of Littleton.
Then she had been unprepared for, dazed, and offended by what she saw.
Now, though she mentally assumed that the capital was the parade ground
of American ideas and principles, she felt not merely no surprise at the
august appearance of the wide avenues, but she was eagerly on the
lookout, as they drove from the station to the hotel, for signs of
social development. The aphorism which she had supplied to her husband,
that the American people prefer to have their representatives live
comfortably, dwelt in her thoughts and was a solace to her. Despite her
New York experience, she had the impression that the doors of every
house in Washington would fly open at her approach as the wife of a
Congressman. She did not formulate her anticipations as to her
reception, but she entertained a general expectation that their presence
would be acknowledged as public officials in a notable way. She dressed
herself on the morning after their arrival at the hotel with some
showiness, so as to be prepared for flattering emergencies. She had said
little to her husband on the subject, for she had already discovered
that, though he was ambitious that they should appear well, he was
disposed to leave the management of social concerns to her. His
information had been limited to bidding her come prepared f