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As I Remember: Recollections of American Society during the Nineteenth Century Flashcards

Marian Gouverneur · Public domain edition · 382 cards · 104 chapters

Marian Gouverneur’s memoir recounts her family’s experiences in nineteenth-century American society, tracing ancestry through the Revolution and earlier migrations. The deck covers her relatives’ Revolutionary divisions, education, Jacobite songs, and figures such as Malcolm Campbell and the Picken family.

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Chapter 1 · Question

What did Marian Gouverneur's maternal grandfather do, and how did he acquire the family farm?

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Section 14 cards

What did Marian Gouverneur's maternal grandfather do, and how did he acquire the family farm?
Captain John Hazard commanded a privateersman during the Revolution and purchased the farm on the old Rockaway Road from Edmond Charles Genet, the first French Minister to the United States. The author still possessed the old parchment deed of transfer. During the Revolution, Hazard's ship was captured by Admiral George B. Rodney, and he bore the scars of irons to his death.
Chapter 1
What did the author's mother recall about her father's treatment aboard Rodney's ship?
After Captain Hazard was 'comfortably housed in irons' aboard Admiral Rodney's ship, he overheard a conversation about the punishment he deserved, including the remark 'Hang the damned rebel.' The author says this made an indelible impression on her mother's memory, emphasized by the fact that her father bore the scars of those irons until his death.
Chapter 1
How did the Hazard family divide over the Revolution, and what parallel does the author draw?
Jonathan Hazard, brother of the author's grandfather, espoused the English cause, possibly influenced by an English mother, Sarah Owen of Shropshire. He entered the British navy, changed his name to Carr, rose to Post-Captain, and died unmarried at his brother's Long Island home. The author cites this as history repeating itself, comparing it to the fratricidal Civil War.
Chapter 1
What does the author say about the slave Cuff and the purchase deed of Ben?
Cuff was an old-fashioned, festive negro born in this country who believed existence was for his own enjoyment, had a genius for discovering holidays (inventing 'Paas Monday' and so on), and held supreme contempt for 'Guinea niggers,' those born in Africa. The author also possesses the original deed of purchase for Ben, a predecessor in the Hazard family, from Hendrick Suydam, dated April 28, 1807, for two hundred dollars.
Chapter 1

Section 24 cards

Where was Marian Gouverneur's mother educated, and who was one of her preceptors at Jamaica?
She began at a well-known academy in the village of Jamaica, where one of her preceptors was the Hon. Luther Bradish, later Lieutenant Governor of New York and president of the New York Historical Society at his death. Her education continued at Miss Sarah Pierce's school in Litchfield, Connecticut, described as one of the most fashionable institutions of that period.
Chapter 2
What did Captain Hazard say about matrimony, and what letter does the author possess?
Captain Hazard remarked that matrimony was a lottery and that he had drawn two prizes, referring to his marriages to Miss Leupp of New Jersey and then Lydia Blackwell. The author owns an old letter from Miss Blackwell to her grandfather before their marriage, written in quaint, formal style, ending with 'Burn this.'
Chapter 2
How did the author's mother learn her step-mother was not her birth mother?
She grew up never knowing until she was a good-sized girl, learning it from a schoolmate who told her out of revenge for some fancied wrong. She hurried home believing the cruel story untrue, only to have it confirmed by the woman who had been as affectionate and unselfish as any mother could be.
Chapter 2
What does the chapter say about the Battle of Culloden and the nine of diamonds?
The battle was fought April 16, 1746, often called the 'Culloden Massacre.' The Duke of Cumberland's order to grant no quarter earned him the title 'The Butcher of Culloden.' It is suggested he was deep in his cups, and the order, reduced to writing on a playing card, was the nine of diamonds, still known as 'the curse of Scotland.'
Chapter 2

Section 34 cards

What Jacobite songs did Gouverneur know, and how did they affect her?
She learned Jacobite songs her father sang, handed down in the Campbell family. She was so imbued with the Jacobite spirit of her forefathers that reading of George I bringing his Hanoverian Court to England felt like a personal grievance. A fragment of one song, about "nae luck aboot the hoose" when "our gude man's awa," still rang in her ears.
Chapter 3
Who was Malcolm Campbell, and what did he accomplish after reaching New York?
Gouverneur's grandfather, Malcolm Campbell, earned an M.A. from the University of St. Andrews, and the diploma remained with his descendants. He befriended Andrew Picken before leaving Scotland and sailed with the Picken family. In New York he established a classical school at 85 Broadway near Trinity Church, edited the first American editions of Cicero's orations and Caesar's commentaries, and published a revised l'Abbé Tardy French dictionary in 1808.
Chapter 3
How did the Picken family come to emigrate, and how did the friendship continue?
Mrs. Picken was the only daughter of Sir Charles Burdette of London; she and Andrew Picken, a native of Stewarton in Ayrshire from a younger branch of a noble family, had made a clandestine marriage four years earlier. After failing to reconcile with her father, they resolved to emigrate. The families grew close during the nine-week, three-day voyage, settled in New York, and named children after each other. The friendship continued into Gouverneur's day.
Chapter 3
What does the 1772 advertisement for Queen's College reveal, and who signed it?
The New York Journal advertisement announces that a Seminary of Learning called Queen's College opened at New Brunswick the previous November, plus a Grammar School to prepare youth. It promises instruction in arts and sciences, strict attention to moral conduct, and a person teaching reading, writing and arithmetic an hour daily. Frederick Frelinghuysen, Tutor, signed it by order of the trustees; he graduated from Princeton in 1770 and later became a lawyer.
Chapter 3

Section 53 cards

How did Malcolm Campbell mock Samuel F. Kneeland in court?
As opposing counsel, Kneeland kept quoting from his own work on "Mechanics' Liens." Malcolm Campbell rose and said his opponent cited nothing but his own printed opinions, then recited doggerel asking whether Kneeland wrote such a fat book on liens for glory, pelf, or the pleasure of quoting himself. The verse drew applause, and the judges joined the merriment.
Chapter 5
Why did Grandfather Hazard object to Mary Ann Hazard's marriage, and how did the couple proceed?
The author says the objection was not unnatural: Mary Ann was his only child, and he was well advanced in years and dreaded the separation. The couple married on June 10, 1818, at Flushing, L.I., in what the author calls a runaway marriage; the bride then brought her husband to live in the old home where she was born.
Chapter 5
What does the chapter say about Delia Bacon and her later reputation?
Delia Bacon, with Alice and Julia Bacon, presided over the Jamaica school the author attended from age four. The author notes Delia later became an enthusiastic advocate of the Baconian authorship of Shakespeare's plays and reportedly made a pilgrimage to Stratford-on-Avon hoping to secure authority to reopen Shakespeare's grave, a desire that remained ungratified.
Chapter 5

Section 64 cards

What was Miss Maria Forbes's school like, and who was admitted?
Miss Forbes's school for young girls, opposite St. John's Park at Varick and Beach streets, was the fashionable school of the day. The author attended with her sister Fanny and her younger brother James, since Miss Forbes occasionally admitted boys accompanied by older sisters. School ran promptly from eight o'clock until three without intermission, under the strictest principles of learning and etiquette.
Chapter 6
How did John Forbes become librarian, and on what terms?
John Forbes, a native of Aberdeen brought to America in youth by his widowed mother, was appointed librarian of the New York Society Library at only nineteen, in 1798. His salary was two hundred and fifty dollars a year plus fines, two and a half per cent of moneys collected, and use or rental of the lower front room. After many years it rose to five hundred dollars.
Chapter 6
Why was the author punished at Miss Forbes's school?
Miss Forbes, a pronounced disciplinarian, punished trivial offenses by placing a child in a darkened room in a tow apron. The author was confined for hours after her brother James, made monitor during Miss Forbes's brief absence, reported her for misbehavior—the charge being that she had smiled. Feeling the punishment unjust, she bit the tough apron into many pieces.
Chapter 6
What did the author learn about Count Tasistro at school?
In Miss Forbes's schoolroom the author first heard of title-bearing gentlemen: Count Louis Fitzgerald Tasistro, newly arrived in New York, whose engagement to Adelaide Lynch was announced. Introduced into exclusive society through Gouverneur Kemble, he became the lion of the hour. The marriage soon ended unfortunately, and his origin remained a mystery until his death.
Chapter 6

Section 74 cards

What medical treatment did Dr. Francis and other practitioners of the day favor?
The author recalls that Dr. Francis, the fashionable physician nicknamed the "Doctor Sangrado" of the period, believed with other practitioners in curing all maladies by copious bleeding and a dose of calomel. His favorite prescription for nearly every ailment was "calomel and jalap."
Chapter 7
Why was young Marian summoned home from Miss Forbes's school?
A boarding pupil from Santa Cruz had died of "iliac passion," now called appendicitis, under Dr. Ralph I. Bush. Marian was accused of making an indiscreet remark about Bush's management of the case. She faced a cross-examination by her parents and Dr. Francis, though she had no memory of any offending remark.
Chapter 7
What caused the misunderstanding between Dr. Bush and Dr. Francis?
Two children were ill at the school at once: Dr. Bush's patient and a child with a broken arm attended by Dr. Francis. Francis set the limb but was not proficient as a surgeon, and the schoolgirls criticized the act. Marian, loyal to her family doctor, made a childish remark defending him, which Bush took as an offense.
Chapter 7
What subjects and accomplishments did Miss Forbes's pupils study?
The girls were taught needlework and embroidery, since no young woman's education was considered complete without them. Miss Forbes taught the rudiments herself; Mr. Luther Jackson instructed in the Italian style of chirography, and Mr. Gauvain taught French so well that pupils staged French plays, including Racine's "Athalie."
Chapter 7

Section 84 cards

Who taught dancing at Marian Gouverneur's school, and what dances did he teach?
John J. Charraud, a refugee from Hayti after the island's revolution, taught dancing. He opened his dancing-school on Murray Street in New York and later gave his "publics" in the City Hall. He came to the school three times a week and taught only the cotillion and the three-step waltz.
Chapter 8
What was the "excellence medal" and what privilege came with it?
Miss Forbes kept medals the girls could wear at stated periods for proficiency in studies and exemplary deportment. The "excellence medal" was awarded to an exultant pupil who could wear it for two weeks. It was inscribed with Solomon's proverb, "Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."
Chapter 8
How did Van Buren's 1824 letter warn Campbell about gossip?
Writing privately from Albany on October 28, 1824, Van Buren urged Campbell to attend to the Assembly ticket and said the Governor's election was certain. He cautioned, "Be careful of this," warning that the city was a gossiping place where a confidence told to one man soon reached hundreds, and asked Campbell to impress friends without connecting him to it.
Chapter 8
What were table appointments and dinner customs like at the author's father's house?
Table appointments were simple and unostentatious. Wine coolers were common but floral decorations rare; the heavy beaten-silver forks and spoons were used on special occasions, with steel knives having ivory handles. Ice cream came as tall pyramids, always vanilla from the bean. Castors were de rigueur, linen was imported from Ireland, dinner was at three o'clock, and the table seated twenty.
Chapter 8

Section 94 cards

What did Philip Hone reply when his brother John urged adopting a coat of arms?
Philip Hone rejected the idea, saying, "I will have no arms except those Almighty God has given me." The author presents this as characteristic of the man, whom she describes as having a fine presence, elegant manners, and as "one of nature's noblemen." The anecdote was told to her by Arent Schuyler de Peyster, a source of many early New York society traditions.
Chapter 9
Who was the first to use the phrase "Aquila non capit muscas" according to the chapter?
The author says Sir Francis Bacon was first, using the exact words in his "Jurisdiction of the Marshes," long before either Daniel Manning or the Italian poet Casti were born. Manning, Cleveland's Secretary of the Treasury, used a crest with that motto on invitation cards; Casti reportedly used it when Joseph II asked if he feared punishment for insulting the Czarina.
Chapter 9
What did John H. Contoit's ice cream garden sell and at what price?
Contoit kept an ice cream garden on Broadway near White Street, described as the first such establishment in New York as far as the author knows. In summer it drew those seeking cool air and pleasant society, with ice cream served in high glasses under vines and lattice work. The price was twelve and one-half cents, paid with Mexican shillings or Mexican quarter dollars, since nickels and dimes were unknown.
Chapter 9
What special service did hatter James Leary provide for unusual heads?
Leary, the fashionable New York hatter with a shop on Broadway under the Astor House, kept individual blocks for customers whose heads were of unusual dimensions, as was usual with his craft then. His show window sometimes displayed a remarkably large block fitted to Daniel Webster, General James Watson Webb, and Charles Augustus Davis. His daughter Anna Leary of Newport, a devout Roman Catholic, received the title of Countess from the Pope.
Chapter 9

Section 103 cards

How was household marketing typically done in the era described?
The author recalls that marketing was always done by the mistress of each house, accompanied by a servant carrying a large basket. The principal markets were Washington on the North River and Fulton on the east side. In season, small girls sold strawberries door to door, and in summer months colored men sold hot corn from closed receptacles, their cries heard throughout the city.
Chapter 10
What story does the author tell about Thomas Morris and Louis Philippe?
Thomas Morris, son of financier Robert Morris, hosted Louis Philippe (then Duke of Orleans) in America. Years later, Morris gave John Greig a letter of introduction to the Duke. On arriving in France, Greig discovered Louis Philippe now sat on the throne, hesitated to present the letter, but was welcomed with open arms, as the King had not forgotten American hospitality and favors from the Morris family.
Chapter 10
What cause enlisted the author's father's sympathies in 1823 and 1824?
The author states her father's sympathies were deeply enlisted on behalf of the Greeks in their struggle for independence from Turkish rule in 1823 and 1824, the cause to which Byron devoted his last energies. Public sentiment was aroused, and meetings were held to lend moral support and raise funds. Her father appealed to Rudolph Bunner, a wealthy Oswego citizen, whose reply letter is quoted.
Chapter 10

Section 114 cards

What does Bunner say America could supply for the Greek cause, and what limits it?
Bunner writes that if the Greeks wanted five hundred tall, hardy men of bold spirit, America could furnish them, but doubts such men could raise money for passage. He fears the country's poverty (angusta res domi) prevents effective benevolence, though he promises an effort to show good will if not wealth.
Chapter 11
Where does Bunner think freedom's battle could be fought more effectively than in Greece?
Bunner suggests that if the Holy Alliance moved against the Spanish New World, American backwoodsmen would rush to help the regenerated Spaniards. There, he argues, they might fight the battle for universal freedom more effectively than at Thermopylae or Marathon, striking a blow against despotic power.
Chapter 11
How does Bunner distinguish real conviction from calculating policy?
Bunner calls himself and his circle real Radical Democrats who will not turn back even at the cost of the penny fee. He argues a converted politician is as obstinate as one born in the faith, while the man of craft shifts with the political heavens: one plays a game, the other treats politics as earnestly as his domestic affairs.
Chapter 11
How does Bunner describe his life in Oswego in his letter?
Bunner calls himself an exile but refuses to whimper over being placed in Patmos rather than a splendid theatre. He says he can be useful to family and district, live cheaply, and grow his fortune. He praises the small but growing society, the mild autumn, the clear lake, and the beautiful river, claiming the prospect has no equal.
Chapter 11

Section 124 cards

What positions did Hugh Maxwell hold, and what was his connection to the Gouverneur family?
Hugh Maxwell was a prominent member of the New York bar who earlier served as District Attorney and later as Collector of the Port of New York. The Maxwells owned a summer residence at Nyack-on-the-Hudson, where the Gouverneur children made occasional visits. Years later, one of the author's daughters formed an intimate friendship with Maxwell's granddaughter, Virginia De Lancey Kearny, later Mrs. Ridgely Hunt, which ended with the latter's death in 1897.
Chapter 12
What did Verplanck accomplish at Columbia College, and what did he edit with Bryant and Sands?
Verplanck graduated from Columbia College in 1801 as the youngest Bachelor of Arts to that time to receive a diploma from the institution. With William Cullen Bryant and Robert C. Sands, he edited The Talisman, an annual that continued through the year 1827. He also represented his district in Congress for four terms, served in the State Senate, and was long Vice Chancellor of the University of the State of New York.
Chapter 12
How did Bennett nickname his three rival papers, and why did the author's father dislike the Herald?
The author says the Herald was exceptionally spicy and dealt so much in personalities that her father, a gentleman of the old school with conservative views, was not one of its strongest admirers. Before the Civil War, editor James Gordon Bennett dubbed his three New York contemporaries the World, the Flesh, and the Devil: the World for human life with its pomps and vanities, the Times as vacillating as the flesh, and the Tribune as the virulent abolition champion, the Devil.
Chapter 12
What condition was attached to the Bennetts' charity ball tickets, and how was it broken?
In winter 1842, James Gordon Bennett took his bride, Henrietta Agnes Crean, to Washington, where society women organized a charity ball for the destitute under Mrs. Madison, Mrs. Samuel L. Gouverneur, and others. Bennett's ticket request was first refused, then granted by Mrs. Madison and Mrs. Gouverneur on condition that no mention of the ball appear in the Herald. Two days later an extended account appeared, to the managers' chagrin.
Chapter 12

Section 134 cards

What did Madame Chegaray say when she refused to raise Eloise's salary at Madame Nau's school?
Madame Chegaray recounts that she asked Madame Nau for $250 a year instead of $150, and Nau refused, replying "Me navra le coeur" (it wounded my heart). Chegaray calls this reply overwhelming. She had been carrying all the burden of the school while Madame Nau amused herself with harp and piano, and she also knitted woolen jackets to help support her family.
Chapter 13
How and when did Madame Chegaray open her own school?
After Miss Sophy Hay encouraged her, Madame Chegaray opened her school on Greenwich Street on May 1, 1814, with sixteen pupils. Madame Iselin advanced money for purchases like splint chairs, carpets, and tables. M. Roulet sent his two wards, she received scholars from a convent just closed, and her nieces and Clara Désabaye were among the first pupils. She was only twenty-two.
Chapter 13
What did M. Felix de Beaujour tell Chegaray that changed her approach to study?
Chegaray was bewailing her ignorance before M. Felix de Beaujour, Consul General of France. He told her, "Mlle. Eloise, quand on sait lire on peut toujours s'istruire" (when one knows how to read, one can always educate oneself). This gave her a new thought: she took classes, studied the night before what she would teach the next day, and worked early and late.
Chapter 13
What does the author say about the founding and editing of the Evening Post?
The author states the Evening Post was established in 1801, many years before the Courier and Enquirer. It was always widely read, democratic in tone, and its editorials were highly regarded. While she lived in New York and much later, it was edited by William Cullen Bryant, whom she praises as gifted an editor as he was a poet. She owns a reprint of the first issue, dated November 16, 1801.
Chapter 13

Section 144 cards

Who taught at Madame Chegaray's school, and what later roles did some hold?
All teachers were men except Mrs. Joseph McKee, wife of a Presbyterian clergyman. Teachers included John Bigelow, later Secretary of State of New York and Minister to France; Thatcher T. Payne; Edward G. Andrew, later a Methodist bishop; Robert Adrain, a mathematics professor also on Columbia College's faculty; and Lorenzo L. da Ponte, distinguished linguist who taught English literature.
Chapter 14
What did Madame Chegaray say about the two books she would keep?
Madame Chegaray, who taught the highest classes in French, was fond of saying that if she had to give up all books but two, she would choose the Gospels and La Fontaine's Fables. In the Gospels, she said, you have everything necessary for your spiritual life; in the Fables you have the epitome of all worldly wisdom.
Chapter 14
What happened to Henrietta Croom and her family in 1836?
Henrietta Croom, daughter of botanist Henry B. Croom, graduated early and sailed with her parents, siblings and aunt Mrs. Cammack on the vessel Home for Charleston. After several days at sea a severe storm off Cape Hatteras sank the ship on October 9, 1836; every family member perished, along with Madame Chegaray's brother, his wife and three children.
Chapter 14
How was the Croom estate dispute resolved after the shipwreck?
The Crooms owned large Southern plantations and many slaves. After it was known no family member survived, the Crooms and Armisteads litigated the estate for about twenty years, employing lawyers including Judge John McPherson Berrien and Joseph M. White. It was decided for the Armisteads because young Croom, a lad of twelve, was regarded as the survivor, making his grandmother Mrs. Henrietta Smith his heir. The author says the case has been regarded as a judicial precedent.
Chapter 14

Section 154 cards

What coincidence did the author notice in the Byron edition, and what did she do?
She found an édition de luxe of "Les Dames de Byron" in her father's library, and its illustration "Leila" resembled her best friend Henrietta Croom. The lines beneath seemed to suggest Henrietta's history, so the author committed them to memory and gives them from memory.
Chapter 15
What happened to Josephine Habersham's family during the Civil War?
Josephine Habersham of Savannah, a star music pupil at Madame Chegaray's, married her cousin William Neyle Habersham, an accomplished musician. They lived elegantly in Savannah until the Civil War disturbed their tranquil dreams; two sons, both under twenty-one, died for the Southern cause. Music afterward became their chief solace.
Chapter 15
How did Sarah Jones come to join the Roman Catholic Church and become Mother Superior?
Sarah Jones, daughter of Chancellor Samuel Jones, was close to Maria Brandegee, whose devout Roman Catholic family hosted Archbishop Hughes of New York. Impressed by his teachings, Sarah followed him to the Cathedral, became a regular attendant, later joined the Roman Catholic Church, and entered the order of the Sacre Coeur at Manhattanville, eventually becoming Mother Superior for many years.
Chapter 15
What did the author learn about Sarah Jones's knowledge of her father's condition?
Visiting Sarah Jones at the Convent of the Sacre Coeur with Charles O'Conor, the author found her interested in discussing her family but evidently not well informed about them. O'Conor asked whether Madame Jones knew her father the Chancellor was near death; the author said she apparently did not, and days later his death appeared in a newspaper.
Chapter 15

Section 164 cards

What happened to Sally Otis and her family, and what caused it?
The whole Otis family was taken ill after drinking poisoned coffee. The cook reported that a package of coffee had been sent to the house, and, assuming someone in the household had ordered it, she used it for breakfast. The matter remained shrouded in mystery; one story blamed a vindictive woman with a grievance against a single family member. None of the cases proved fatal, though several became seriously ill.
Chapter 16
How did Virginia Scott join the Georgetown Convent, and how did her parents react?
After converting to Catholicism in Rome, Virginia Scott returned to America with her mother and, after a short stay with her parents in Washington, drove to Georgetown and was received into the Convent of the Visitation without their knowledge or consent. Her family bitterly opposed it; her mother never forgave the Church. General Scott, however, frequently visited her and showed consideration for the Convent and nuns.
Chapter 16
What does the chapter say about Father Connelly's religious career and marriage?
Father Connelly began as an Episcopal clergyman. Marriage barred him from becoming a Roman Catholic priest, but his wife shared his religious ardor, so when he entered the priesthood she became a nun. He lacked stability in his religious views and was later received again into the Episcopal Church. He wanted his wife to join him, but she refused to leave the Convent and eventually founded the Order of the Sisters of the Holy Child.
Chapter 16
Who was Martha Pierce Stanard, and what does the chapter report about her life?
Martha Pierce of Louisville was a pupil of Madame Chegaray. Traveling under Henry Clay's care, she met Robert Craig Stanard of Richmond on the Capitol steps and married him a year later at sixteen. Her Richmond home, later the Westmoreland Club, was a notable salon. The author reports that Washington Irving said she received more attention in English high society than any other American woman he knew. She left no descendants.
Chapter 16

Section 174 cards

Why did Marian's father take and burn her schoolbook of Shelley, Coleridge and Keats?
The author recalls owning a schoolbook titled "Shelley, Coleridge and Keats." Her father confiscated it and, she later learned, burned it because of his detestation of Shelley's moral character. He once quoted Shelley extracts in court as illustrative of the poet's character, though she cannot recall the passage.
Chapter 17
Why did Madame Chegaray open a school in Madison, New Jersey, instead of retiring there?
After years of teaching, Madame Chegaray gave up her New York school and moved to Madison, New Jersey (once called Bottle Hill), intending to spend her remaining years in retirement. She soon discovered through a relative that her affairs had become deeply involved, and with undaunted courage opened a school in the house she had bought for retirement.
Chapter 17
What did Professor Robert Adrian teach Marian at home, and what was her attitude toward Venus?
While still at Madame Chegaray's school, her father, thinking her insufficiently proficient in mathematics and astronomy, hired Professor Robert Adrian of Columbia College for private instruction at home. She enjoyed traversing the firmament and was always faithful to Venus, feeling her proprietorship in that planet as established and tangible as a Fifth Avenue lot.
Chapter 17
How did Charlotte Canda die, and what monument followed?
On her way to a ball with a girl friend, Charlotte Canda was thrown from her carriage and was dead when picked up, in February 1845 on the eve of her seventeenth birthday. No injuries were found, so it was generally supposed the shock brought on heart-failure. Her disconsolate parents ordered a costly monument from Italy, placed at Greenwood Cemetery.
Chapter 17

Section 184 cards

How did Mrs. Clinton snub President Van Buren at the United States Hotel?
When Van Buren approached her in the crowded hotel parlor with a smile and extended hand, Mrs. Clinton turned her back and made her escort, the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires Figanière, imitate her. The author says Mrs. Clinton believed Van Buren already understood her feelings, since years earlier she had declined to see him when he and Andrew Jackson called together, admitting Jackson but not Van Buren.
Chapter 18
Why did Mrs. Clinton tolerate few fires in her University Place house?
The author recalls that Mrs. Clinton had a greater horror of dirt than the average housewife and objected to the uncleanness caused by dust and ashes, so she permitted only a few fires. No matter how cold the house or day, she never seemed to suffer and instead complained it was overheated, though guests commented on the frigid air.
Chapter 18
What did Mrs. Clinton reply when asked if Augusta Clinton would finish school?
She answered no, stuttering, that Augusta had sufficient education, adding that she herself attended school only two months and was sure she was smart enough. Her niece Margaret Gelston retorted to think how much smarter she'd have been had she stayed longer; Mrs. Clinton replied angrily that she didn't want to be any smarter.
Chapter 18
What happened to Mary Gelston Winthrop's bequest to Princeton Theological Seminary?
Her will left an immense estate to the Seminary, asking the Trustees to use it to promote the extension of Christ's Church and God's glory, and directing it be regarded as given jointly with her deceased sister Margaret. Distant relatives contested the will, and through a compromise the Seminary finally received between $1,600,000 and $1,700,000.
Chapter 18

Section 194 cards

What rumor circulated about the diamond necklace Mrs. Boreel wore at the ball?
Mrs. Francis R. Boreel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Langdon, wore in her dark hair a diamond necklace recently given by her grandfather, John Jacob Astor. It was currently rumored at the time that it cost twenty thousand dollars, then a very large amount to invest in a single article of that character. Her mother was Dorothea Astor, and Mrs. Boreel was usually regarded as the handsomest of the three beautiful Langdon daughters.
Chapter 19
According to Dr. Morgan Dix, what was Henry Astor's role before coming to New York?
The author states, on the authority of the late Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix, rector of Trinity church and a life-long friend of the Astor connection, that Henry Astor, brother of John Jacob Astor, was a private in a Hessian regiment that fought against the colonies in the Revolutionary War. After its close he remained in New York, worked for a butcher in the old Oswego market, and later became a highly successful business man.
Chapter 19
How did John Jacob Astor begin his working life in New York?
John Jacob Astor sailed for America as a steerage passenger, arriving in Baltimore in January 1784, and later went to New York. He spent his first night in the house of George Dieterich, a fellow countryman he had known in Germany, who employed him to peddle cakes. After accumulating a little money he hired his own store selling toys and German knickknacks, later adding skins and even musical instruments to his stock.
Chapter 19
What does the 1826 Astor letter to James Monroe request?
The author owns an original letter from John Jacob Astor, dated New York, April 26, 1826, to ex-President James Monroe, her husband's grandfather. Astor congratulates Monroe on his honorable retirement, then asks, without wishing to cause inconvenience, that the long-standing loan be put in a train of settlement, at least in part with interest due. The author notes the debt was paid in full.
Chapter 19

Section 203 cards

How did John Jacob Astor accumulate his vast wealth, according to the chapter?
The chapter states that Astor's numerous descendants can take comfort that every dollar of his vast wealth was accumulated through thrift while he led an upright life. It presents this as a flattering point in his family's favor rather than detailing his business methods.
Chapter 20
Who introduced Italian Opera to New York around 1825, and who came with the troupe?
The chapter credits Dominick Lynch with introducing the Italian Opera to New York about 1825, delighting the cultivated classes. Through his efforts Madame Malibran, her father Signor Garcia, and her brother Manuel Garcia came to America and remained for quite a period. Dr. John W. Francis also credits the liberality of Park Theater manager Stephen Price and Lorenzo Da Ponte.
Chapter 20
Which prominent figures does the chapter list as users of snuff?
The chapter names Dryden, Dean Swift, Pope, Addison, Lord Chesterfield, Dr. Johnson, Garrick, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Keats, Charles Lamb, Gibbon, Walter Scott and Darwin as prominent worshipers of the snuff-box, some indulging to intemperance. It quotes Gibbon describing his snuff-taking manner and a Boswell verse praising snuff.
Chapter 20

Section 213 cards

What caused the 1849 Astor Place Theater riot and what were its casualties?
The riot stemmed from jealousy between English actor William C. Macready and his American rival Edwin Forrest, who believed Macready had turned England against him. While Macready performed Macbeth, a mob attacked the theater; the riot was quelled only after a bitter struggle involving police and military, leaving twenty-one killed and thirty-three wounded.
Chapter 21
How did the Forrest divorce trial conclude and who represented each side?
In 1850 Edwin Forrest's wife filed for divorce in New York's Superior Court; the trial lasted two years. She was represented by Charles O'Conor, Forrest by "Prince" John Van Buren. Though evidence of moral delinquency existed on both sides, the verdict favored Mrs. Forrest. James Gordon Bennett wrote in the Herald that, raised in turmoil and excitement, she could not live without it.
Chapter 21
What does the author say about Fanny Kemble's acting and her published journal?
The author calls Fanny Kemble "the queen of tragedy," praising her Shakespearean performances and later readings as an epoch in her life. Kemble's journal, published after returning to England, displeased American readers; the author doubts her story of children named after classical heroes, such as Alfonzo Alonzo Agamemnon Dionysius Bogardus, thinking it invented.
Chapter 21

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Who were the three collegiate church clergymen the author heard in lower New York?
The Rev. Dr. John Knox, known for gentle and appealing ministrations; the Rev. Dr. Thomas De Witt, a profound theologian and courtly gentleman; and the Rev. Dr. William C. Brownlee, whose vigorous Scotch accent preached against "papery" (popery). A frequent interchange of pulpits let the author hear all three. Brownlee later suffered a paralytic stroke that left him speechless.
Chapter 22
Why did Dr. Francis L. Hawks leave his New York parish for Baltimore?
Hawks was the popular rector of St. Thomas's church on Broadway and Houston Streets, praised for his masterly rendition of the Episcopal service. During the Civil War he made his Southern sympathies quite apparent to his parishioners, and since most did not share his views, he moved to Baltimore, where a more congenial atmosphere surrounded him.
Chapter 22
Why was the Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, junior, tried and convicted?
In summer 1867, in defiance of Episcopal Church canons, Tyng preached in St. James's Methodist church in New Brunswick, N.J., invading without authority the parishes of the Rev. Dr. Alfred Stubs and the Rev. Dr. Edward B. Boggs. His trial drew sensational interest and ended in his conviction. Anthony Bleecker mocked the affair in comic verses, including one for Tyng senior.
Chapter 22
What did Father Pise advise the young woman who offered him her fortune, heart, and hand?
Father Pise, the first native-born Catholic to officiate at St. Joseph's church, was of Italian parentage and notably handsome and sociable. When a young woman forgetful of proprieties offered her fortune, heart, and hand, he dignifiedly advised her to give her heart to God, her money to the poor, and her hand to the man who asked for it.
Chapter 22

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Why was Dr. Samuel H. Cox's Presbyterian church stoned by a mob?
Dr. Cox, rector of a Presbyterian church on Laight Street opposite St. John's Park, was a prominent abolitionist. While the author's family lived on nearby Hubert Street, the church was stoned by a mob because the rector had expressed his anti-slavery views too freely. Cox was an uncle of Bishop Arthur Cleveland Cox of the Episcopal Church.
Chapter 23
How did funeral customs described in the chapter differ from later practice?
Coffins of the well-to-do were solid mahogany without handles; the author understood persons of the Hebrew faith used pine coffins, believing that wood more durable. Pall-bearers wore three-yard white linen scarfs with a rosette and received black gloves from the family; the scarf was originally meant to be made into a shirt. Church funerals were less common, mourners walked to in-city cemeteries, and women rarely attended.
Chapter 23
What happened to the accused in the 1842 Somers Mutiny case?
Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie had Philip Spencer (a midshipman under nineteen, son of John C. Spencer) and sailors Samuel Cromwell and Elisha Small hanged at the yard arm, charged with conspiring to capture the ship. After only a preliminary examination, with no formal trial or defense testimony, they were summarily executed on officers' advice. A court martial returned 'not proven'; the father's counsel was refused permission to question witnesses.
Chapter 23
What did Cooper and Benton conclude about the Somers executions?
James Fenimore Cooper opined that Mackenzie's conduct showed such obliquity of intellect that no analysis of his motives could rest on any consistent principle of human action. Thomas H. Benton, in a lengthy critical review, declared the three men 'died innocent, as history will tell and show.' The author notes the father was not allowed to ask one question at the posthumous trial.
Chapter 23

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What did Louisa Fairlie retort to John Slidell's remark about her sister's marriage?
Miss Fairlie replied, "Sir, you have been dipped not moulded into society." The remark followed Slidell's tactless comment on her sister Mary's marriage to the actor Thomas Apthorpe Cooper, a subject the Fairlie family found sensitive. The author notes the pun alludes to Slidell's father, listed in the 1789 New York directory as a soap boiler and chandler.
Chapter 24
What circumstances does the chapter say led John Slidell to move to New Orleans?
The chapter says the family firm "John Slidell, Jr. and Company" failed, and that this failure, together with the scandal attending his duel with Stephen Price, manager of the Park Theater, in which Price was wounded, were the controlling factors that led Slidell to move to New Orleans. There he became celebrated as a lawyer and later represented Louisiana in the Senate.
Chapter 24
Where did the author stay at Long Branch, and what did she recall about the beach?
The author, about ten years old, stayed with her family at a commodious unnamed boarding house called "Mrs. Sairs'," reached by steamboat through rough water that caused widespread seasickness. Guests complained the beach was too exclusively taken by Mrs. Featherstonhaugh and Mrs. Willing with their admirers. Bathers wore no shoes or stockings and were escorted by a bathing master, with no lingering on the beach.
Chapter 24
How does the chapter describe Featherstonhaugh's 1847 book and his view of Jefferson?
Featherstonhaugh, an Englishman by birth, published in 1847 "Excursion through the Slave States from Washington on the Potomac to the Frontier of Mexico." He praised the canvas-back duck and soft-shell crab at Barnum's Hotel in Baltimore, compared it unfavorably with Gadsby's in Washington, visited Monticello, and called Jefferson the "Confucius of his country." The author found his American experiences as novel as a stay with Aborigines.
Chapter 24

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Why did the family go to Newport when the narrator was a child?
Her infant brother Malcolm became seriously ill, and family physician Dr. John W. Francis prescribed a change of air. Her parents took him to Newport, where the family found accommodations in a fashionable boarding house on Thames Street, whose guests were almost exclusively Southern families. After about a month his health had materially improved, and they returned to New York by way of Boston.
Chapter 25
What did the narrator learn about her Newport candy-store change?
Buying a shilling's worth of candy with a Mexican quarter dollar, she received little change and left convinced she had been cheated. She later learned that the New England shilling differed slightly from the New York shilling, so the currency of the New England States differed from New York's at that period.
Chapter 25
How does the narrator describe Emily Harper and her Newport home?
Emily Harper, daughter of Charles Carroll of Carrollton's daughter and widow of Robert Goodloe Harper, was deeply religious from childhood, charitable, and elevating in influence. Her cottage welcomed all sects—Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Hebrews, Unitarians—and the narrator recalls pleasant teas there. Miss Harper said she shared Chateaubriand's sentiment that saving one soul outweighed conquering a kingdom.
Chapter 25
What did Maltby Gelston tell the narrator about Mrs. Harper?
Gelston said Mrs. Harper was the only child of a Signer then living. The narrator notes he probably spoke from positive knowledge, being an authority on the subject: he had married the granddaughter of Philip Livingston, a New York Signer. The narrator also recalls Miss Harper attending her Washington wedding and Caleb Cushing's marked attentions to her.
Chapter 25

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Who were the social leaders of Newport during the author's second visit?
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morgan Gibbes, whose winter home was in New York. Mr. Gibbes was a South Carolinian by birth, a great-uncle of William Waldorf Astor, and had married Miss Emily Oliver of Paterson, New Jersey. They lived in a handsome house, gave sumptuous entertainments, and had several daughters the author knew well.
Chapter 26
What trivial circumstance made the Gibbes party memorable to the author?
It was the first time the author had seen mottoes used at entertainments; they were exceptionally handsome, and hers bore a large bunch of red currants. These favors were always imported and later became so fashionable that no dinner or supper table was considered proper without them. The author assumes this custom originated the german favors.
Chapter 26
Why did Mrs. Scott disapprove of Mr. McTavish's attentions to Marcella?
Mrs. Scott entirely disapproved on account of her daughter's extreme youth. Marcella was then only a schoolgirl; she later returned to Madame Chegaray's school as a boarding pupil and was not allowed visitors. After recovering from typhoid fever at the author's home, she renewed acquaintance with McTavish, and they married the following June.
Chapter 26
What delayed the Scott-McTavish wedding ceremony?
The ceremony was set for high noon, but an incorrigible mantua-maker failed to send home the bridal dress on time. Guests were told the cause and waited patiently while a second gown was hurriedly prepared behind the scenes. After an hour's delay the belated garment arrived, and the bride walked in on the groom's arm. Archbishop Hughes conducted the service.
Chapter 26

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Why did Charles Carroll McTavish's petition to the Maryland Legislature fail?
McTavish asked to drop his surname and assume that of his great-grandfather, Charles Carroll. Other descendants of the Signer strenuously opposed the request, regarding it as inexpedient to increase the number of Charles Carrolls, so the Legislature did not grant the petition.
Chapter 27
What did Mrs. Scott write about a nun taking the veil?
After witnessing the ceremony at a prominent Paris convent, Mrs. Scott wrote to her family that it was strange that human beings, knowing the fickleness of their natures, should bind themselves for life to one limited space and unvarying mode of existence.
Chapter 27
How did Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Holly react to Aaron Burr dining nearby on a Hudson steamboat?
While taking their mid-day meal at one end of the long table, they learned Aaron Burr was eating not far from them. Their indignation was boundless, and immediately there were two vacant chairs as they left.
Chapter 27
What happened to Laurens Hamilton after Monroe's reburial ceremonies in Richmond?
After the Richmond ceremonies, but before the 7th Regiment embarked for home, Laurens Hamilton—a grandson of Alexander Hamilton and son of John C. Hamilton—was drowned near Richmond. The regiment had accompanied Monroe's remains from New York as a guard of honor.
Chapter 27

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How did the Hudson River Railroad's finances change under Commodore Vanderbilt?
The chapter says the railroad was originally built under prominent men unskilled in such enterprises, and its finances were chaotic while officials gave fat offices to friends and relatives. Commodore Vanderbilt, with a master mind, grasped the situation and reorganized the whole system, greatly increasing his own fortune and placing the railroad on a sound financial basis.
Chapter 28
What does the chapter say about Commodore Vanderbilt's early ferry work?
The author recalls seeing Captain Vanderbilt in command of a steamboat and reports family hearsay that he called himself 'Captain Wanderbilt' and that his wife addressed him as 'Corneil.' The chapter states it is well-known that Vanderbilt began life operating a rowboat ferry between Staten Island and New York, with a sailboat later substituted on the same route.
Chapter 28
Who were the managers listed on the 1841 New York Assembly invitation?
The invitation, dated January 29, 1841, was addressed to the author's father and mother and lists twelve managers: Abraham Schermerhorn, Edmund Pendleton, James W. Otis, William Douglas, Henry Delafield, Henry W. Hicks, J. Swift Livingston, Jacob R. LeRoy, Thomas W. Ludlow, Charles McEvers Jr., William S. Miller, and Charles C. King. The author calls them representative citizens and prominent society men.
Chapter 28
Who was Preserved Fish, and how did he get his name?
The chapter describes Preserved Fish as senior member of Fish, Grinnell & Co., later Grinnell, Minturn & Co., originally from New Bedford. Found floating in the water as an infant by New Bedford fishermen who could not identify him, he was given that uncouth name and bore it until death. The author calls him an ideal self-made man, respected for energy and integrity, who became President of the Tradesmen's Bank.
Chapter 28

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Why was Mrs. Winfield Scott not invited to the Monroe-Robinson wedding?
Her invitation had been sent to Washington but was not forwarded to her in New York, where she was staying as the author's guest. When Mrs. Monroe learned Mrs. Scott was in New York, she and Colonel Monroe were exceedingly annoyed, since Mrs. Scott's presence and repartee added luster to every assemblage.
Chapter 29
How did the author first meet her future husband, Samuel L. Gouverneur, junior?
At the Monroe-Robinson wedding at Fanwood, he introduced himself, asked her name, and as groomsman offered to present her to the bride. She was struck by his appearance and by his recent service in the Mexican War with the 4th Artillery. They did not meet again until five years later in Washington, where she eventually became his bride.
Chapter 29
What does the chapter say about the Delafield brothers' deaths and funeral?
About thirty-five years before the author wrote, three brothers—Joseph, Henry, and Edward—all advanced in life, died within a few days of each other and were buried together in Greenwood Cemetery. The funeral took place from old Trinity Church, where all the old customs were observed and the coffins were made of solid mahogany.
Chapter 29
What does the chapter say about divorce and social reception in those days?
The author states that William Starr Miller's wife, a niece of Philip Schuyler, was, as far as she can remember, the only divorced person of those days who was well received in society. People with "past histories" were then regarded with marked disfavor.
Chapter 29

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Who were the senior members of the firm Gouverneur and Kemble?
The senior members were the brothers Nicholas and Isaac Gouverneur. The firm was bound by a close family tie, since Mrs. Peter Kemble was Gertrude Gouverneur, a sister of the two Gouverneur brothers. The firm was a shipping merchant house of New York that traded with China and other foreign countries.
Chapter 30
What did William Kemble establish in 1817 with his brother Gouverneur?
In 1817, at age twenty-one, William Kemble joined his older brother Gouverneur Kemble to establish the West Point foundry. It received heavy ordnance contracts from the United States government for a long period, and the famous Parrott guns were manufactured there. Captain Robert P. Parrott, the inventor, married Mary Kemble, their sister.
Chapter 30
What rules governed cadets visiting Benny Havens's store near West Point?
Benny Havens kept a store close to the Military Academy but not on government territory, so no cadet was allowed to enter. Liquor was his principal stock, with other goods as cover for unlawful traffic. Cadets visited under cover of darkness, and if caught there "after taps," the punishment was dismissal.
Chapter 30

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What was the standing invitation Gouverneur Kemble extended to West Point men?
All professors and many officers at West Point, whom Kemble called "the boys," had a standing invitation to his Saturday evening dinners at five o'clock in his picture gallery. Younger officers agreed among themselves that too many should not attend at once, since the table seated no more than thirty guests. When Kemble was away, his sister Mrs. Robert P. Parrott presided.
Chapter 31
How did Gouverneur Kemble carve illegally killed pheasants for his guests?
A Putnam County law forbade killing game in certain months. When a transgressor killed a pair of pheasants, they were nicknamed "owls," and the author saw two such "owls" carved so proficiently by Kemble that, though over a score sat at table, each person received a satisfying piece. Carving was then a fine art, largely lost since dinner à la Russe.
Chapter 31
What did Major Alfred Mordecai request at the start of the Civil War?
Mordecai, a Southerner and efficient Ordnance Corps officer, is said to have asked the War Department to assign him to duty that did not involve killing his kinsmen. The request was denied, and his resignation followed. The author recalls him among officers stationed at Cold Spring to inspect guns cast at the Kemble foundry.
Chapter 31
What did the author conclude about the rumor that the West Point foundry armed the Confederacy?
The author found the rumor unfounded. Georgia had ordered small rifled cannon before hostilities, with consent of General Alexander B. Dyer, Chief of Ordnance; Colonel Hardee was to inspect them. When war loomed, Robert P. Parrott refused to forward them, and private New York parties bought and presented them to the government, so they served against the Confederacy. The author thinks Bigelow's account is mistaken.
Chapter 31

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How did the author first meet Washington Irving, and what did Irving call Kemble's estate?
The author first saw Washington Irving when he was a guest of Gouverneur Kemble. Irving rechristened Kemble's inherited estate near Newark, New Jersey, "Cockloft Hall," and dubbed the bachelor-proprietor "The Patroon." Irving described this retreat in "Salmagundi," and the characters thought by many to be fanciful were in reality Kemble and his friends.
Chapter 32
What did Irving say of Kemble at their last meeting, and when did Irving die?
At their last meeting in summer 1859, Irving said of Kemble: "That is my friend of early life--always unchanged, always like a brother, one of the noblest beings that ever was created. His heart is pure gold." Irving died the following November at age seventy-six. The author hopes that in death the two friends are not separated.
Chapter 32
Who did the author introduce to each other in Washington in 1855, and what was Thackeray's pun?
In 1855, while Irving visited the Capital at age seventy-two, the author introduced him to William M. Thackeray, then delivering lectures on "The Four Georges." Later, at a family tea table, Thackeray discussed a novel's heroine forced to walk miles in stocking-feet, and exclaimed, "She was shoeicidal." The author notes he was not averse to a pun, even a poor one.
Chapter 32
How does the author describe Van Buren at Kemble's dinner, and who else joined the coterie?
At a dinner at "Uncle Gouv's" where Van Buren was principal guest, the author found him, years after leaving office, a quiet, deliberate old gentleman still well versed in affairs of state. James K. Paulding, who married a Kemble sister, and Van Buren, called "The Sage of Lindenwald," frequently joined the coterie around Kemble's board.
Chapter 32

Section 333 cards

Why was the Philipse property reportedly not confiscated after the Revolution?
The Philipses were tories during the Revolution, and the author says the property would doubtless have been confiscated but for the fact that Mary Philips, Captain Frederick Philips' only child, was a minor at the close of the war in 1783. Her descendants spelled the name with a final e, and she married Samuel Gouverneur.
Chapter 33
What distinctive household customs did the author note at the Philipses?
The author describes the Philipses as living in the old-fashioned style and says they were the last old family she knew to have the cloth removed after dessert, displaying a polished mahogany table set with fruits, nuts and wine. She also calls their four meals a day — breakfast at eight, luncheon at one, dinner at six, supper at nine — unique in this country as far as she knew.
Chapter 33
Why did physicians recommend Newburgh around 1840, and what happened to its hotel?
Doctors John F. Gray and Amos G. Hull, early prominent homeopathic physicians of New York City, recommended Newburgh as well-adapted to people with delicate lungs, and on their advice many families built handsome residences there. The author recalls the Powelton hotel, which seemed likely to become a resort for New Yorkers, but it burned to the ground at its peak and was never rebuilt.
Chapter 33

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Who was Mary Ludlow, and how was she connected to the Mary Powell steamboat?
Mary Ludlow was the wife of Thomas Powell, a prominent Newburgh family from whom the celebrated river boats were named. Her brother, Lieutenant Augustus C. Ludlow, served second in command on the Chesapeake under Captain James Lawrence and is buried beside him in old Trinity church-yard. The author recalls often seeing Mrs. Powell on the deck of her namesake boat during Hudson trips.
Chapter 34
How did Andrew Jackson Downing die, and what was he doing in Washington before that?
Downing, author of "Landscape Gardening" and "Cottage Residences," came to Washington at the government's invitation to lay out the Smithsonian grounds. After some months there, he was returning to his Newburgh home in 1852 when the steamboat Henry Clay burned, and he perished attempting to rescue passengers. His wife was Caroline De Wint of Fishkill, a granddaughter of Abigail Adams.
Chapter 34
What role did Brown, sexton of Grace Episcopal Church, play in New York society?
Though only a sexton, Brown became a veritable social dictator. Ambitious mothers planning thousand-dollar balls sought his advice before entertaining, and he supplied lists of eligible young men deemed proficient in the polka and mazurka. The author calls him a precursor of Ward McAllister on a more unpretentious plane, and credits him with shaping the social career of at least one future prominent financier.
Chapter 34

Section 353 cards

Who was Adele Granger and whom did she marry?
Adele Granger, called "the witty Miss Granger," was the only daughter of Francis Granger and a schoolmate of the author's sister Fanny at Madame Chegaray's. She married Boston capitalist John E. Thayer, and after his death became the wife of the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop. A guest told the author that in Brookline Mrs. Winthrop was considered "an institution."
Chapter 35
Why does Winthrop's ode say Americans do not hail Victoria as their queen?
The ode explains that long ago "our patriot fathers broke the tie which bound us to a foreign yoke" and made the nation free, so Americans are "subjects thenceforward of ourselves alone" and pay no homage to an earthly throne, only to God. Still, Winthrop honors Victoria's virtue and reign as lovers of the old ancestral race.
Chapter 35
What is said about Elizabeth Wadsworth's marriage and death?
Miss Elizabeth Wadsworth of Geneseo, daughter of philanthropist James Wadsworth, was celebrated for grace of manner and generally passed winters in New York. Early in life, before foreign matrimonial alliances became common among American women, she married the Hon. Charles Augustus Murray, an English MP of a Scotch family headed by the Earl of Dunmore. She died in Egypt, where he was Consul General, leaving a young son.
Chapter 35

Section 364 cards

What did Lord Dunmore do to Norfolk in 1776, and what was its standing?
The chapter states that Dunmore's final act was the burning of Norfolk in 1776, which at that time was the most flourishing city in Virginia. Earlier, the Virginians resented him for dissolving their Assembly and for being generally inimical to their interests, and he issued a proclamation against "a certain Patrick Henry and his deluded followers."
Chapter 36
Why was Dunmore's daughter named Virginia, and what did the Assembly promise her?
A daughter was born to Dunmore during his life in Colonial Virginia, and at the request of the Assembly she was named "Virginia." It is said the Provincial Legislature provided that she would receive a very large sum of money when she came of age; her later letter claims this was understood to amount to one hundred thousand pounds.
Chapter 36
How did Virginia Dunmore's letter reach the Virginia Legislature?
She addressed it to Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, under the impression that he was Governor of Virginia. Jefferson sent the letter to James Monroe, who was then Governor of Virginia, and Monroe in turn referred it to the Legislature of that State. The author says the letter is now in her possession.
Chapter 36
What details does the author give about the 1846 Armistead–Winthrop wedding at Gramercy Park?
The author was a guest at this fashionable wedding, possibly the first such ceremony in that then remote region. The bride, Susan Armistead, was a belle in both North and South; the groom was John Still Winthrop. Mrs. De Witt Clinton attended in the fashion of a decade or two earlier, and a collation with a huge wedding cake and pomegranates from the bride's southern home was served.
Chapter 36

Section 373 cards

What law followed Lord Morpeth's 1841 investigation of slave inheritance?
After Lord Morpeth, the seventh Earl of Carlisle, visited the United States in 1841 and investigated the inheritance of slaves by English subjects, a law was passed declaring it illegal for Englishmen to hold slaves through inheritance. The author says his report seems to have been favorably received, then argues England's sympathy for "the poor Africans in chains" ignored that England had introduced and cemented those chains.
Chapter 37
Why did Columbia College decline to hire Wolcott Gibbs as professor?
The author was informed by his mother that Columbia College at one period wanted Wolcott Gibbs, the distinguished Harvard professor, on its faculty. The Hon. Hamilton Fish, a trustee and uncompromising Episcopalian, objected on the ground of Gibbs's Unitarian faith and was sustained by the Board. The author calls this inconsistent, since at another period a Hebrew was chosen as a member of the same faculty.
Chapter 37
How did Utica welcome John Quincy Adams, and how did he respond?
During the author's 1845 stay with the Johnsons in Utica, John Quincy Adams visited his relatives and was welcomed with great enthusiasm by an old-fashioned torchlight procession. In response to many urgent requests, Adams made an impromptu speech from the steps of the Johnson house and proved himself "the old man eloquent." Though not far from eighty, the author says he lacked neither mental nor physical vitality.
Chapter 37

Section 384 cards

Why did Gerrit Smith's nieces refuse to wear cotton dresses?
According to the chapter, the Smith family's antipathy to slavery was so strong that two of Gerrit Smith's nieces, sisters of General John Cochrane, refused to wear dresses made of cotton because cotton was a Southern staple. The author recalls Smith as a remarkably handsome man filled with enthusiasm, who served in Congress from 1853 to 1855 and delivered scathing anti-slavery speeches there.
Chapter 38
What joke did William M. Evarts make about the Fish children's portrait?
Viewing a treasured painting of the Fish children, Evarts remarked "little Fishes," and when the puzzled ex-Governor Fish said he did not understand, Evarts replied, "Yes, I said little fishes, sardines"—recalling Artemus Ward's definition of sardines as "little fishes biled in ile." The chapter presents this as evidence of Evarts's keen humor despite his stern exterior.
Chapter 38
How did Evarts answer the Englishman's question about Washington throwing a shilling across the Potomac?
Evarts confirmed it was quite true that Washington could throw a shilling across the Potomac. Later, at dinner, he told a friend the Englishman could do even better: Washington "could toss a Sovereign across the Atlantic"—a pun on the gold sovereign coin and on sovereignty, playing on the Englishman's credulity about American history.
Chapter 38
What did the author say about Mrs. Fish's social influence in Washington?
The author argues that Mrs. Fish was in many respects a remarkable woman, presiding over the Albany governor's mansion with grace and later serving as a social center and social dictator of the Grant administration for eight years. When perplexing social questions arose, the standing inquiry was "What does Mrs. Fish say?"—a joke that illustrated how her decisions were usually regarded as final.
Chapter 38

Section 394 cards

How did John Hammersley celebrate the trans-continental railroad's completion?
John Hammersley, the "æsthetic" brother of Gordon, hosted a "Roman dinner" for the occasion. Guests were given togas and reclined while eating, imitating the Romans. The author notes the event was enjoyed but did not become fashionable, since flowing togas could not compete with trim waistcoats and clinging trousers.
Chapter 39
What rivalry existed between Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Haight?
Mrs. Charles Maverick Parker built a brown-stone house at Fifth Avenue and Fifteenth Street, said to cost one hundred thousand dollars, and was nicknamed "Mrs. House Parker." Mrs. Richard K. Haight built a rival residence directly opposite, later the New York Club. The author says their rivalry extended to hats, feathers, gowns and furbelows, rivaling Montague and Capulet while Gothamites smiled.
Chapter 39
Why did Brook Farm fail, according to the author?
Brook Farm began in 1841 and collapsed in 1847. The author argues it was a visionary, essentially socialistic scheme reflecting little credit on its originators' or patrons' judgment, and that it failed because such ventures never succeed and probably never can until human nature is revolutionized. Members included Hawthorne, Dana and Ripley; visitors included Emerson, Fuller and Alcott.
Chapter 39
How did New York receive Louis Kossuth in December 1851?
New York was agog; thousands thronged the streets for a glimpse of Kossuth, leader of the 1848-9 Hungarian revolution and first governor of the short-lived republic, who had fled to Turkey and sailed on the U.S. frigate Mississippi. The author says Americans were then more sympathetic to struggles for political freedom, and later heard him speak in Washington on "Hungary and her woes."
Chapter 39

Section 404 cards

What was George William Curtis's joking reply about his work at Brook Farm?
When someone asked George William Curtis about his particular work in the co-operative fold of Brook Farm, he laughing replied, "Cleaning door knobs." The author recalls Curtis as a genius of the first brilliancy, remarkable for his versatile conversational powers, and describes talking with him on this occasion.
Chapter 40
Why did New York society close its doors to N. P. Willis?
Willis wrote a prose effusion, "Those Ungrateful Blidgimses," generally recognized as an attack on two highly esteemed old ladies, the Misses Bridgens, with whom he had had a misunderstanding. Society frowned on his ungallant conduct, and many prominent houses were closed to him until after his marriage to Cornelia Grinnell, his second wife.
Chapter 40
How did Willis's country home come to be named Idlewild?
Willis told the author that when he first came to the vicinity, he asked a countryman from whom he had purchased the land for a suggestion about some uncultivated acres. The man waved toward the trees and said it was "nothing but an Idlewild." The word lingered in Willis's mind, and he adopted it as the name of his new home.
Chapter 40
How were entertainments conducted at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Butler?
The Butlers were people of deep religious convictions, so their entertainments followed the strictest code of the day: dancing was never permitted and wine was never served. In place of dancing there was a continuous promenade. Exceptionally handsome suppers were served, and the hosts made every effort to make up for the lack of dancing, which was sorely missed by the more gayly inclined.
Chapter 40

Section 413 cards

What was Barnum's Joice Heth exhibit, and what did Barnum claim about her?
Barnum exhibited a mummified old colored woman he named Joice Heth, asserting she had been a nurse of Washington. The author notes she was undoubtedly very aged and retained full powers of articulation, well coached to answer inquiries about her pretended charge. The author concludes she was simply one of Barnum's numerous fakes.
Chapter 41
What story is told about Elizabeth Laight's secret marriage to Henry Laight?
As a young girl she loved Henry Laight, but her father John Watts opposed her marrying anyone. A secret marriage was planned at Trinity Church; when the rector asked who giveth this woman, a gruff voice shouted "I do"—her father, who had learned of the plan and slipped in by a side door to give her away.
Chapter 41
What military facts does the chapter give about General Philip Kearny?
The author states Kearny was an enthusiastic soldier from youth but not a West Point graduate, having been appointed to the regular army from civil life by President Van Buren in 1837. He served throughout the Mexican War, lost an arm at Churubusco, and was killed in the Civil War in 1862 at the battle of Chantilly.
Chapter 41

Section 424 cards

Who hosted the wedding of Estelle Livingston and John Watts de Peyster in 1844?
The author attended the 1844 home wedding of Estelle Livingston, daughter of John Swift Livingston, to John Watts de Peyster, accompanied by her father. Because Livingston was a widower, his sister Maria, Mrs. John C. Stevens of Hoboken, did the honors of the occasion for her brother. The drawing-room was filled with the large family connection and invited guests, and champagne flowed freely at the collation.
Chapter 42
What eccentricities of Mrs. John C. Stevens does the author describe?
The author reports hearing many stories of Mrs. Stevens's eccentricities: in 1849 she gave a fancy-dress ball but had not revised her visiting list in years, so persons long dead were among her invited guests. She was peculiar in her mode of dress, which was not always suited to her social position, so mistakes were sometimes made about her identity. She also refused to recognize even intimate friends while shopping, saying she could not combine business with pleasure.
Chapter 42
What does the author say about Joseph Kemmerer's band and the waltz?
The author states that Joseph Kemmerer's band was an indispensable adjunct to all social gatherings in those days, with the number of instruments proportional to the size of the entertainment. The inspiring airs of Strauss and Labitzky were popular with the younger set, and the author frequently danced to them. The author argues the waltz was a fine art with numerous votaries, citing Edward James of Albany, who nearly danced himself into another world.
Chapter 42
What became of the steamers President and Levant, and who perished on the Levant?
The author recounts that Mr. Dundas sailed for Scotland on the steamer President in spring 1841; the ship never reached her destination and her fate remains a mystery of the sea. In fall 1860 the U.S. man-of-war Levant disappeared similarly in the Pacific on a voyage from the Hawaiian Islands to Panama, with no one aboard ever heard from again. The author remembers Lieutenant Edward C. Stout and Purser Andrew J. Watson among the lost.
Chapter 42

Section 434 cards

What did Professor Andrew P. Peabody say about Charles Eames's Harvard standing?
Peabody, a distinguished Harvard professor, said Eames was "the first scholar of his class," regarded as a man of unlimited power of acquisition and marked ability as a public speaker. Eames entered Harvard in 1827 before turning sixteen and was a classmate of Wendell Phillips and historian John Lothrop Motley.
Chapter 43
What posts did Charles Eames hold under Presidents Polk and Pierce?
Polk's Navy Secretary George Bancroft brought Eames to Washington as principal correspondence clerk of the Navy Department. He soon became associate editor of The Washington Union under Thomas Ritchie, then Polk appointed him commissioner to negotiate a treaty with the Hawaiian Islands. Pierce later appointed him Minister to Venezuela, where he served until 1859.
Chapter 43
How did Wendell Phillips describe his friendship with Eames in his 1867 letter?
Phillips wrote to Eames's widow three days after the death, saying the two were boys together in months full of frolic, plans and hopes. He said the roots of their friendship needed no constant care and were too strong to die or wilt. He added that he felt more alone in the world and that one by one the boy's comrades pass over the river.
Chapter 43
What does the author say about how Washington housing and architecture looked in its formative period?
The author recalls fine dwelling houses standing beside shanties, citing a fine residence next to a colored undertaker's frame house as late as 1870. She says architects were almost unknown, so a person building a house picked an existing residence and had a builder copy it. Speculative building was unknown and would have been seen as a disordered fancy.
Chapter 43

Section 444 cards

Where did prominent Washingtonians usually make their larger purchases in 1845, and why?
Although Darius Clagett kept an excellent dry-goods store at Ninth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, it was usually the custom for prominent Washington folk to make their larger purchases in Baltimore. Washington's shops in 1845 were few and located chiefly on Pennsylvania Avenue, with Seventh Street then a residential section.
Chapter 44
What was the "National Hotel disease" and how did Mrs. Greenhow explain it?
After Buchanan's inauguration, a mysterious epidemic appeared among National Hotel guests that District physicians could not diagnose; it was commonly called the "National Hotel disease" and caused numerous deaths. Mrs. Robert Greenhow, in a London-published Civil War book, attributed the epidemic to Republicans scheming to dispose of President Buchanan.
Chapter 44
What does the chapter say about the manners of elderly male slaves?
The author recalls that the grace of manner of many elderly male slaves would have adorned a court. She illustrates with William L. Marcy, leaving the War Department, telling the elderly employee Datcher that had he possessed Datcher's manners he would have left more friends behind. Later, a guest called "Uncle James" the most polite man he had ever met.
Chapter 44
How does the newspaper sketch describe Mrs. Eames's Washington salon?
The quoted sketch says that during twenty-eight years of married life in Washington, Mrs. Eames's house was a favorite resort of conspicuous men of all parties—a neutral ground. Though the house rented for less than $300 a year, no house except perhaps the President's was surer of gathering so many people of distinction.
Chapter 44

Section 454 cards

What advantage did Mrs. Eames have from her father's library?
Her father owned one of the largest and choicest private libraries in New York, and Mrs. Eames had the freedom of it from the time she could read. She spent more time there than anyone else and more than anywhere else until her marriage. The author says this made her intellectually the most accomplished woman in Washington during her residence there, and her epistolary talent was famous in her generation.
Chapter 45
What did the dying widow say to the author about her father?
A short time before her father's death, the author visited a dying widow, a devoted Roman Catholic whom her father had assisted. The widow asked the author to tell her father she hoped to meet him among the just made perfect. The author says this remark has been a greater consolation to her through the years than any public tribute or imposing eulogy, valuing the benediction of grateful hearts above monuments and epitaphs.
Chapter 45
What did Mrs. Scott tell the author about the story of refusing General Scott?
The author had often heard that Mrs. Scott refused early offers of marriage from her future husband because his army rank was too low, relenting only when he became a General. The author contradicts this, saying Mrs. Scott told her with her own lips that she never met him until he was a General, though both were natives of the same State. Scott became a Brigadier General on March 9, 1814, aged between twenty-seven and twenty-eight.
Chapter 45
How did the author's daughter Maud come to wear Mrs. Scott's Pocahontas dress?
Mrs. Scott had worn a Pocahontas costume to a fancy-dress ball in Paris, where she was called La belle sauvage. Many years after Mrs. Scott's death, the author visited her daughter, Mrs. Henry L. Scott, at the old Elizabeth home with her young daughter Maud, who was invited to a children's fancy-dress ball. Mrs. Scott brought out the historic dress, Maud wore it, and the author keeps it among her treasured possessions.
Chapter 45

Section 464 cards

Why did Mrs. Scott arrange for the two girls to stay in Burlington?
Mrs. Scott was suddenly called away and hesitated to leave two young girls alone in the house, since her younger daughters were away at school. She arranged for them to spend the days of her absence in Burlington, New Jersey, with her friend Miss Susan Wallace, a niece of William Bradford, who had been Attorney-General during part of Washington's last administration. The author notes the arrangement was not altogether satisfactory and the young people grew restless.
Chapter 46
What happened to the girls when they returned to Philadelphia for the victory celebration?
Cornelia Scott and the author planned the trip, taking as protector a faithful colored man named Lee, accompanied by Arabella Griffith and Mrs. Scott's troublesome pet dog Gee. They traveled by water and landed in an out-of-the-way part of the city. Dense crowds prevented them from getting a carriage, so they walked, and in pushing through the crowd they lost Miss Griffith. The author notes that General Scott's daughter went unrecognized amid the enthusiasm for her father.
Chapter 46
What later distinction does the author record for Arabella Griffith?
The author states that Arabella Griffith later became the wife of General Francis C. Barlow. While her husband fought during the Civil War, she did noble service in Union hospitals as a member of the United States Sanitary Commission, and died in the summer of 1864 from a fever contracted in the hospitals of the Army of the Potomac.
Chapter 46
How does the author characterize her sister Margaret's letter about New York society?
The author inserts Margaret's letter as giving something of an idea of New York society of that period. Because Margaret was quite a young girl, the author says her references to Miss Julia Gerard, whom she knew well, and to 'Old Leslie Irving,' who was only a young man, must be regarded merely as the silly utterances of extreme youth. The letter recounts parties, the opera, and a new hat.
Chapter 46

Section 474 cards

What did the letter to M. Campbell from 'Pa' say about her staying longer?
The letter, dated Saturday April 10th, tells the recipient that Pa thinks it is time to come home and asks if she knows of any opportunity. It adds that Pa says she can do as she pleases about staying longer, and the writer complains she never takes the writer's advice, citing the pink dress she refused to bring.
Chapter 47
Who was Count Julian Niemcewicz, and how was he connected to Ursino?
Niemcewicz, called the 'Shakespeare of Poland,' came to America with Kosciusko, on whose staff he had served. He married Susan Livingston, daughter of Peter Van Brough Livingston, who had earlier resided at Ursino with her first husband; after that husband's death she married the Count. She was also grandmother of Mrs. Hamilton Fish.
Chapter 47
What does the chapter say about Thomas Turner's background and loyalty?
Turner, later an Admiral in the U.S. Navy, was a Virginian by birth and a near relative of General Robert E. Lee. Though he possessed the blood of the Carters, he remained loyal to the national flag during the Civil War. His wife was Frances Hailes Palmer of 'Abyssinia.'
Chapter 47
What advice does Van Buren give Governor Bouck about the Albany controversy?
In a confidential 1843 letter, Van Buren urges speedy decision, saying nothing is so injurious as delay and it is almost better to decide wrong than to protract the contest, since each day makes new enemies and extends animosities. He suggests providing places for one or more competitors in other branches of public service.
Chapter 47

Section 484 cards

What advice does Van Buren give Bouck about appointments and party factions?
Van Buren urges Bouck to keep his own counsel on appointments, avoid feeding everyone promises, and judge each case carefully. He advises letting the people see clearly that Bouck does not yield to or battle any party cliques or sections, but acts in good faith for the good of the whole. He says personal discontents will be evanescent if Bouck does right.
Chapter 48
According to Van Buren, what harm do mischievous gossips do to public men?
Van Buren argues that ill-natured gossips cause public men more vexation than all the cares and anxieties of office combined—tenfold, in his deliberate opinion. He cites General Jackson, whose greatest fault was lending an ear, though not confidence, to such people, and says Jackson was annoyed daily by them despite his sagacity.
Chapter 48
How did Van Buren handle Dr. Mayo's conspiracy report, and with what result?
When Dr. Mayo asked for a private talk and claimed to have discovered a conspiracy in writing, Van Buren refused to hear or look at it, answering 'No, Sir' emphatically. The story spread and alarmed the story tellers; repeating the same treatment convinced the whole crew that nothing was gained by bringing him reports, so he escaped Washington gossip.
Chapter 48
Where did General and Mrs. Scott live after moving to Washington in 1850?
In 1850 General and Mrs. Scott moved to Washington and Hampton was closed for many years. They lived on H Street between Thirteenth and Fourteenth Streets, on the present site of the Epiphany Parish House, in one of the houses built by Count De Menou, French Minister from 1822 to 1824. These were called the 'chain buildings' because their fences were made almost entirely of iron chains.
Chapter 48

Section 491 cards

What New Year's Day customs did General Scott observe at his open house?
The Scotts kept open house on New Year's Day, receiving Army officers in full-dress uniform and some Navy men, with a bountiful collation served. After the day's festivities, Scott—who had earlier paid respects to the President—always called on two venerable women: Mrs. 'Dolly' Madison and his next-door neighbor Mrs. Alexander Hamilton.
Chapter 49

Section 504 cards

Why did Houston separate from Eliza Allen right after their wedding?
According to the chapter, the wedding guests had departed and the couple sat alone when Houston saw his bride weeping. She told him she had never loved him and married only to please her father, adding that she loved Doctor Douglas but would try to be a dutiful wife. Houston replied that no white woman should be his slave, said good-night, and left.
Chapter 50
What did Houston do after leaving his bride, and whom did he later marry?
The chapter says he mounted his horse and rode to Nashville, where he at once resigned his office as Governor and departed for the Cherokee country. After procuring a divorce from his wife, he married Margaret Moffette in the spring of 1840. The author presents these events as reported, noting his later career is well known.
Chapter 50
How did Marian Gouverneur come to faint while dancing at the Freemans' ball?
She was dancing a cotillion with George B. McClellan when, to her nervous horror, the pictures in the ballroom began to spin and she nearly fainted, making herself conspicuous. She did not lose consciousness, and was conducted to a retired seat where, at General Scott's request, Dr. Richard Henry Coolidge attended her.
Chapter 50
What object of Santa Anna's did the author use at the Scott household?
During visits to the Scott household after the Mexican War, the author always occupied a brass camp bedstead that had belonged to Mexican General Santa Anna. It was captured as a trophy after the battle of Cerro Gordo, when Santa Anna fled leaving his camp furniture and, it is said, his wooden leg. It eventually came into General Scott's possession.
Chapter 50

Section 513 cards

Why did General Scott decide to use plain English on future P.P.C. cards?
When leaving Cincinnati, Scott sent P.P.C. cards to all who had called on him. The town wiseacre interpreted the letters as pour prendre café, an invitation that was gladly accepted, much to Scott's astonishment. He then decided to confine himself in future to plain English.
Chapter 51
How does the author characterize old Washington society versus society of her own day?
The author argues that charming old resident society predominated in the District of Columbia and wealth was not a controlling influence, unlike the present, when the public bows to the golden calf. She calls the old Washingtonians "cave dwellers" and says their distinct social code was formed decades earlier by ancestors versed in social life.
Chapter 51
Who were the Pearson daughters of Brentwood, and whom did they marry?
Brentwood was the residence of Mrs. Joseph Pearson, a social El Dorado where resident society and distinguished strangers were welcome. Daughter Eliza married Carlisle P. Patterson, Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey, and Josephine became the wife of Peter Augustus Jay of New York. Both were Washington beauties and great belles in New York.
Chapter 51

Section 523 cards

Why does Miss Adams apologize in her 1899 letter to Mrs. Gouverneur?
She explains that her fingers are so stiff she cannot hold the pen, calling herself a poor writer, and that her brother Isaac Hull is a great invalid, lame and unable to get about. She says both are tired of being invalids and that she never goes out now, having not visited Jamaica Plain for two years.
Chapter 52
What did Matthew F. Maury do after Virginia seceded, and what post did Maximilian offer him?
The author states that when Virginia seceded, Maury resigned from the Navy and linked his destiny with his native State. After going abroad, he went to Mexico in June, where Maximilian warmly welcomed him and asked him to accept a place in his Ministry. Maury declined that offer and instead received an appointment as Director of the Imperial Observatory.
Chapter 52
What story does the author tell about Magruder at the battle of Contreras, and how does she qualify it?
An aide brought Magruder orders to fall back, but Magruder insisted on sharing Madeira, then sardines and crackers, while grape and canister rattled around them. He finally sent compliments to the General and vowed not to leave the spot. The author ends by saying we may believe as much or as little of the story as we please.
Chapter 52

Section 534 cards

Why did the Gouverneur family leave their Houston Street home in New York in 1853?
The author recalls that after her father's death the family continued living in their Houston Street home in New York, but by 1853 the character of the neighborhood, once so pleasant, was changing so rapidly that they sold the house and moved to Washington. There they secured an old-fashioned residence on G Street between Seventeenth and Eighteenth Streets, which later became the Weather Bureau.
Chapter 53
What did Jack Magruder reply when his uncle General Bankhead criticized him?
General Bankhead, who raised the orphaned Magruder brothers, read them a homily aimed especially at John, saying he had reared them with care but that John did not have his approval in many ways. Jack replied characteristically that George had followed the uncle's precepts, but he had followed the uncle's example. The author calls this response characteristic of "Jack" Magruder.
Chapter 53
How does the chapter describe Emily Virginia Mason's life and writings?
The author recalls long tea-table conversations with Emily Virginia Mason, who died in Georgetown after a long, active life. She was a daughter of John T. Mason and sister of Stevens Thompson Mason, the first governor of Michigan, called the "Boy Governor." She served as a Confederate nurse during the Civil War, continued benevolent work afterward, wrote a life of General Robert E. Lee and other books, and compiled "Southern Poems of the War."
Chapter 53
Which neighbors does the author list around her G Street home in Washington?
Nearby lived Mrs. Graham, widow of George Graham, and her daughter Mrs. Henry K. Davenport; Mr. Jefferson Davis, then a senator from Mississippi, whose wife valued living near Mrs. Graham; Captain and Mrs. Henry C. Wayne; the French Legation across the street; Edward Everett next door at G and Eighteenth; and the Wainwrights on the next block. The author attended Henrietta Wainwright's wedding soon after arriving.
Chapter 53

Section 544 cards

What did General George H. Thomas do when offered a house for his Civil War services?
According to Mrs. Thomas, when her husband learned that admiring friends intended to present him a house in recognition of his conspicuous Civil War services, he declined at once, saying he had been sufficiently remunerated, and asked that the money raised be given to charity. When a Union general who had accepted a house warned it would make things awkward, Thomas replied he would accept none.
Chapter 54
How did William W. Corcoran describe his father Thomas Corcoran's early career?
The author quotes William W. Corcoran writing that Thomas Corcoran came to Baltimore in 1783 and entered his uncle William Wilson's service as a clerk at fifty pounds sterling a year. He later brought his family to Georgetown and began the shoe and leather business on Congress Street. The author notes she cannot vouch for other claims, such as that the son treasured his father's business sign.
Chapter 54
How did Miss Jennie Douglas become the first woman regularly appointed to government work?
The author says women were not employed by the government for many years. The first regularly appointed was said to be Miss Jennie Douglas, who received her position through Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, at the request of General Francis E. Spinner, Treasurer. She cut and trimmed treasury-notes, work previously done with shears by men; Spinner said her first day's work settled the matter in women's favor.
Chapter 54
What did Chief Justice Taney say about William Thomas Carroll's service as Clerk of the Supreme Court?
Taney paid Carroll a well-earned tribute, calling him an accomplished and faithful officer, prompt and exact in business, and courteous in manner. He said that during the whole period of his judicial life Carroll discharged his duties with justice to the public and the suitors, and to the entire satisfaction of every member of the Court. Carroll held the clerkship for thirty-six years.
Chapter 54

Section 553 cards

What did Gouverneur remember about visiting Mrs. Madison in old age?
Gouverneur recalls being taken to call on Mrs. Madison by Mrs. Madison Cutts. She never forgot the impression of her turban and long earrings, and describes her surroundings as interesting and her bearing graceful and sprightly even in extreme old age. Her niece "Dolly" Paine lived with her at the residence on H Street and Madison Place, now part of the Cosmos Club.
Chapter 55
What became of the Madison manuscripts and relics after Todd Paine's death?
Todd Paine, Mrs. Madison's son, survived his mother and eventually came into possession of the valuable Madison manuscripts and relics, though Gouverneur notes he was not a source of much satisfaction to her. At the time of his death in Virginia the collection was brought to Washington, where Gouverneur was informed some of it still remained as the cherished possession of the McGuire family.
Chapter 55
What does the chapter say about Mrs. Greenhow's arrest, book, and death?
Gouverneur says Mrs. Greenhow's conspicuous Southern zeal led to arrest and imprisonment in her own house on Sixteenth Street, then the Old Capitol Prison, under Provost Marshal General Andrew Porter. Officials sent her South with her daughter Rose, fearing her ingenuity. She published "My Imprisonment and the First Years of Abolition Rule at Washington" in London in 1863. Returning with gold from the book's sale, she fell from a boat at Wilmington and drowned.
Chapter 55

Section 564 cards

Why did Alexander H. Stephens arrive late to Edward Everett's dinner?
A coachman's mistake landed Stephens at the home of Count de Sartiges, the French Minister, who was hosting a dinner at half-past six. Stephens entered believing it was Everett's residence, since most guests were familiar to him. The Count was polite, but Stephens grew irritated, asking Ingersoll who the Frenchman was and where Mr. Everett was. Ingersoll explained the mix-up, and Stephens then proceeded to Everett's dinner.
Chapter 56
Why did Miss Ann G. Wight, formerly Sister Gertrude, leave the convent?
According to Mrs. Charles Worthington, a Catholic friend educated at the same convent, there was an election for Mother Superior. Miss Wight was deeply disappointed not to be chosen and grew dissatisfied. When it became her turn to answer the front-door bell, she suddenly determined to leave, dropping her keys in Rock Creek as she crossed the Georgetown bridge. She admitted to a priest that she had in no way been influenced.
Chapter 56
What does the chapter say about Rufus Choate's wit and his Yale 'Hasty-Pudding' dinner speech?
The author recalls Choate's quaint, inexhaustible humor and calls knowing him one of her brightest memories. At the 'Hasty-Pudding' dinner, replying to a toast on Yale, he said 'everything is to be irregular this evening,' then read from Lewis Morris's 1760 will, which barred sending his son Gouverneur to Connecticut lest he imbibe its 'low craft and cunning.' The laughter that followed was as regular as the remarks were irregular.
Chapter 56
What does the chapter report about Gouverneur Morris's education under his father's will?
Lewis Morris's 1760 will expressed his desire that his son Gouverneur receive the best education in Europe or America, but expressly forbade sending him to the Colony of Connecticut, lest he imbibe its 'low craft and cunning.' Lewis Morris died two years later, when Gouverneur was between ten and eleven. His wishes were respected: Gouverneur graduated from King's (now Columbia) College in New York in 1768 at only sixteen.
Chapter 56

Section 574 cards

Why did Gouverneur Wilkins joke the baby would be named 'Cut-us-off-sky'?
Wilkins had been regarded as heir to Gouverneur Morris's large estate until Morris married late in life to Anne Cary Randolph and a direct heir was born. Summoned to the christening, Wilkins joked the child's name would be 'Cut-us-off-sky,' mocking the endings of many Russian names while acknowledging his own displacement as heir.
Chapter 57
Why was British Minister Crampton recalled in 1856, and how was he treated afterward?
During the Crimean War, an unpleasantness arose over charges that Crampton had helped recruit soldiers in the United States for the British Army. In May 1856 President Pierce broke off diplomatic relations and Crampton was recalled. His home Ministry never severely reflected on him; Lord Palmerston made him a Knight of the Bath, and he later became British Minister at St. Petersburg.
Chapter 57
How did Henry Stephen Fox answer creditors demanding a payment date?
Creditors surrounded Fox's house in the First Ward one evening and clamorously demanded he name a definite time to satisfy their claims. Fox appeared at a front window and, saying he hoped the time would satisfy them, announced in stentorian voice the 'Day of Judgment.' The author notes Fox was said to be en évidence all night and seldom visible by daylight.
Chapter 57
What happened to Baron Boilleau after the Memphis and El Paso Railroad bond affair?
Boilleau, first Secretary of the French Legation, married Susan Benton, daughter of Senator Thomas H. Benton. He and Fremont later faced serious difficulties over bonds of the proposed Memphis and El Paso Railroad; while Minister to Ecuador Boilleau was recalled to France and, the author is informed, convicted and confined for a period in the Conciergerie. The author argues no one who knew him well doubted his integrity, calling him literary but meager in business knowledge.
Chapter 57

Section 584 cards

Where did Chevalier Bertinatti, the Italian Minister, live when he first came to Washington?
He lodged at the establishment of Mrs. Ulrich, a boarding house that served as headquarters for many foreigners, rather than occupying a house of his own. The author notes that fifty years earlier most of the Diplomatic Corps lived in modest residences or boarding houses, in striking contrast to the imposing mansions later occupied by foreign representatives.
Chapter 58
What happened to Bertha von Gerolt, and why according to the chapter?
The author heard that Bertha became deeply attached to Chevalier A. P. C. Van Karnabeek, secretary of the Netherlands Legation, but her parents frowned on the alliance for religious reasons. She therefore chose a cloistered life, entered the Georgetown convent, became a nun, and was known as "Sister Angela" until her death in 1890.
Chapter 58
How did Miss Croghan leave Mrs. McLeod's school, and what was the consequence?
Mary E. Croghan, a Pittsburgh heiress, eloped from Mrs. McLeod's school on Staten Island with Captain Edward W. H. Schenley of the Royal Navy, a Scotch relative of Mrs. McLeod who had come to visit. She then accompanied him to England for the rest of her life. Mrs. McLeod was severely criticized by patrons for carelessness, and her school was somewhat injured by the episode.
Chapter 58
What did Gonzales boast about singing 'Suoni la Tromba' before De Cueto?
At an informal evening at the author's G Street home, Gonzales sang various airs, and the author, unaware the song was under Spanish ban, asked for "Suoni la Tromba." De Cueto listened politely and applauded. Days later the author learned Gonzales had boasted of singing it in De Cueto's presence, proudly adding that he had looked the Spaniard full in the eye when he uttered the word libertà.
Chapter 58

Section 594 cards

What did the Nicaraguan Minister reveal about his relationship to Nicaragua?
Marian Gouverneur recalls that José de Marcoleta, the Nicaraguan Minister to the United States, was an elderly, punctilious Spaniard and a native of Spain. When she asked him to tell her about Nicaragua, then an almost unknown country, he surprised her by saying he had never seen the country he represented. He was a bachelor who became engaged to Miss Mary West of Boston, who died before their wedding day; Gouverneur believed he eventually married another American.
Chapter 59
How did Baron Raasloff describe his earlier work before representing Denmark?
Baron Waldemar Rudolph Raasloff, who represented Denmark creditably to both his own country and the United States, told Gouverneur that years before his mission to America he had come to New York as an engineer and was engaged in work in New York harbor, "blowing up rocks." Gouverneur suggests he may have been employed at Hell Gate, then one of the most dangerous obstacles to navigation in that vicinity.
Chapter 59
What story is told about General Ramsay and the haunted Octagon house?
Gouverneur reports that the Octagon, the old Tayloe home, had a reputation as a haunted house. Colonel John Tayloe asked General George D. Ramsay to stay overnight as protection for his daughters while he was absent. During the evening meal the bells rang violently; Ramsay rose to investigate but could not solve the mystery, and the butler declared it the work of an unseen hand. Ramsay held the rope controlling the bells, yet they were said not to be silenced.
Chapter 59
How did David Burns reportedly come to give his apple orchard to the Commissioners?
Burns, a closefisted Scotchman who owned much of what became northwestern Washington, resisted parting with his land without payment. General Washington rode from Mount Vernon several times to argue with "stubborn Mr. Burns." Burns retorted that had Washington not married the widow Custis with all her "nagres," he would have been a poor land surveyor. Washington finally won him over, and Burns gave the Commissioners his apple orchard, now Lafayette Square.
Chapter 59

Section 604 cards

Who was called the last of the 'Lafayette girls' and why?
Mrs. Kearny was said to be the last of the "Lafayette girls." In 1825, aged five, she lived with her parents in Louisville and strewed flowers in Lafayette's pathway during his visit as guest of the nation. She remembered the incident perfectly and often alluded to it in conversations with the author.
Chapter 60
Why were Mr. and Mrs. Green and Miss Lomax arrested during the Civil War?
Mr. Green, whose sympathies were with the South though he took no active part, picked up scraps of old iron around his grounds and stored them in his cellar. An old family servant informed the government, and the house was searched. The scrap-iron somehow aroused further suspicion, and the three were arrested and confined in the Old Capital Prison.
Chapter 60
What toast exchange occurred between Major Lomax and British officers?
During the War of 1812, on a mission to Canada, Major Lomax dined with British officers. One proposed "To President Madison, dead or alive." Lomax responded, "To the Prince Regent, drunk or sober." When the officer indignantly asked if he meant to insult him, Lomax replied, "I am responding to an insult!"
Chapter 60
How did Washington society initially receive Charles Sumner, and how did he respond?
For a decade before the Civil War, Washington political sentiment sympathized with the South, so Sumner, whose radical anti-slavery views were widely known, was received with little cordiality. He nonetheless rose to leadership of his party in the Senate and, the author argues, bore fortune's buffets and rewards with equal thanks, undeterred by social ostracism or derision.
Chapter 60

Section 614 cards

How does Gouverneur describe Preston S. Brooks's assault on Sumner and its aftermath?
She calls Brooks's attack on Charles Sumner in the Senate Chamber in spring 1856 cowardly, and notes that public indignation ran very high. His political opponents thereafter referred to him as "Bully Brooks." She adds that he was socially and politically popular, with a gentle, pleasing bearing that made the cruel outrage hard to associate with him.
Chapter 61
What did Sumner do to hide Clark Mills's Jackson statue from visiting Englishmen?
Sumner strongly denounced Clark Mills's equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square as a "grotesque statue." While conducting a party of Englishmen along Pennsylvania Avenue, he seated himself so as to entirely obstruct their view of it, meanwhile directing their attention to the White House on the other side of the street.
Chapter 61
Why was Count Gurowski discharged from his State Department translator post?
Gurowski held the translator position from 1861 to 1863, aided by his linguistic skills and Charles Sumner's support. He kept a diary in his State Department desk whose pages, containing uncomplimentary references to Secretary of State William H. Seward, reached officials. He was discharged, having also antagonized Sumner by caustically opposing his Civil War views.
Chapter 61
What did Gurowski say about Webster and the Fugitive-Slave Law?
Gurowski insisted he could read the Constitution as well as Webster and declared the Fugitive-Slave Law unconstitutional, an outrage, and a disgrace to humanity and republicanism. He said Webster should be hung for advocating it, calling him a humbug if he disbelieved its constitutionality and an ass if he believed it.
Chapter 61

Section 621 cards

What did the author say about Cushing's views and her own comparison?
The author calls Cushing a Northern man with Southern principles, a phrase originating in 1835 and first applied to Martin Van Buren. She heard him defend slavery with great eloquence. Though born and bred in the North like him, she regarded slavery, in some respects, as far less iniquitous than the infamous opium trade that enriched British and American merchants.
Chapter 62

Section 633 cards

What did President Tyler's 1843 letter to the Emperor of China instruct Cushing to do?
Tyler's letter, signed by his own hand, sends Cushing as a messenger of peace to inquire after the Emperor's health, deliver the letter in Pekin, and negotiate a treaty regulating trade. It urges trade at Canton and other ports, with no unfair advantage, and says the U.S. will not uphold those who break Chinese laws.
Chapter 63
What happened to the Pierces' son shortly before Pierce's inauguration?
The President-elect, Mrs. Pierce, and their only son, a lad of immature years, were traveling to Andover, Massachusetts, when the child was accidentally killed. Mrs. Pierce never recovered from her all-absorbing sorrow, and the author recalls the grief-stricken expression of this First Lady, born Jane Means Appleton.
Chapter 63
What diplomatic posts did Cushing hold, and how did the author characterize his standing?
Cushing was appointed Minister to China by President Tyler in 1843 and negotiated the first U.S. treaty with China on July 3 of the following year. He was sent to Spain in 1874 by the party he had opposed, and the author says his ability won him an enviable place in American diplomacy irrespective of party.
Chapter 63

Section 644 cards

Who were Elizabeth and Fanny MacNeil, and whom did each marry?
They were nieces of President Pierce and daughters of General John MacNeil, U.S.A., who had distinguished himself in the War of 1812. Elizabeth married General Henry W. Benham of the Engineer Corps of the Army, and Fanny became the wife of Colonel Chandler E. Potter, U.S.A. They were occasional visitors at the White House.
Chapter 64
Whom did Samuel L. Gouverneur, Sr. marry, and where was the wedding held?
He married his first cousin, Maria Hester Monroe, younger daughter of James Monroe, in the East Room of the White House. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. William Hawley on March 9, 1820, as recorded in The National Intelligencer. The bride was sixteen, and only relatives and personal friends attended; Cabinet members were not invited.
Chapter 64
What happened to the Monroe-Gouverneur bridal festivities, and why?
Commodore and Mrs. Stephen Decatur gave the bride her first ball, but two mornings later, on March 22, 1820, Decatur fought his fatal duel with Commodore James Barron and was brought home a corpse. Mrs. Seaton wrote that the festivities received a check, and Commodore David Porter's invitations for an entertainment honoring the couple were countermanded.
Chapter 64
Why did Samuel L. Gouverneur, Jr. resign his army commission?
He had been appointed a Lieutenant at an early age and served with distinction in the Mexican War in the Fourth Artillery. When his mother was suffering a protracted illness, he applied to the War Department for leave to visit her sick bed; the leave was not granted, so he resigned his commission, sacrificing an enviable position out of filial duty.
Chapter 64

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What does the quoted passage say a man finds only once in life?
The chapter opens with a quoted passage declaring that a man has but one true friend through life, and that friend generally leaves him early—falling by his side before he has fought far—and he never finds another so fond, true, and faithful: his Mother.
Chapter 65
For whom did Mrs. Gouverneur write her wedding-day poem, and on what occasion?
Mrs. Gouverneur wrote the verses titled "To Miss Tyler on Her Wedding Day" as a tribute of friendship to the daughter of President John Tyler at the time of her marriage. The narrator notes that one of her daughters, whom Mrs. Gouverneur never saw, owns the original manuscript.
Chapter 65
What military recognition did the narrator's future husband receive after the Mexican War?
The narrator states that a year after the conclusion of the Mexican War he was brevetted for gallantry and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco. She adds that his bearing spoke well for his military training and that she most revered his sense of honor and integrity.
Chapter 65
Why did Mr. Gouverneur write 'Farewell to Oak Hill' in 1852?
In 1852 Oak Hill, the old Monroe place in Virginia where he had spent much of his early life, was about to pass out of the family. Distressed by the sale, he wrote the poem days before his final departure, and afterward nothing could induce him to visit Oak Hill again.
Chapter 65

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Who performed the author's Washington wedding, and what worried him?
She was married in Washington in the old G Street house by the Rev. Dr. Smith Pyne, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church. He was nervous because he had forgotten to ask whether a marriage license had been obtained, but he was quite himself again once assured everything was in due form.
Chapter 66

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Who brought the lion-form brass andirons to the Van Cortlandt home, and how?
The andirons were a bridal present to Mrs. Augustus Van Cortlandt from the author's husband's mother. They had been brought by James Monroe on his return from France, where Washington had sent him on his historic diplomatic mission. The author notes the Van Cortlandt family still clung to many old family customs inherited from their ancestors.
Chapter 67
What did the author observe at Frederick Philipse's home, The Grange?
At The Grange near Garrison's, the residence of Frederick Philipse, the author saw a pair of andirons even handsomer than those at the Van Cortlandt mansion. They were at least two feet high and represented trumpeters. The historic house was replete with ancestral furniture and fine old portraits, one of which was attributed to Vandyke.
Chapter 67
Who was the long-serving rector of St. Philips at Garrison's, and what was his family connection?
The beloved rector for many years was the Rev. Dr. Charles F. Hoffman, a gentleman of great wealth and scholarly ability. He and his brother, the Rev. Dr. Eugene A. Hoffman, Dean of the General Theological Seminary in New York, devoted their lives and fortunes to religion. The Doctor was connected to the family by descent from a Gouverneur forbear.
Chapter 67
What does Louisa Verplanck's letter to Mr. Gouverneur say about the Gouverneur name?
Mrs. David Johnstone Verplanck, born Louisa A. Gouverneur, congratulates him as husband and father and jokes about sending for the girdle an old woman gave Empress Eugénie, who had seven sons. She hopes a son will soon follow, telling him it rests with him to keep the name of Gouverneur in the land of the living, as it is nearly extinct and he its only salvation.
Chapter 67

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Who bought Eliab Kingman's Indian relics at the auction after his death?
Ben Perley Poore, the well-known journalist, purchased the curiosities at the auction held in Kingman's old home after his death. The house, located near Fourteenth and P Streets, was an oddly constructed dwelling on a small farm, filled with curios including a large collection of Indian relics, and served as a rendezvous for literary and political circles.
Chapter 68
What pen name did Eliab Kingman use as a Baltimore Sun correspondent?
Kingman wrote for The Baltimore Sun under the nom de plume "Ion," confining his communications entirely to political topics. The author describes him as such a skilled diplomatist that adherents of either party might easily recognize him as their own advocate after reading his pieces.
Chapter 68
How does the author describe Mrs. Kingman, Miss Cordelia Ewell?
She was a "dyed-in-the-wool" Southerner, a relative of General Richard S. Ewell of the Confederate Army, and a woman of unusual personal charm and ability. Her gray gown, white kerchief, gray puffs, and quaint courtesying recalled the grande dame of long ago. She played the harp, knew old English literature, never left her house, and kept a venerable parrot as her constant companion.
Chapter 68
What naming pattern connected Thomas Seaton Donoho's life to the ivy vine?
Donoho named his three-story house "Ivy Hall" after planting a sprig of ivy before it, called his Washington-area property "Ivy City," titled his 1860 book of poems "Ivy-wall," and had a daughter baptized in mid-ocean as "Atlantic May Ivy." He also published a three-act drama, "Goldsmith of Padua" (1850), and "Oliver Cromwell," a five-act tragedy (1852).
Chapter 68

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Why did the Gouverneurs not attend the 1858 Gwin ball?
They did not attend because of the author's deep mourning. Instead, they amused themselves by dressing Mr. Kingman in the old court dress worn by Mr. Gouverneur's grandfather, James Monroe, during his diplomatic mission in France. The suit fit perfectly, and they were gratified to hear the costume drew marked attention at the ball.
Chapter 69
How did Mrs. Clement C. Clay impress guests at the Gwin ball?
She portrayed Mrs. Partington, with knitting in hand, a snuff-box in pocket, and 'Ike, the Inevitable,' a ten-year-old boy, at her side. Her instant repartees and witty encounters, including one with President Buchanan, made her personation the leading feature of the evening, according to Haviland, who judged her wit superior even to Shillaber's original.
Chapter 69
What happened to Senator Gwin's Sonora colonization scheme?
After arrest for disloyalty and imprisonment until 1863, Gwin went to Paris and pursued colonizing Sonora, Mexico, with Southerners, earning the nickname 'Duke of Sonora.' He won private audiences with Napoleon III and approval from Maximilian, and carried a letter to Marshal Bazaine, but Bazaine gave no encouragement and Maximilian no satisfactory assurances. Gwin returned to California.
Chapter 69
What does the author say about Washington society in 1824?
The author calls it perhaps the most brilliant era in Washington society. Mrs. John Quincy Adams, wife of the Secretary of State, held Tuesday evening receptions attended by distinguished figures. Hospitality came from Madison, Monroe, Adams, Calhoun and others; the city hosted foreign ministers, Chief Justice Marshall with eminent jurists, and congressmen such as Clay, Webster and Jackson.
Chapter 69

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Why was the ball given by the Secretary of State and Mrs. Adams held?
It was held in honor of General Andrew Jackson. The author says it expressed the pleasant personal relations between John Quincy Adams and Jackson shortly before Adams defeated Jackson for the Presidency, and also offered a pleasing picture of Washington society at that time. Jackson was the hero of the occasion, and guests came from Washington, Baltimore, Richmond and other cities.
Chapter 70
Who wrote the metrical description of Mrs. Adams' ball, and what did it praise?
John T. Agg wrote the poem 'Mrs. Adams' Ball,' published in a newspaper of the day. It describes belles and matrons, maids and madams all gone to Mrs. Adams', naming many guests such as Mrs. Sullivan, the Crowninshields in blue, the Pierces, Webster and the Hamiltons. Its closing stanza calls Juno the presiding figure and urges readers to seize the hour, shun the thorn and pluck the flower.
Chapter 70
How were Monroe and John Quincy Adams criticized at the ball?
Both President Monroe and John Quincy Adams were somewhat criticized for their plain attire, which stood in striking contrast with the elaborate costumes and decorations worn by the foreign guests. The chapter notes Monroe attended the ball. The criticism is reported as a feature of the evening rather than as the author's own judgment of the two men.
Chapter 70
What did George H. Derby propose for the U.S. Army uniform, and how did Jefferson Davis react?
Derby, the humorist 'John Phoenix,' designed an iron hook attached to each soldier's trousers, arguing it would brace the body and expand the chest and secure cavalrymen to the saddle. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis felt his dignity wounded and ordered Derby court-martialed. William L. Marcy persuaded Davis the public laugh would fall on them, so Derby escaped, and Davis's anger later softened.
Chapter 70

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How did Derby caricature the captured Catholic priest during the Indian War?
Derby depicted an ecclesiastic in full canonicals walking between two half-naked Indians, carrying a crook and crozier with a tooth-brush attached to one and a comb to the other. He paraphrased the letters "I. H. S." on the priest's chasuble as "I hate Siwashes." The chapter presents this as an outlet for Derby's effective wit.
Chapter 71
What did the chapter's author say kept her husband from a literary career?
The author says Mr. Gouverneur wrote chiefly for the newspaper press and never sent his own works to press, though he edited and published James Monroe's "The People the Sovereigns." She states that her own lack of encouragement was the chief obstacle that deterred him, and that he began several novels but never finished them.
Chapter 71
How does the chapter describe Harriet Lane's appearance and wit?
The author recalls Harriet Lane's blond beauty as making an indelible impression, resembling General Winfield Scott's daughters. She credits Lane with an exceptionally fine presence, unusual intelligence, and brilliant repartee. When a courtier praised hands that "might have swayed the rod of empire," Lane retorted, "or wake to ecstasy the living lyre."
Chapter 71
What route did the Gouverneurs take to China, and what went wrong with their preparations?
They sailed from New York in October on the clipper ship Indiaman, Captain Smith commanding, going around the Cape of Good Hope and reaching Shanghai the following March. No railroads crossed the continent then. Despite elaborate planning for two young children, some essential foods became unfit long before arrival, leaving the author to improvise substitutes.
Chapter 71

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What does the chapter say about the Doldrums and sailing vessels?
The Doldrums lie near the equator and vary in breadth from sixty to several hundred miles, shifting in extreme limits by season. They abound in calms, squalls, and light, baffling winds that can stop sailing vessels for weeks. The captain's patience was sorely tried by the lack of wind before the ship finally emerged and met the trade winds.
Chapter 72
How did the ship narrowly escape shipwreck in the Indian Ocean?
On a Sunday afternoon every sail was set to catch the least air. A huge wall-like sea approached, and the skipper exclaimed they were gone. Its force made the sails almost dip into the ocean, but the ship gradually righted itself. The author, resting in her cabin, was thrown to the floor, and all were grateful for deliverance.
Chapter 72
What were the author's first impressions of Shanghai, and how did they change?
Arriving at night, she found her anticipations of the beautiful Orient fully realized: lanterns of every shape and color made the streets seem like fairyland, recalling the Arabian Nights. The next morning undeceived her, as daylight revealed a squalid and dirty city. She also found the Astor House hotel and an old acquaintance, Anna O. Vernon, there to welcome her.
Chapter 72
What facts does the chapter give about Foo Chow?
Natives call it Hok Chiu, or 'Happy City,' and it is termed a 'Foo-City,' meaning a place of the largest magnitude; it was the sole Chinese port where royalty was represented. It sits on the Min River about twenty-five miles from its mouth, capital of Fokien Province. Its walls are nine or ten miles around, about thirty feet high and twelve wide at top, with seven towered gates.
Chapter 72

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What housing did the U.S. Consul find in Foo Chow, and how did the British compare?
No house was provided for the U.S. Consul, so the Gouverneurs first lodged with a missionary family, then rented a residence from the Hong of Augustus Heard and Company. The author notes the English government took better care of its representative: the British Consulate was a fine building resembling the White House, and the British interpreter Milne also had government-provided housing.
Chapter 73
What Chinese customs did the author find novel in Foo Chow?
The seat of honor for a guest was on the host's left. A man uncovered was a mark of disrespect, so a servant appearing hatless before his master would be reprimanded. Mourners wore white, in contrast to Western somber dress. Shoe polish was a chalky white substance. The author felt transferred to another planet, and admired the April custom of decorating ancestors' graves with flowers.
Chapter 73
Who was Ling Kein and how was he employed and paid?
Ling Kein was a high-ranking mandarin who wore the blue button and the peacock feather, spoke English and several dialects, and had once sailed a junk into New York, where he met figures such as Daniel Lord and William Kemble. He was not employed by the U.S. government; his salary of one hundred dollars a month came from Mr. Gouverneur's private means.
Chapter 73
What dispute arose among the servants, and how was it resolved?
The author heard an uproar involving her two nurses and summoned Ling Kein. The butler Ning Ping, a Christianized Chinese, had paid the women in Mexican dollars of improper weight, exploiting a practice of clipping or punching coins against women he thought unsophisticated. It was settled by agreeing that the author would personally pay the nurses their wages, four dollars a month each.
Chapter 73

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What did Gouverneur say about her household staff and kitchen in Foo Chow?
She admits she never saw the interior of her kitchen, yet her cook Ting Ting served dinners in the most approved manner, and butler Ning Ping was equally expert. Guests were mostly senior Hong members and warship officers, each bringing his own "boy" who stood behind him during the meal. The laundryman charged two dollars a hundred for articles of every description.
Chapter 74
How does Gouverneur describe Rev. William C. Burns and why did she admire him?
She calls him a Scotch Presbyterian clergyman who lived a life of consecrated self-denial, residing exclusively with natives and dressing in Chinese garb, which with his Caucasian features and blond complexion gave him the drollest appearance. She admired his total devotion to spreading Christianity, comparing him to early Jesuits like Francis Xavier, and notes he died in China in pursuit of his vocation.
Chapter 74
What did Gouverneur record about slavery and the slave trade in Foo Chow?
She states that fifty years earlier slavery was prevalent among the Chinese, its victims of their own race and color. Impoverished parents sold children to brokers, a recognized legitimate business in Foo Chow; boys and girls aged ten to twelve were sent from villages to be sold. Girls became servants or were raised to marry sons. Purchases were made on trial, tested under blue light for leprosy, and babies in Shanghai cost twenty cents each.
Chapter 74
What does Gouverneur say about China's Examination Hall and civil service?
The Examination Hall was a large building divided into small rooms each holding one person, where young men were locked yearly to write test papers; it accommodated ten thousand students. A board of examiners read the papers and assigned official positions to those who excelled. Gouverneur argues China's civil service was the forerunner of reforms instituted in countries regarded as more enlightened in governmental polity.
Chapter 74

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How did Mr. Gouverneur respond to the pirate battle and mob threat at Foo Chow?
He requested that the U.S. man-of-war Adams, commanded by James F. Schenck, send a detachment of marines ashore. The marines were quartered around the Consulate, and their presence had the desired moral effect on all parties, relieving both foreign and native residents. Apprehension ended when the pirates departed soon after.
Chapter 75
What were the 'Kumshaws' left after the pirates departed, and how were they identified?
Boxes and sheep tied to the flag-staff appeared in the Consulate courtyard. The interpreter had fled in fear of the pirates, so Mr. Milne, the British interpreter, explained they were parting gifts—'Kumshaws'—from the pirates to the American and British Consuls and Mr. Milne. The boxes held hams, rock candy, dates and other provisions.
Chapter 75
What does the chapter say about James J. Waddell and the cruiser Shenandoah?
Waddell was Schenck's executive officer on the Adams, a North Carolinian who resigned his U.S. commission at the Civil War's opening and joined the Confederate Navy. Given command of the Shenandoah, formerly the Sea King, he captured thirty-eight vessels, mostly whalers. He first learned of the Confederacy's downfall in August 1865, then surrendered the ship in England.
Chapter 75

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How does the author characterize the introduction of opium into China?
The author argues it was an outrageous wrong committed by Americans and Englishmen whose avarice overcame their moral convictions, calling the resulting fortunes "blood money." The author notes China could not resist Western force, and when she burned the drug she was made liable for heavy indemnities, with six hundred thousand dollars passing through Mr. Gouverneur's hands as U.S. Consul.
Chapter 76
What happened to Chinese treasures when the Imperial Summer Palace was looted in 1860?
The chapter states that gems, costly articles of vertu, gold and silver treasures, and ancient manuscripts disappeared. It was said that Louis Napoleon conferred the title of Comte de Pelikao on General Charles Montauban for presenting Empress Eugénie with superb black pearls taken from the palace. Similar outrages were perpetrated during the Boxer troubles.
Chapter 76
Why did Augustus Harrison seek shelter at the Consulate, and what did he give Maud?
He came apparently in ill health, saying an English physician's violent remedies had failed him and prompted him to declare he had been mistaken for a horse. The Gouverneurs gave him a room as a guest and nursed him to convalescence. In gratitude he presented Maud with the "Pirates' God," an idol captured from two pirate boats after a three-hour fight.
Chapter 76

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Why did the Gouverneurs decide to return home from Foo Chow?
The semi-tropical climate of Foo Chow did not agree with Mr. Gouverneur, whose health had been seriously undermined during his campaign in the Mexican War and never fully recovered. It was hoped life in the East would benefit him, but it proved otherwise, so the family decided to return home.
Chapter 77
Why did Mrs. Gouverneur sail home on the British ship Mirage?
With the Civil War raging and news from home arriving months late, Mr. Gouverneur had to stay at his post until his successor arrived. He deemed it wise for his wife and children to return on a ship under the British flag, and she agreed. The judgment was confirmed when the next American vessel from Foo Chow was captured by a Confederate privateer.
Chapter 77
What happened to the Mirage as it neared New York harbor?
Just outside the pilot grounds, the captain found the barometer fallen lower than in all his experience and no pilot in sight. A tempest blew the vessel far out to sea for three days; the rudder was tied and hatches battened down. The captain said that had the wind been in another quarter, all aboard would have perished within hours.
Chapter 77
How did the Gouverneurs' return reveal the intensity of wartime feeling?
The author recalls that the country was wild with excitement over the war, with suspicions created by trivial acts and remarks open to double construction. When Mr. Gouverneur, watching a Vermont regiment, remarked that the troops needed training, Mr. Eames exclaimed, "You are a secessionist, sir!"—despite Gouverneur's loyalty to the Union.
Chapter 77

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How did the Civil War affect the friendship of Mrs. Vanden Heuvel and Mrs. Gibbs?
The two elderly women, a granddaughter of Robert Morris and a granddaughter of Oliver Wolcott, had been lifelong intimates, but their radically opposed views on the conflict severed their personal relations for a period. The author uses this to show that toleration was utterly lacking in both North and South, and that even those allied by blood were estranged.
Chapter 78
What exchange occurred between Outerbridge Horsey and General Columbus O'Donnell over naming children?
Horsey, a Southern sympathizer, named a son born after a Southern victory Robert Victor Lee. After a Confederate defeat, O'Donnell suggested Robert "Skedaddle" Lee, and Horsey retorted that O'Donnell's grandchild might be renamed George "Retreat" McClellan. The author cites this to show Maryland's wartime animosities ruptured ties more completely than in the North.
Chapter 78
What did the Union do to prevent Maryland's legislature from declaring secession?
When the legislature convened in Frederick rather than Annapolis, then occupied by Union troops, General John A. Dix arrested ten members-elect, Baltimore's mayor, a congressman and two editors; General Nathaniel P. Banks took nine more into custody in Frederick. Under suspension of habeas corpus they were confined at Fort Lafayette or Fort Warren.
Chapter 78
What did the Gouverneurs expect after the storm before Lee's crossing, and what happened?
During the violent storm, the Gouverneurs believed the swollen Potomac and Shenandoah, with all bridges destroyed, made crossing impossible, so they were elated, thinking it meant the end of hostilities and the Union restored. They were surprised the next morning to learn Lee's troops had safely crossed into Virginia.
Chapter 78

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Why did General Halleck refuse to appoint Samuel L. Gouverneur Jr. to his staff?
Halleck replied that the law authorizing additional aides had been repealed, and that he had long refused to nominate anyone except for distinguished or meritorious military service. He acknowledged some had been placed on his staff without any service at all, but said they were not nominated by him and he did not recognize their appointments as legal.
Chapter 79
How did the Gouverneurs conceal their horses from the Confederates, and did it work?
They hid the horses in the cellar under the house, first removing the steps because the horses refused to enter. The animals were led down one by one into a darkened room with bags tied over their eyes to keep them from neighing. General Johnson sat directly above them, but they stayed silent; a mounted officer stopped at the upturned steps but rode on.
Chapter 79
What did the author think of Mosby's and Morgan's guerrilla warfare?
The author argues that Mosby's men in the East and Morgan's rangers in the West represented an ignoble warfare that did not benefit the Southern cause but merely molested inoffensive farmers by carrying off their stock and destroying their livelihood. She notes General Beverly Robertson, a Confederate officer, agreed it greatly injured the Southern cause.
Chapter 79
How did the author's feelings about Halleck's rejection differ from her husband's?
Halleck's reply was a bitter disappointment to Mr. Gouverneur but a tremendous relief to the author, who knew his health was not fit for service even as a staff officer. She had not tried to dissuade him initially, feeling no moral right to interfere with his sense of duty, so the letter produced a household outcome better than her most sanguine anticipations.
Chapter 79

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Why did the Confederate guards leave so suddenly, and what did the Gouverneurs conclude about them?
The Southerners slipped away before dawn, and the Gouverneurs concluded the guards were young men visiting relatives and friends in Frederick whose retreat was so sudden that no word of warning could reach them. Mounted officers soon arrived asking where the guards were, but rode off quickly after being told they had gone.
Chapter 80
Why did the household servants flee, and who remained to help Mrs. Gouverneur?
The colored servants fled upon hearing of the Confederates' second visit, having been told they would be captured and taken further South. This left no servant except a Chinese maid, and Mrs. Gouverneur was in a strange locality. Her husband later went to New York and secured a family of Irish immigrants, a woman and three men.
Chapter 80
Why did the Confederate officers doubt the Gouverneurs about the Alms House Road?
The Gouverneurs genuinely knew nothing of the surrounding country, and the officers looked at one another incredulously, convinced the couple was withholding information. John Demsey, an Irish immigrant, also first said he did not know, until he realized the officers meant the 'Poor House road' and gave the directions.
Chapter 80
What happened at the Gouverneur house before and during the battle of the Monocacy?
Northern soldiers surrounded the house and, because it stood on a hill, selected it as a position, telling the family the cellar was safest. Shells flew from several directions, and they spent most of the day underground. The battle was four miles away, short and decisive, and the Southern Army was repulsed.
Chapter 80

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Why did Union soldiers search the Gouverneur home, and how did the family react?
Union soldiers searched the house from garret to cellar for "concealed rebels," assuming the family were Southern sympathizers because of their home's location. The author tolerated this until soldiers roused the household at five o'clock one morning, when she protested. She notes the conduct of Union detachments varied greatly, and the family greeted the 6th Army Corps with enthusiasm.
Chapter 81
What was General David Hunter's unpopular duty, and what case does the author cite?
General Hunter sent persons suspected of disloyalty further South, often separating families, many of them elderly. The author recalls Dr. John Thomas McGill and his wife being ordered to leave immediately; Mrs. McGill, in delicate health, died from the fright, though the order was not carried out because of strong Union influence. The author argues these orders caused great distress.
Chapter 81
What does the chapter say about the truth of the Barbara Frietchie story?
The author says opinions differ: Southern sympathizers deny that Frietchie waved a Union flag as Stonewall Jackson's men passed, while Northern-sentiment residents of Frederick assert Whittier's verses are true. The author confirms a woman of that name lived in Frederick, was buried in the German Reformed Church burying ground, and that pilgrimages are made to her grave, over which a Union flag floats.
Chapter 81
Why did the Gouverneurs abandon full-time country life after the war?
After Lee's surrender they restored fences, dug up silver buried under a garden tree, and turned to farming, but discovered neither was suited to country life: Mr. Gouverneur knew nothing of practical farming and the author nothing of practical cooking, despite her Chinese maid. After one winter they made Po-ne-sang only a summer home. The author argues country life is a forlorn fate for women except the very wealthy.
Chapter 81

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How was apple and peach butter made at Po-ne-sang?
Servants made it in a large kettle swung from an iron tripod in the yard. The apples or peaches cooked slowly all day and were stirred with wooden paddles whose long handles kept the worker at a distance from the fire. Cider was regarded as an important ingredient, and the sugar was seldom added until the last.
Chapter 82
What does the chapter say about the German family named House in Frederick?
The four maiden sisters had limited means and eked out a living by stamping from original designs and taking in plain sewing. Their front door was always locked and bolted; visitors passed through a gate, a long alley, a scrupulously clean kitchen, and up steep back stairs to a small rear room. Each sister greeted you in turn until the last simply said 'Morning,' and they repeated the close of one another's remarks.
Chapter 82
Who was Fanny McPherson and what notable family connections did she have?
She was an elderly woman who retained the graces and charms of youth, and the author delighted in her tales of bygone days. She was the granddaughter of Thomas Johnson, the first Governor of Maryland, and nearly related to Louisa Catharine Johnson, Mrs. John Quincy Adams. She showed the author a letter from Washington offering her grandfather the position of Secretary of State, which he declined.
Chapter 82

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What did the citizens of Frederick, especially its women, accomplish for Francis Scott Key?
Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner," is buried in Frederick soil. His remains had long lain in an unnoticed grave in Mount Olivet Cemetery, but through the efforts of the citizens of Frederick, and especially its women, an imposing monument now towers above him, surmounted by a superb male figure with outstretched arms.
Chapter 83
What posthumous work was Mr. Gouverneur editing during his wife's trip south?
Mr. Gouverneur was engrossed in editing for publication a posthumous work of James Monroe, later published by the Lippincotts under the title "The People the Sovereigns." The author presents this as making the period especially suitable for her long absence, since his whole time and attention were taken up with the editing.
Chapter 83
How did the Winthrops' former slaves live after the war, according to the author?
Before the war the Winthrops had owned hundreds of slaves. The author states that most of them, in a state of freedom, were still living in quarters a short distance from the house and working on her plantations "just as though the war had not made them free." The author reports this as an observation of the household she visited.
Chapter 83
Who was Madame Achillé Murat and how was she connected to Washington and Napoleon?
She was Miss Catharine A. Willis of Virginia and a great-grandniece of General Washington. She married Achillé Murat, son of Joachim Murat, Napoleon's marshal, who married Napoleon's sister Caroline and became King of Naples. Her Washington blood and illustrious French marriage opened exclusive society to her abroad. She died in summer 1867.
Chapter 83

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What did Achillé Murat serve his foreign guests when he lacked suitable food?
According to an anecdote Gouverneur Kemble told the author, when many foreign guests arrived unexpectedly, Murat was perplexed about what to serve. He owned a large flock of sheep and ordered the tips of their ears cut off and served. The guests departed unaware of what they had eaten but convinced America produced the choicest viands.
Chapter 84
How did Jerome Bonaparte react to being introduced to Mr. Corbin of Virginia?
At the Louvre, Madame Murat presented Mr. Francis Porteus Corbin, a Virginian, to Jerome Bonaparte. When Bonaparte later asked his kinswoman who the elegant gentleman was, she replied, "Mr. Corbin, of Virginia." Bonaparte exclaimed that he had no idea there was so much elegance in America.
Chapter 84
What did the author learn about Madame Murat's relationship with Napoleon III?
During the author's acquaintance with Madame Murat, Napoleon III was on the throne of France. From their chats she learned Madame Murat's relations with her distinguished kinspeople were most cordial, and she was informed the Emperor gave her an annuity for many years. Two portraits of the Emperor and Empress hung in her drawing-room as recent gifts.
Chapter 84
How did the author describe Judge Joseph Holt's skill at entertaining?
The author met Joseph Holt, then Judge Advocate General, in Frederick in 1869. A Kentuckian over six feet tall, he had been Postmaster General under Buchanan and succeeded John B. Floyd as Secretary of War in 1860. The author says that although she had been in society all her life, Holt more perfectly understood and practiced the art of entertaining than anyone she ever knew.
Chapter 84

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What did the Military Commission recommend regarding Mary E. Surratt's sentence?
A majority of the Commission members signed a recommendation respectfully praying the President, in consideration of Surratt's sex and age, to commute her death sentence to life imprisonment if consistent with his sense of duty to the country. This recommendation for executive clemency remained unknown to the public until Edwards Pierrepont referred to it in 1867.
Chapter 85
What was the core dispute between Andrew Johnson and Judge Holt?
The matter reduced to a question of personal veracity: Holt affirmed he drew the President's attention specially to the recommendation for Mrs. Surratt, which Johnson read and commented on; Johnson contradicted him, asserting no recommendation for commutation was mentioned or submitted to him. Holt's enemies therefore held him indirectly responsible for her execution.
Chapter 85
How did James Speed respond to Holt's 1883 appeal for vindication?
Speed gave evasive words, saying only that he saw the petition for clemency in the President's office without indicating whether before or after Surratt's execution, and that he did not feel at liberty to speak of cabinet meetings. After exchanging letters and excusing himself for six months on pleas of bereavement, business, and lost glasses, he concluded he could say no more.
Chapter 85
How did the author characterize Holt's reply to her 1888 letter?
The author, having read the Holt-Speed correspondence in the North American Review, wrote Holt a lengthy letter expressing faith in his version. She says his reply casts additional light on a subject that caused this brilliant, high-minded gentleman bitter suffering he never wholly recovered from, and she includes further letters she calls beautiful in expression but pathetic in character.
Chapter 85

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According to the chapter, who allegedly blocked visitors seeking clemency for Mrs. Surratt?
The chapter states it was asserted on high authority that Anna Surratt, Catholic priests, and prominent Washington men tried to see the President to plead for clemency for Mrs. Surratt but were denied admission by Preston King, then Collector of the Port of New York and a White House guest, and by Senator James Lane of Kansas. It also notes Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas reportedly pushed past the guards but her efforts were fruitless.
Chapter 86
What did J. Holt say about the Johnson-Speed calumny in his 1893 letter?
Holt wrote that Mrs. Vance's letter was another sign of the subtle, wide-spread circulation of the Johnson-Speed calumny. He said the poison seemed beyond any human antidote and that he must look to God alone for shelter from it, thanking Mrs. Gouverneur for her generous and effective good offices in a matter deeply affecting his reputation and happiness.
Chapter 86
How does Holt describe his health and treatment in his January 1893 letter?
Holt says he must write by another's hand because of his eyes, and that after two years and a half of continued treatment he has received no relief, nor do the eminent physicians who treated him offer encouragement for the future. He writes that while the world feasts, his lot is and must be ashes for bread.
Chapter 86
What did General Scott tell the author about Preston King's reaction to a disturbance?
General Scott told the author that at one period of his military career he was ordered to quell a disturbance between Canadians and Americans near Ogdensburg, King's home. King was so seriously affected by the scenes he witnessed that it was long before he recovered his normal condition of mind. The author cites this as evidence of his sensitive, nervous temperament.
Chapter 86

Section 874 cards

Who were the distinguished guests at Mrs. Goldsborough's dinner during the Frederick fair?
President Grant attended the Frederick County fair as guest of Mrs. Margaret Goldsborough, accompanied by General Sherman, and both made brief addresses. That evening Mrs. Goldsborough gave a dinner in their honor which the author and Mr. Gouverneur attended. Grant was then in his first term. The author found Grant reticent, while Sherman, seated next to her, was a highly agreeable conversationalist.
Chapter 87
What did Horace Greeley write to Mr. Gouverneur about his fair visit?
Greeley wrote from the New York Tribune on October 1, 1871, saying he expected to be on hand to speak at the County Fair and would stop with the Gouverneurs if agreeable to those who invited him. He asked Gouverneur to tell Mr. C. H. Keefer, who had invited him, that he was subject to Keefer's order and would gladly accept with his consent.
Chapter 87
What did Mr. Gouverneur do to support Greeley's presidential bid?
Impressed by Greeley's ability and character during the visit, Mr. Gouverneur started a newspaper in Frederick called The Maryland Herald to advocate Greeley's nomination. He was chosen a delegate to the National Liberal Republican Convention in Cincinnati, which nominated Greeley and Brown, and served as the member from Maryland on the party's national committee. The author says the defeat was a severe blow to him.
Chapter 87
How does the author describe Boss Shepherd's changes to Washington?
The author says Shepherd's regime graded and changed the unpaved streets, making Washington the beautiful city it is today, but she argues he accomplished it at a tremendous cost: many poorer people, unable to meet assessments, were forced to part with their homes. She notes houses left high above or below grade, later corrected as cellars were dug and English basements became prevalent.
Chapter 87

Section 884 cards

What did William Hogan do after graduating from Columbia College in 1811?
He studied law, then purchased land in the Black River country and did much to develop that part of his native State. The town of Hogansburg in Franklin County was named after him. He became a county judge and member of Congress, and later resided in Washington, where he worked in the Department of State, first as an examiner of claims and then as an official interpreter.
Chapter 88
How did William Hogan first become acquainted with Lord Byron?
At an early age Hogan accompanied his father to the Cape of Good Hope. He formed an intimacy with Lord Byron at Harrow, where he received the early portion of his education. Byron was not then a student but occupied a small room at Harrow he called his 'den.' Hogan's daughter wrote that Byron was a young man and her father a little boy, and that Byron often admitted him to repeat stories of his African life.
Chapter 88
Why did the author's calling on Mrs. ---- draw rebuke from friends?
The neighborhood's political sentiment was friendly to Grant, and the Dents and Sharps were deservedly popular. Mr. ---- was the Washington representative of a New York daily that had denounced Grant and praised Greeley. The author was fond of Mrs. Dent and Mrs. Sharp, but Mr. Gouverneur was active in the Greeley campaign, so she was less enthusiastic about the Grant administration than her neighbors. She called anyway and was taken to task by some friends.
Chapter 88
Who was Mrs. Septimia Randolph Meikleham and how was she connected to Jefferson?
She was the last surviving grandchild of Thomas Jefferson, born at Monticello, and the seventh daughter of Governor Thomas Mann Randolph of Virginia and Martha, Jefferson's younger daughter. Her name 'Septimia' was suggested by her grandfather. She was the widow of Dr. David Scott Meikleham of Glasgow, a relative of Sir Walter Scott. Intimates called her 'Tim,' and she resembled Jefferson.
Chapter 88

Section 894 cards

From whom did Oscar Wilde reportedly inherit his aesthetic tastes?
According to Madame Grimaud de Caux, the wife of the French legation's chancelier, Oscar Wilde inherited his aesthetic tastes largely from his mother, a woman of unusual type who habitually dressed in white before white garments were generally prevalent. She also told the author that Wilde's father was a prominent oculist who built a mansion so singular that Dublin wits called it "Wilde's eye-sore."
Chapter 89
Why did General Jackson send Mrs. Donelson back to Tennessee?
Mrs. Wilcox recalled that Jackson promptly sent her mother back to Tennessee because she refused to accord social recognition to the wife of General John H. Eaton, his Secretary of War—Peggy O'Neal, widow of Purser John B. Timberlake. Colonel Donelson shared his wife's views, resigned as the President's private secretary, and returned with her; months later, through friends, both were restored to Jackson's favor and resumed their White House functions.
Chapter 89
What did Simon Newcomb say about Professor Joseph Henry's place in Washington?
The author quotes Professor Simon Newcomb, himself a scientific giant, saying Joseph Henry, first secretary of the Smithsonian, held a place never filled—not his official post but his position as recognized leader and exponent of scientific interests at the National Capital. Newcomb cited Henry's worldwide reputation, exalted character, inspiring presence, and broad views, and said no one since had been both able and willing to assume that position.
Chapter 89
How did Washington society in 1873 differ from that of the author's later day?
The author argues the society circle in Washington in 1873 was small compared with later times, with much less form and ceremony, fewer social cliques, and greater affability. The "Old Washingtonians" were more in evidence, and the political element came and went without markedly disturbing social harmony. She notes many public figures' families were cordially received into exclusive circles, naming Mrs. Hamilton Fish, Mrs. James G. Blaine, and others.
Chapter 89

Section 904 cards

Who was the social leader in Washington in 1873, and what were her Friday afternoons like?
Mrs. Frances Lawrence Ricketts, wife of General James B. Ricketts, U.S.A., was the social leader in Washington in 1873. Her husband had served in the Civil War and received a handsome pension for disabilities. They lived on G Street between Eighteenth and Nineteenth Streets, and her Friday afternoons were festive occasions. She was known for selling charity tickets, which few had the courage to refuse.
Chapter 90
What did the wag's doggerel about Mrs. Ricketts say, and what was its basis in fact?
The doggerel ran, "Here comes Mrs. Ricketts / With a pocketful of tickets." It had a basis in fact: she frequently appeared in public with tickets to sell for some charitable object, and she sold them, too, as but few had the courage to refuse her. The author describes her as an exceedingly fine looking woman with a cordial manner and graceful bearing.
Chapter 90
Why did Mrs. Julia A. K. Lawrence faint at Mrs. Maynadier's, and how old was she then?
In her reply to Miss Gouverneur's note of sympathy, Mrs. Lawrence attributed the fainting to the heat of Mrs. Maynadier's parlour and the agitation of the previous day, at the prospect of parting with dear friends given the delicate state of Kate Eveleth's health. The author regarded the note as remarkable because its writer was then approaching her ninetieth birthday.
Chapter 90
Who owned the old Decatur house when the author returned to Washington, and what entertainment did she recall there?
General and Mrs. Edward F. Beale owned and occupied the old Decatur house facing Lafayette Square after returning from a long residence in California. The author recalled an entertainment there in honor of the tragedian John E. McCullough, attended by General Ambrose E. Burnside and Captain Richard Tyldin Auchmuty. General Beale's California relics, polished floors, and brilliant lights made the scene memorable.
Chapter 90

Section 914 cards

What does the chapter say about Mrs. Gouverneur's antique style at a party?
The author describes Mrs. Marian Campbell Gouverneur, wife of Samuel L. Gouverneur (grandson of James Monroe), as an elegant, vivacious lady with a large collection of American and Asiatic antiques. At a party she had her dress looped with ornaments from Monroe's court dress when he was Minister to France, and she wore black velvet mittens of that date.
Chapter 91
How did the Lee brothers differ politically during the Civil War?
Colonel John F. Lee, a Virginian and West Point graduate, resigned his commission at the start of the Civil War. His brother Samuel Phillips Lee, then a Navy Commander, remained in the service and eventually became a Rear Admiral. Despite their widely differing political views, the brothers were respected and beloved by associates and never let state opinions interfere with fraternal affection.
Chapter 91
What did Washington reportedly say at General Forrest's Rosedale?
According to Mrs. Louisa Key Norton, granddaughter of General Uriah Forrest, Washington dined with Forrest and afterward walked onto the portico. Lost in admiration of the beautiful view, he exclaimed: "There is the site of the Federal City." Forrest, an intimate friend of Washington, built Rosedale after 1782; its ivy-covered neighbor The Highlands was the Nourse family home.
Chapter 91
What is the Society of Old Washingtonians and its insignia?
The Society of Old Washingtonians is an exclusive organization whose members meet monthly at the Rhode Island Avenue home of Miss Mary B. Johnston, its president, to hear papers on earlier Washington and discuss its persons and events. The author is a member. Its insignia is an orange ribbon inscribed in black: "Should auld acquaintance be forgot?"
Chapter 91

Section 924 cards

What did Madame Le Vert do in Washington after the Civil War hurt her finances?
She gave a series of lectures on Mr. and Mrs. Robert Browning at Willard's Hall on F Street, which fashionable society endorsed; at her last appearance Albert Pike added a short discourse on Freemasonry. The author notes her maiden name was Octavia Walton, granddaughter of George Walton, a Signer from Georgia, and daughter of George Walton, Territorial Governor of Florida.
Chapter 92
How did George Bancroft's political party change, and how did Massachusetts react?
The author says Bancroft began his political life in Massachusetts as a Whig but was a Democrat when she first knew him. She states this change placed him in an unfavorable light in his state, whose citizens she describes as nearly as intolerant of Democrats as their ancestors had been of witches in early colonial days.
Chapter 92
What does the chapter say about Dr. S. Weir Mitchell's connection to the author?
Mary Cadwalader brought Dr. S. Weir Mitchell to the author's Corcoran Street home and announced her engagement to him there. The author notes he was then known as an eminent physician only, not yet distinguished in fiction and poetry. She adds that years later, while she visited Philadelphia, he suggested she write these reminiscences.
Chapter 92
Where were the large balls and bachelors' germans held, and who taught the dancing?
They were given at Lewis G. Marini's on the south side of E Street near Ninth Street. Marini was an Italian and the dancing master of the day; twice a week he taught midshipmen at Annapolis, who later became acceptable Washington beaux because they danced the same step their master taught his pupils there.
Chapter 92

Section 934 cards

Who were the Wards, and what made their household notable?
Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Ward lived in the old Stockton house next door to William W. Corcoran. Mr. Ward was then in Congress from New York. The author says the Wards probably entertained more lavishly than any other family of that day, and that Mrs. Ward's grace and subtle charm drew acceptable recruits from social and political life to her drawing-room.
Chapter 93
What happened at Elizabeth Hopkins Bradford's wedding, and whom did she marry?
She married Edmund Hamilton Smith of Canandaigua, New York, son of Judge James C. Smith of the State Supreme Court, with Rev. Dr. John Vaughan Lewis of St. John's Church officiating. Her mother and youngest sister Louise were traveling in Europe; their ship was delayed by an accident off Newfoundland, so the wedding took place without them, casting gloom over the feast until the ship reached port.
Chapter 93
What was Crowninshield's naval career before and during the Spanish-American War?
After promotion to Captain he commanded the Richmond at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for under a year, then was placed in command of the ill-fated Maine. About ten months before she was destroyed he was ordered to Washington as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, first as Commodore and then Rear Admiral. He served with marked efficiency during the Spanish-American War and retired in 1903.
Chapter 93
What does the chapter say about Horatio King's career and Saturday receptions?
In 1839 King entered the Post Office Department; eleven years later he worked in its foreign service, originating and perfecting important postal arrangements. He rose to Postmaster General under President Buchanan. About 1873 the Kings lived at 707 H Street, where Saturday evenings drew littérateurs and statesmen; John Pierpont read a poem at the first, and these reunions are said to be the first of their kind in Washington.
Chapter 93

Section 943 cards

What did Conway argue about the Federalists in his lecture?
The author reports that Moncure D. Conway, speaking on Federal party leaders, showed sympathies against them, denounced the Federalists strongly, branded some as traitors, and especially criticized Jay's Treaty with England in 1794, which he called their pet creation. Conway later said he could not adapt history to suit descendants of early statesmen.
Chapter 94
How was Thomas Paine freed from the Luxembourg prison?
The author states Paine was imprisoned in the Luxembourg nearly eleven months expecting the guillotine, and after Robespierre's fall was liberated through the kindly offices of James Monroe, who had succeeded Gouverneur Morris as Minister to France. Paine believed a single word from Washington would have freed him, but he waited in vain.
Chapter 94
How did the Electoral Commission of 1877 decide the Hayes-Tilden dispute?
The author recalls the Commission had equal Republicans and Democrats with Justice Joseph P. Bradley as the fifteenth member, chosen for his neutral position. It decided the Republican nominee was entitled to electoral votes of Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina, and the Electoral College awarded Hayes the Presidency 186 to 185.
Chapter 94

Section 954 cards

Who engineered the Tilden campaign, and what was his editorial role?
Manton Marble, described as an able man and the editor of the New York World, engineered the Tilden campaign. The author also recalls Tilden as a small, insignificant-looking man whose whole life was given up to politics, and notes that his carefully drawn last will was successfully contested despite being engrossed in his own hand.
Chapter 95
How did the size of Hayes's inaugural parade compare with Cleveland's?
The author watched the Hayes inaugural parade from a window at Fifteenth Street and New York Avenue. She says the procession escorting Hayes to the White House was by no means so imposing as others she had seen, including Cleveland's first inauguration eight years later, when General Fitzhugh Lee led the Virginia troops and received a greater ovation than the new President.
Chapter 95
What did Evarts say about water at the White House under Hayes?
The author says Mrs. Hayes held strong convictions and made her influence felt for what she believed right. Her attitude toward wine at White House entertainments was a radical departure from precedent and antagonized many friends, yet she persevered. William M. Evarts, Hayes's Secretary of State, later asserted that during the Hayes administration water flowed at the White House like champagne.
Chapter 95
What was the Field house on Second Street used for historically?
The house of Justice Stephen J. Field, appointed by Lincoln in 1863, was said to be a gift from his brothers. After the British destroyed the first Capitol in the War of 1812, the Field house and two adjoining houses were used by Congress as its seat of deliberations; Henry Clay served there as Speaker about ten years. It later served as a boarding house, and John C. Calhoun died in its back parlor.
Chapter 95

Section 962 cards

What did the French Government give Professor Hilgard, and who later succeeded him?
The French Government presented Professor Theodore E. Hilgard a superb vase in appreciation of his scientific achievements; it was later owned by Dr. Thomas N. Vincent. Hilgard served many years as Superintendent of the Coast Survey, and after an interval of several years his nephew, Mr. Otto H. Tittmann, succeeded him in that post.
Chapter 96
What did the author say about her husband's death in 1880?
In spring 1880 her husband's long, painful illness ended in death. She says he had intellectual power and ambition but lacked strength, bearing his affliction with fortitude. She describes feeling like a ship lost at sea with no moorings in sight, sustained for years by his integrity and honor, and calls his death a bereavement too terrible for words, saying she cares to say no more.
Chapter 96

Section 974 cards

Who presided over White House social functions during President Arthur's administration?
Mrs. John E. McElroy, President Arthur's sister, spent much of her time in Washington and presided with grace over the social functions of the White House. The author cites this as evidence, alongside Jefferson, Jackson, Van Buren and Buchanan, that a wife as "Mistress of the White House" is not an absolute necessity.
Chapter 97
What did President Arthur do for the author's daughter Ruth Monroe's wedding in December 1882?
Although the author's family was still in mourning and had no personal acquaintance with the President, General Arthur sent superb flowers to her home from the conservatory of the Executive Mansion for her second daughter Ruth Monroe's December 1882 wedding. The author regarded the act as exceedingly gracious but characteristic of the man.
Chapter 97
Whom does the author praise as Washington's "Lady Bountiful"?
The author names Mrs. Julian James, a representative of a distinguished New York family and daughter of Theodorus Bailey Myers, who had made her home in Washington for many years. The author calls her beautiful in person and character, says she distributes her wealth with a lavish hand, and says she richly deserves the words "well done."
Chapter 97
How does the author assess Arthur's presidency despite his painful succession and distasteful political affiliations?
The author says the circumstances of Arthur's succession were painful and some former political affiliations were distasteful to many, making the early administration somewhat embarrassing. Yet by sheer force of character, unquestioned ability and magnificent tact, the author argues he won the people's hearts, left office as highly esteemed as any predecessor, and carried retirement applause irrespective of party.
Chapter 97

Section 984 cards

What kind of content makes up Section 98 of Gouverneur's recollections?
Section 98 is an index-style listing of surnames in alphabetical order, each followed by page numbers. Entries often include spouses, children, or relatives grouped under a head of household, such as 'Beale, Edward F., 364' with 'Mrs. Edward F.' and 'Mary' also at page 364. It contains no narrative prose, only names and page references.
Chapter 98
How does the index distinguish people who share the same name?
The index uses parenthetical numbers to separate individuals with identical names. For example, 'Butler, Pierce (1), (Senator), 85' and 'Butler, Pierce (2), 85' are listed as distinct entries, and 'Campbell, James (1)' and 'Campbell, James (2)' are likewise numbered. Occupations or roles, such as '(Senator)' or '(British Consul in N.Y.),' are sometimes added for clarity.
Chapter 98
Which women appear in the index under their husbands' names?
Many married women are indexed only as 'Mrs.' followed by the husband's full name, such as 'Mrs. Edward F. Beale,' 'Mrs. James Gordon Bennett,' and 'Mrs. August Belmont.' Some women also appear under their own names, like Fanny Campbell, Margaret Campbell, and Marian Campbell, or with maiden-style entries such as 'Elizabeth Hopkins Bradford.'
Chapter 98
What range of page numbers do the entries in this section cite?
The page references in Section 98 run from very low numbers, such as 2 and 3 (for Jonathan Carr and Luther Bradish), up to 392 (for Francis Marion Crawford). Most entries cluster in the middle range, and a few individuals, like Marian Gouverneur's relatives the Campbells, are cited at many scattered pages across the volume.
Chapter 98

Section 994 cards

What kind of content makes up Section 99 of Gouverneur's recollections?
Section 99 is an index-style listing of surnames with page numbers, not narrative prose. Entries run alphabetically from Cruger and Cumberland through Gonzales, giving names of individuals and, in many cases, their spouses and relatives. It functions as a reference apparatus for the book, pointing readers to where each person appears elsewhere in the volume.
Chapter 99
How does the index distinguish different people who share the same name?
The index uses parenthetical numbers to separate individuals with identical names. For example, Stephen Decatur appears as "Stephen (1)" and "Stephen (2)," Henry Gage as "Henry (1)" and "Henry (2)," and Edmund Pendleton Gaines as "(1)" and "(2)," each with separate page references and, in some cases, a listed wife.
Chapter 99
Which women are listed in the index under their husbands' names?
Many women appear only as "Mrs." followed by the husband's full name, such as Mrs. Douglas Cruger, Mrs. Jabez L. M. Curry, Mrs. John Watts De Peyster, and Mrs. Hamilton Fish. Some are also identified by a maiden name or nickname in parentheses, as with Mrs. Rose Adelle ("Addie") Cutts and Mrs. Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren.
Chapter 99
What notable nineteenth-century figures appear in this index section?
The listing includes political figures such as Jefferson Davis, Stephen A. Douglas, Andrew G. Curtin, and Hamilton Fish; writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and George William Curtis; and the scientist Charles Darwin. It also lists the Duke of Cumberland, Edward VII, and Empress Eugénie, showing the range of American and European society the book covers.
Chapter 99

Section 1004 cards

What does the index entry for Samuel L. Gouverneur (2) list?
The entry lists numerous page numbers spanning the volume, from 25 and 109 through 389, indicating he is mentioned throughout the book. Samuel L. Gouverneur (2) is distinguished from Samuel L. (1), whose entry also appears with his own set of page references.
Chapter 100
How does the index distinguish the two wives of Samuel L. Gouverneur (1)?
It identifies the first wife as Maria Hester Monroe and the second as Mary Digges Lee, each with separate page references. This parenthetical labeling separates the two Mrs. Samuel L. Gouverneurs who would otherwise share an identical index heading.
Chapter 100
Which Gouverneur family members appear in the index with page references?
The index lists many Gouverneurs, including Mrs. Abraham, Elizabeth, Emily, Frederick Philipse, Gertrude, Isaac, Louisa A., Margaret Philipse, Mary Marston, Maud Campbell, Nicholas, Rose de Chine, Ruth Monroe, Samuel, and Samuel Mongan Warburton, each with page numbers. It also includes a cross-reference for "Gouverneur and Kemble."
Chapter 100
What does the index show about Ulysses S. Grant's appearances?
Grant's entry lists many page references, from 152 and 232 through 381, showing he is mentioned frequently across the book. Separate entries also appear for Frederick Grant, Nellie Grant, and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, indicating other Grant family members are indexed individually.
Chapter 100

Section 1014 cards

What is the format of Section 101 of Gouverneur's recollections?
Section 101 is an index-style listing of surnames with page numbers, not narrative prose. Entries run alphabetically from Kearny through Monroe, giving names of individuals and, in many cases, their spouses and relatives, each followed by the page or pages where they appear in the book.
Chapter 101
Which Kearny family members does the index list, and on what pages?
The index lists Mrs. Diana Bullitt Kearny (pages 165, 238), Edward Kearny (165), Mary Kearny (163), Nancy Kearny (163), Philip Kearny (1) (163-165) with his wife (164), Philip Kearny (2) (116, 163, 165, 175, 238) with his wife (163, 238, 239, 348), and Virginia De Lancey Kearny (44).
Chapter 101
Which members of the Kemble family appear in the index, and who is listed most often?
The Kemble entries include Charles (84), Ellen (119), Fanny (15, 84-86, 124), Gouverneur (24, 80, 119, 123-127, 129, 130, 256, 268, 338), Margaret (124), Margaret Tillotson (73, 118), Mary (118, 119), Peter and Mrs. Peter (118), Richard Frederick and his wife (120), and William (73, 118, 119, 123, 129, 217, 268, 295) with Mrs. William (119, 120, 185, 186, 271). Gouverneur Kemble has the longest list of page references.
Chapter 101
How does the index handle married women's names?
Married women are generally listed under their husband's name with a title, such as "Mrs. Philip (2)," "Mrs. William Kemble," or "Mrs. James Monroe," followed by page numbers. In some cases a woman's own name is given in parentheses, as with "Mrs. John ("Fannie") McPherson" and "Mrs. Thomson F. ("Colross") Mason."
Chapter 101

Section 1024 cards

What is the format of Section 102 in Gouverneur's recollections?
Section 102 is an index-style listing of surnames in alphabetical order, each followed by page numbers. Entries include individuals such as Montauban, Charles, 307, and Morris, Gouverneur (1), 226, 307, 380. The section contains no narrative prose; it is purely a reference list pointing readers to pages elsewhere in the book.
Chapter 102
How does the index distinguish people who share the same name?
The index uses parenthetical numbers to separate individuals with identical names, as with Morris, Gouverneur (1) and Gouverneur (2), and Nott, Eliphalet (1) and Eliphalet (2). Wives are listed separately under 'Mrs.' followed by the husband's name, for example Mrs. Gouverneur (1) and Mrs. Eliphalet (2).
Chapter 102
Which notable historical figures appear in this index section?
The section lists many nineteenth-century figures, including Napoleon I and Napoleon III, Nicholas I of Russia, Louis Philippe, Lord Palmerston, Edgar Allan Poe, Wendell Phillips, Franklin Pierce, James K. Polk, and Confederate cavalrymen John Hunt Morgan and John S. Mosby. Each name is followed by page references rather than biographical detail.
Chapter 102
What does an entry like 'Ning Ping (a Chinese servant), 295-297' reveal about the index?
Most entries give only a surname, given name, and page numbers, but some add a brief identifying phrase in parentheses. Ning Ping is labeled 'a Chinese servant,' while John Murray is identified as 'Lord Dunmore.' These parenthetical notes help distinguish obscure or similarly named individuals within the alphabetical list.
Chapter 102

Section 1034 cards

What kind of content makes up Section 103 of Gouverneur's recollections?
Section 103 is an index-style listing of surnames, each followed by given names and page numbers. Entries range from Schley and Schmidt through Scott, Seward, Sherman, and Washington. It contains no narrative prose, only names and the page references where those people appear elsewhere in the book.
Chapter 103
Which Scott family members appear most frequently in the index, and on what pages?
Winfield Scott has the longest entry, with page numbers spanning 61 through 363, including 103-105, 186-188, and 193-203. Mrs. Winfield Scott is also listed extensively, from 103 to 211. Other Scotts include Cornelia, Henry Lee, Marcella ("Ella"), Virginia, Walter, and Adeline Camilla.
Chapter 103
Which notable nineteenth-century figures are indexed in this section?
The section lists many public figures, including William H. Seward, William T. Sherman, Charles Sumner, Samuel J. Tilden, Martin Van Buren, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, Roger B. Taney, Alexander H. Stephens, and Queen Victoria. Literary names such as Shakespeare, Shelley, Thackeray, and Mark Twain also appear, each with page references.
Chapter 103
How does the index distinguish people who share the same name?
It uses parenthetical numbers, as with Alexander Sharp (1) and Alexander Sharp (2), and John Slidell (1) and John Slidell (2). It also separates generations through given names and titles, such as John Slidell, John (2), and "Slidell, John, Jr., and Company," each with its own page references.
Chapter 103

Section 1043 cards

Which names appear under the Webb entry and on what pages?
The index lists Catharine Louisa Webb at page 46; James Watson Webb at pages 36 and 46; and William Seward Webb at page 46. These are the only Webb entries in this section of the index.
Chapter 104
What does the Transcriber's Notes list document?
The Transcriber's Notes record corrections made to the text, such as 'Comberland' amended to Cumberland and 'Tuilleries' amended to Tuileries. They also preserve original spellings marked _sic_, note standardized hyphenation and accents, and describe an index change replacing the Coffey entry and reindexing Louis Vavans as Louis Vivans.
Chapter 104
How are family members shown within index entries?
Family members appear as indented sub-entries beneath a primary name, often with their own page numbers. For example, under Weir the index lists Robert S. Weir and Mrs. Robert S. Weir at page 324, and under Winthrop it lists Henry R., Mrs. Henry R., Mrs. John Still, John S. Jr., Robert C., and Sarah Bowdoin.
Chapter 104

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All questions and answers

What did Marian Gouverneur's maternal grandfather do, and how did he acquire the family farm?

What did the author's mother recall about her father's treatment aboard Rodney's ship?

How did the Hazard family divide over the Revolution, and what parallel does the author draw?

What does the author say about the slave Cuff and the purchase deed of Ben?

Where was Marian Gouverneur's mother educated, and who was one of her preceptors at Jamaica?

What did Captain Hazard say about matrimony, and what letter does the author possess?

How did the author's mother learn her step-mother was not her birth mother?

What does the chapter say about the Battle of Culloden and the nine of diamonds?

What Jacobite songs did Gouverneur know, and how did they affect her?

Who was Malcolm Campbell, and what did he accomplish after reaching New York?

How did the Picken family come to emigrate, and how did the friendship continue?

What does the 1772 advertisement for Queen's College reveal, and who signed it?

How did Malcolm Campbell mock Samuel F. Kneeland in court?

Why did Grandfather Hazard object to Mary Ann Hazard's marriage, and how did the couple proceed?

What does the chapter say about Delia Bacon and her later reputation?

What was Miss Maria Forbes's school like, and who was admitted?

How did John Forbes become librarian, and on what terms?

Why was the author punished at Miss Forbes's school?

What did the author learn about Count Tasistro at school?

What medical treatment did Dr. Francis and other practitioners of the day favor?

Why was young Marian summoned home from Miss Forbes's school?

What caused the misunderstanding between Dr. Bush and Dr. Francis?

What subjects and accomplishments did Miss Forbes's pupils study?

Who taught dancing at Marian Gouverneur's school, and what dances did he teach?

What was the "excellence medal" and what privilege came with it?

How did Van Buren's 1824 letter warn Campbell about gossip?

What were table appointments and dinner customs like at the author's father's house?

What did Philip Hone reply when his brother John urged adopting a coat of arms?

Who was the first to use the phrase "Aquila non capit muscas" according to the chapter?

What did John H. Contoit's ice cream garden sell and at what price?

What special service did hatter James Leary provide for unusual heads?

How was household marketing typically done in the era described?

What story does the author tell about Thomas Morris and Louis Philippe?

What cause enlisted the author's father's sympathies in 1823 and 1824?

What does Bunner say America could supply for the Greek cause, and what limits it?

Where does Bunner think freedom's battle could be fought more effectively than in Greece?

How does Bunner distinguish real conviction from calculating policy?

How does Bunner describe his life in Oswego in his letter?

What positions did Hugh Maxwell hold, and what was his connection to the Gouverneur family?

What did Verplanck accomplish at Columbia College, and what did he edit with Bryant and Sands?

How did Bennett nickname his three rival papers, and why did the author's father dislike the Herald?

What condition was attached to the Bennetts' charity ball tickets, and how was it broken?

What did Madame Chegaray say when she refused to raise Eloise's salary at Madame Nau's school?

How and when did Madame Chegaray open her own school?

What did M. Felix de Beaujour tell Chegaray that changed her approach to study?

What does the author say about the founding and editing of the Evening Post?

Who taught at Madame Chegaray's school, and what later roles did some hold?

What did Madame Chegaray say about the two books she would keep?

What happened to Henrietta Croom and her family in 1836?

How was the Croom estate dispute resolved after the shipwreck?

What coincidence did the author notice in the Byron edition, and what did she do?

What happened to Josephine Habersham's family during the Civil War?

How did Sarah Jones come to join the Roman Catholic Church and become Mother Superior?

What did the author learn about Sarah Jones's knowledge of her father's condition?

What happened to Sally Otis and her family, and what caused it?

How did Virginia Scott join the Georgetown Convent, and how did her parents react?

What does the chapter say about Father Connelly's religious career and marriage?

Who was Martha Pierce Stanard, and what does the chapter report about her life?

Why did Marian's father take and burn her schoolbook of Shelley, Coleridge and Keats?

Why did Madame Chegaray open a school in Madison, New Jersey, instead of retiring there?

What did Professor Robert Adrian teach Marian at home, and what was her attitude toward Venus?

How did Charlotte Canda die, and what monument followed?

How did Mrs. Clinton snub President Van Buren at the United States Hotel?

Why did Mrs. Clinton tolerate few fires in her University Place house?

What did Mrs. Clinton reply when asked if Augusta Clinton would finish school?

What happened to Mary Gelston Winthrop's bequest to Princeton Theological Seminary?

What rumor circulated about the diamond necklace Mrs. Boreel wore at the ball?

According to Dr. Morgan Dix, what was Henry Astor's role before coming to New York?

How did John Jacob Astor begin his working life in New York?

What does the 1826 Astor letter to James Monroe request?

How did John Jacob Astor accumulate his vast wealth, according to the chapter?

Who introduced Italian Opera to New York around 1825, and who came with the troupe?

Which prominent figures does the chapter list as users of snuff?

What caused the 1849 Astor Place Theater riot and what were its casualties?

How did the Forrest divorce trial conclude and who represented each side?

What does the author say about Fanny Kemble's acting and her published journal?

Who were the three collegiate church clergymen the author heard in lower New York?

Why did Dr. Francis L. Hawks leave his New York parish for Baltimore?

Why was the Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, junior, tried and convicted?