The National tribune., 1900-10-18
NATIONAL WASHINGTON THURSDAY

that he could hardly resist the temptation
to remain away from her, and it required
all his self-denial to prevent himself from
| becoming odiouS.
Col Bur- saw that he would like to be
an invited guest, and as members on this
occasion had the right to invite friends to
| a limited number,She arranged for Harry
| to be one of the invited guests. Who in
vited Mr.. and Mrs. Chick, Mrs. Jarvis and
her son Asa, and Mr.. Datchery, Harry
never knew; but he strongly suspected that
they were invited by Burr's friends, at his
| own suggestion.
That Fourth of July banquet was a
great occasion for Harry Granger. He
| had never before seen anything that was
its equal. He was dazzled by blazing
Jewels, wit and beauty in silks, laces and
| ruffies. The softest music, brightest eyes,
sweetest smiles and dazzling beauty half
made him believe that it was all delight
full dream, or that he had been suddenly
| transported to some fairy land.
| Don't allow anything you see or hear
| to turn your head" whispered Col. Burr
in his ear. Il am very much occupied, So
| you must get along without my chaper-
| onage. When dinner is ready hunt up
your sweetheart and take her to the ban
quet hall"
| He then introduced Harry to Samuel
SwartOut, young gentleman of good
| family, whom he assured Harry would see
him through the affair, quite creditably
| to both. As they were walking arm in
arm among the assembled hundreds, Har-
| ry espied Maude afar off conyersing with
| II gray y-haired veteran of the Revolution,
| whom he learned was Gen. Pinckney.
Good breeding forbade that he should in
terfere, and he gave his attention else
where. There was much to attract his
attention. The men We're not all gallant,
| nor the women all young and beautiful.
He saw a tall straight, trim man in IA
cravat of extraordinary hight and stiff
ness walking restleSsly about the hall.
| while n young lady of 90, remarkabl!
cOOly dressed as to her back and shoul
| ders, who spoke with an engaging lisp,
| and whose eyelids required deal OF trou-
ble on her part to keep up, and whose
manners had that indefinable charm which
SO frequently attaches to the giddiness OF
youth, trying to WOO man some years
| younger than herself into n conversation
| This lady he soon learned was Mrs. Jar
Wis.
My dear Major. the giddy thing
| isped, 1T may be quite a surprise to you
to find me here, for you know | am a
| Tory" and she giggled and hid hel
| wrinkled face, in which q strong mind
might imagine there was a blush, behind
her fan. But we can't help it, with GU.
noble ancestry in England, and cousin Ly
| sander Lord Hammers, you know
the conversation, for he at this moment
discovered Mrs. Chick, whom he at once
| .ecogniZed, and who gave him a nod and
| insipid smile. She was talking very earn
| estly with lady, when she suddenly
broke off with
Excuse me a moment want to speak
with Mr.. Datchery," and went over to
Mr.. Datchery, who, with many smiles and
mods, began little tete-d-tete with her.
Mrs. Chck had Il most disagreeable way
of breaking away from one without mo
ment's notice, and going over to some
other person to hold a whispered conver-
sation. Those mysterious little whispered
conversations she intimated were in rela-
ton to her own private business affairs
which she did not want SAM" her hus
band, to know anything about.
Harrys attention was soon drawn to
Maj. Birdsell, short, fat, gOod-natured
fellow, who had an excellent opinion of
himself as wit and humorist, and who
was exercising his powers to the utmost
TO preserve the equanimity of the assem-
bling crowd, but found it uphill business.
though few in the assembly dreamed of
duel, there was a strong partisan feeling
and coolness between the HamiltonianS,
Clintonians, Livingstonians on one side
and the Burrites on the other.
Gen. Hamilton, who was President of
the society, had not yet appeared, and
tI1tlt u hhlSlCitu
Why does he not Gomez? his friends
asked, while Aaron Burr, with a smile.
thought he knew the reason. Only seven
days more and his long quarrel with Ham
ilton would be over forever, for the nearer
the time for the duel came the more was
Burr determined to kill his antagonist.
When the doors of the banquet hall
were thrown open Mr.. Datchery took
down the young lady with the bare shoul
ders, who smiled and simpered and de-
clared she was 'Tory and couldn't be
anything else" with such distinguished re
IatiOns in England. Col. Burr gallantly
led an old lady like a velvet pin-cushion
stuffed with bank notes, she was so rich
and accommodating. John Swartout con
Quoted an ardent Federalist and admirer
Of Alexander Hamilton, while William =.
Van Ness, by some egregious blunder, led
his own wife. Harry made several des-
perate plunges to get to Maude, but she
was lost in the rush and whirlpool, and he
had the modification to see her captured
by the insipid Asa Jarvis. She sat oppo-
site him at the table, and gave him a
pleasant smile and friendly nod, which he
was foolish enough to hope was for him
alone. Mrs. Chick was taken off by one
Of the Clintons, whom she entrapped by
excellent generalship into leading her to
the chair next to Col Burr; in return for
which good office she Immediately aban-
doned Mr. Clinton, who, being shaded on
the other side by gloomy black velvet en-
comprising about q bony, speechless fe
male with fan, yielded to a depression
Of spirits and withdrew into himself. Col.
Burr and Mrs. Chick were very lively and
humorous. and Mrs. G. laughed so much
at something he related to her that Mr..
Datchery, who, with Mrs. Jarvis, was sit
ting a little lower down, begged leave to
inquire on behalf of Mrs. Jarvis whether
that might not be considered public prop
erty.
Gen. Hamilton was the last who came
When he entered the room it was appar-
ent, from the respectful attention of the
company that he was a distinguished in
dividual. He was dressed in a blue coat
with bright buttons; the skirts of his coat
were unusually long. He wore white
waistcoat, black silk small-clothes, white
silk stockings. The master OF ceremonies
introduced him to few people near the
head of the long table whom he did not
know; to each he made a formal bow,
bending very low, the ceremony of shak
ing hands not being observed. The fame
of Hamilton had reached everyone who
knew anything about public men. His ap
pearance and department accorded with
the dignifed distinction to which he had
attained in public opinion. Whenever he
engaged in conversation, which was fire.
quent on this day, everyone listened at
tentively. His mode of speaking was de-
liberate and serious, and his voice engag-
ngiy pleasant There was quite q con-
trast on that day between the dignified
Hamilton and the CAV Burr, carrying on