Daisy In The Field

"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.