The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-05-20

eler, like myself. declining, without any inn
proprietv. an invitation to dinner which did
not reach me until | had concluded my ar
engagements for leaving Washington, some
DAYS before that, to which / referred, only
returned to this house once. 1t was on the
occasion of one of those General Assemblies
which are held on certain nights, between the
hours OF 8 and IL o'clock, and are called
rather oddly Levees.
81 went with my wife about ten- There
was pretty dense crowd of carriages and
people iii the courtyard, and as far as L
could make ont, there were no very clear reg
uiations for the taking up OF setting down
OF company. There were certainly no police
men to sOothe startled horses either saving
upon their brides, or fourishing truneheon5
in their eyes ; and | am ready to make oath
that no inoffensive persons were knocked
violently on the head, or poked acutely on
their backs, stomachs, or brought to q
standstill by any such gentle means, and then
taken into custody for not moving on. But
there was no confusion and no disorder Our
carriage reached the porch in its turn with
out any clustering swearing. shouting, back
ing or other disturbance and we disTnounted
with as much ease and comfort as though we
had been escorted by the whole Metropolitan
force from A to u inclusive.
1.-The suite of rooms on the ground floor
was lighted up, and % military band was
playing in the hail. In the smaller drawing
room, the center of circle of company, were
the President, his daughter-in-law, who
acted at the Lady of the mansion, and very
interesting, graceful and accomplished lady,
too
lone gentleman who stood among this
group, appeared to take upon himself the
| function of a master of the ceremonies. |
saw no other officers, or attendants, and none
were needed.
"The great drawing-room, which / have
already mentioned, and the other chambers on
| the ground floor, were crowded to excess.
| The company was not, in our sense of the
term, select, for it comprehended persons of
very many grades and classes, nor was there
any great display of costly attire; indeed,
some of the costumes may have been, for
aught know, grotesque enough.
GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE.
| "But the decorum and propriety of be-
havior which prevailed were unbroken by
| any rude or disagreeable incident, and every
man, even among the miscellaneous crowd in
| the hall who were admitted without any
tickets, or orders to look on, appeared to feel
that he was part of the institution and was
responsible for preserving becoming charac-
| ter and appearing to the best advantage.
| "That these visitors, too, whatever their
station, were not without some refinement of
taste and appreciation of intellectual gifts,
| and gratitude to those men who, by the
peaceful exercise Of great abilities shed new
charms and associations upon the homes OF
! their countrymen, and elevate their character
| in other lands, was most earnestly testified
| by the reception of Washington Irving, my
! dear friend, who had recently been appointed
Minister at the Court of Spain, and who was
! among them that night in his new character,
| for the first and last time, before going
abroad.
81 sincerely believe that in all the mad
ness of American politics, few public men
would have been so earnestly, devotedly and
affectionately earessed as this most charming
| writer; and have seldom respected public
assembly more than / did this eager throng,
when / saw them turning with one mind
| from noisy orators and officers of State, and
| focking with generous, honest impulse
round the man of quiet pursuits, proud OF
his promotion as rejecting back upon their
country and grateful to him with their
whole hearts for the store of graceful fancies
he had poured out among them. Long may
he dispense such treasures with unsparing
hand and long may they remember him as
worthily."
A New York paper says Of this occasion:
"When it was known that there would be
a levee, and that Irving and Dickens would
| both be there, the rush was tremendous II
was as much as the police officers could do te
keep the passages open. Even the circle
usually left open around the Chief Magis
trate was narrowed to almost nothing by The
pressure It was computed that the Eas