and dignity and shrewd
reserve wisdom. It pleased her to be assisting at the dedication of a
fresh page of national history--a page yet unwritten, but on which she
hoped that her own name would be inscribed sooner or later by those who
should seek to trace the complete causes of her husband's usefulness and
genius.

Another source of satisfaction was the visit paid them the day before at
the hotel by one of the United States Senators from their own State--Mr.
Calkins. The two political parties in their own State were so evenly
divided that one of the Senators in office happened to be a Republican
and his colleague a Democrat. Mr. Calkins belonged to her husband's
party, yet he suggested that they might enjoy a private audience with
the President, with whom, notwithstanding political differences of
opinion, Mr. Calkins was on friendly terms. This was the sort of thing
which Selma aspired to, and the experience did much to lighten her
heart. She enjoyed the distinction of seeing guarded doors open at their
approach, and of finding herself shaking hands with the chief magistrate
of the nation at a special interview. The President was very affable,
and was manifestly aware of Lyons's triumph at the expense of his own
party, and of his consequent political importance. He treated the matter
banteringly, and Selma was pleased at her ability to enter into the
spirit of his persiflage and to reciprocate. In her opinion solemnity
would have been more consistent with his position as the official
representative of the people of the United States, and his jocose
manifestations at a time when serious conversation seemed to be in order
was a disappointment, and tended to confirm her previous distrust of him
as the leader of the opposite party. She had hoped he would broach some
vital topics of political interest, and that she would have the
opportunity to give expression to her own views in regard to public
questions. Nevertheless, as the President saw fit to be humorous, she
was glad that she understood how to meet and answer his bantering
sallies. She felt sure that Lyons, were he ever to occupy this dignified
office, would refrain from ill-timed levity, but she bore in mind also
the policy of conciliation which she had learned from her husband, and
concealed her true impressions. She noticed that both Lyons and Mr.
Calkins forebore to show dissatisfaction, and she reflected that, though
the President's tone was light, there was not