"No, Dr. Sandford."
"Your cousin, Mr. Gary, whom we saw last summer; - on which
side is he?"
"I have not heard from him since he came to Washington. I do
not know where he is. I want to find out."
"We can easily find out," said the doctor. "If Colonel Forsyth
does not know, we shall see somebody this evening probably who
can tell us about him."
We rode home through the lingering sunlight of that long day;
uniforms, camps, fortifications, cannon, on all sides
proclaiming the new and strange state of things upon which the
country had fallen; busy people passing and repassing in all
directions; an air of life and stir everywhere that would have
been delightful, if the reason had been only different. It
saddened me. I had to make a constant effort to hide the fact
from my companions. One of them watched me, I knew. Dr.
Sandford thought I was tired; and proposed that we should
defer going to the White House until the next occasion; but I
could not rest at home and insisted on carrying out the
original scheme for the day. I was in a fever now to see Mr.
Thorold; keeping up a constant watch for him, which wearied
me. To watch with more hope of success, I would go to the
President's reception. Mr. Thorold might be there.
Mrs. Sandford, I remember, was very earnest about my dress. I
was in no danger from gratified or ungratified vanity now; it
was something else that moved me as I robed myself for that
reception. And I met my escort in the drawing-room, forgetting
that my dress could be a subject of interest to anybody but
one, - who might not see it.
"Why, that is - yes! that is the very same thing you wore to
the cadets' hop; the last hop you went to, Daisy?" Mrs.
Sandford exclaimed, as she surveyed me.
"It will do, won't it?" I said. "I have had nothing new made
this spring."
"Do!" said the lady. "What do you think, Grant?"
Dr. Sandford's face was a little flushed.
"Anything will do," he said. "It makes less difference than
ladies suppose."
"It has more to do than gentlemen ever imagine!" Mrs. Sandford
returned indignantly. "It is very good, Daisy. That pure white
somehow suits you; but I believe everything suits you, my
dear. Your mother will be a proud woman."
That sentence laid a little weight on my heart, which had just
been springing with undefined hope. I had been thinking of
somebody else who might perhaps be not displeased with me.
I sought for his figure that night, among the crowds at the
President's reception; amidst all the other interests of the
hour, that one was never forgotten. And there were many
interests certainly clustering about Washington and Washington
society then. The assembly was very peculiar, very marked,
very striking in many of its characteristics. The women were
few, much fewer than make part of ordinary assemblies; the men
were unusually well-looking, it seemed to me; and had an air
of life and purpose and energy in definite exercise, which was
very refreshing to meet. Besides that, which was generally
true, there were in Washington at this time many marked men,
and men of whom much was expected. The last have been first,
it is true, in many an instance; here as elsewhere;
nevertheless, the aspect of things and people at the time was
novel and interesting in the highest degree. So, was the talk.
Insipidities were no longer tolerated; everybody was living,
in some real sense, now.