mama's friend, Mrs. M----, who is a very (what shall I say?) fascinating
but a very peculiar person. She is a curious mixture of a poetess and a
society woman, very susceptible, and of such a sensitive nature that she
seems always to be in the hottest of hot water, and at war with all her
neighbors; but she routs all her enemies and manages everything with a
high hand.

Her daughter is just engaged to a Swedish naval officer. To celebrate the
engagement they gave a big dinner, and, as the Sanitary Fair is going on
just now, President Lincoln is here, and Mrs. M---- had the courage to
invite him, and he had the courage to accept. It is the first time that I
have ever seen an American President, and I was most anxious to see him,
particularly as he has, for the last years, been such a hero in my eyes.
He might take the prize for ugliness anywhere; his face looked as if it
was cut out of wood, and roughly cut at that, with deep furrows in his
cheeks and a huge mouth; but he seemed so good and kind, and his eyes
sparkled with so much humor and fun, that he became quite fascinating,
especially when he smiled. I confess I lost my heart to him.... The
dinner, I mean the food part of it, was a failure. It came from Baltimore,
and everything was cold; the _pate de foie gras_ never appeared at all!
When Mrs. M---- mentioned the fact to Mr. Lincoln, pointing to the menu,
he said "the _pate_" (he pronounced it _patty_) has probably walked off by
itself. Every one laughed, because he said it in such a comical, slow way.

After the gentlemen had smoked (I thought they were a long time at it) we
were requested to go into the gallery, where all the gas-lights were
turned up to the fullest and chairs placed in rows, and Professor Winter
began to read a lecture on the brain--of all subjects! Who but Mrs. M----
would ever have arranged such an entertainment?