Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-05-03

the secretary to the president
looked up from the crowded
o desk.
"Mr. Jefferson ventured he, You
will pardon me-
Yes, my SOM"
ut grows late. You know that today
the British minister, Mr.. Merry, comes
to meet the president for the first time
formally-at dinner. Senior Yrujo also,
and their ladies', Of course. Mr.. Burr
and Mr.. Merry seem already acquaint-
ed. l met thtm riding this morning"
Gland and glove. then, so soon?
What dc you make of it? l have a
guess that those three-Burr, Merry,
Yrujo-mean this administration no
special good, and yet it was | myself
who kept our Spanish friend from get
ting his passports back to Madrid. l
did that because of his marriage to the
daughter of my friend. Governor Nc
kean of Pennsylvania. But what We're
you saying now?"
II thought perhaps | should go to
my rooms to change for dinner. You
see that l am still in riding clothes"
"And what of that. my son? l am in
something worse
The young man stood and looked at
his chief for q moment. He realized
the scarce dignitied figure that the
president presented in his long coat,
his soiled waistcoat, his stained trous-
ers and his wooden stockings, not to
mention the u~nspeakable slippers. down
at the heel. into which he had thrust
his feet that morning when he came
into the Office.
"YOu think l will not do?" Mr.. JEFF
ferson smiled at him frankly. Il am
not so free from wisdom, perhaps, aft
er all. Let this British minister see
us as we are. for men and women and
not dummies for tinery. Moreover,
remember we'll enough how we cooled
, u heels there in London, MI. Madi.
son and myself. They showed us little
courtesy enough. Well, they shall
have no complaint here. We will treat
them as we'll as we do the others, as
we'll as the electors who sent us here!'
Meriwether Lewis allowed himself a
smile.
go" added his chief. "Garb your
self as l would have youth your best.
But there will be no precedence ct ia.
BILE this evening-remember that! Let
them take seats pel!mell, the devil take
the hindmOst. A fair field for every
one and favor to none! Seat them as
nearly as possible as they should not
be seated and leave the rest to me.
All these-indeed, all history and all
the records-shall take me precisely
as | am"
An hour later Meriwether Lewis
and handsomely clad, as was seeming
with n Of his family and his place
a tall and superb figure Of young man
hood, as proper a man as ever stood
in buckled shoes in any country of the
world.
The guests came presently, folk of
many sorts. With Mr.. Jefferson as
president the democracy Of America
had invaded Washington, taking more
and more liberties, and it had many
representatives on hand. With these
came persons of rank Of this and other
lands, dignitaries, diplomats, officials,
ministers Of foreign powers. Carriages
with outriders came trundling over the
partially paved roads of the crude cap.
ital city. Footmen opened doors to
gentlemen and ladies in full dress,
wearing insignia Of honor, displaying
gems, orders, decorations, jewels, all
the brilliant costumes Of the European
courts.
They came up the path to the door
of the mansion, where, to their amaze.
ment, they were met only by Mr.. JET.
ferson's bowling old darby Ben, who
ushered them in, helped them with
their wraps and asked them to make
themselves at home. And only old
Henry, Mr.. Jefferson's butler, bowed
them in as they passed from the entry
hall into the anteroom which lay be.
tween that and the large dining sa
loon.
The numbers increased rapidly. Wha1
at first was a general gathering be
came a crowd, then a mob. There was
no assigned place for any, nc presen
tation of n stranger to another
friends could not find friends. Nut
.rlngs arose. Crowding and ~jostling