seat, which happened to be between two members who suddenly got up and
began the most heated discussion over Schlözer's head. He found the
situation dangerous and wished himself elsewhere. He said he felt like
the Biblical baby when the two mothers were wrangling before the great
Solomon. However, the storm spent itself in words, and fortunately the
disputants did not come to blows.

Johan says he was very much struck the first time he went to Congress
by seeing two opposing members, after bitterly attacking each other for
hours, walk quietly away arm-in-arm, obviously the best of friends.

A little incident which occurred in the Senate amused Johan very much.
Roscoe Conkling begged a colleague sitting next to him to read out loud
something he wished to quote in his speech while he paused to draw a
breath. The colleague read, and Conkling, without a word of thanks,
took back the book; but when a colored man brought him a cup of tea
(which he always takes during his speeches) he stood up and in a very
loud voice, making a solemn bow, said, "I thank you, sir!"

I call that coquetting with the gallery, don't you?

We have been invited to take a trip to California by the railroad
company. We can transport ourselves to Omaha; then all our expenses are
to be defrayed by the lavish company. We have all accepted. Who could
refuse such a tempting invitation?


CALIFORNIA, _Spring, 1877_.

Dear M.,--The rendezvous was to be at the third station before reaching