214 Edward Livingston Yonmans. 



me a dispatch that he would be at King's Cross Station at 

 six o'clock P. M. I went there (and I may state that my 

 object in telegraphing him was to invite him here) ; the 

 train was behind time. I stayed twenty minutes, and left 

 rather than lose my dinner. He arrived, went to his 

 hotel, where I had left a note for him, and came directly 

 here ; decided to stay, and then went after his baggage, 

 and did not come in till Tuesday night. Wednesday morn- 

 ing, after breakfast, it being very hot, I proposed to go out 

 into Mrs. Langford's garden, where there are seats (before 

 that, however, I had presented him with the box of cigars, 

 which he received very cordially). When in the garden we 

 proposed a smoke, and as the cigars are enormously large 

 he cut one into three pieces and began on one third. I 

 then referred to what I had written him in reference to 

 what I had said at the close of the Tribune article, and 

 that I was able to report that we had not been idle. I 

 then handed him Minturn's letter, which had come in good 

 time, and of which I enclose a copy. He read it, and with 

 some excitement and surprise exclaimed : " Why ! What 

 is this ? Good gracious ! W T hy ! I thought perhaps you 

 were going to get me a list of subscribers. Well, really, 

 this is wonderful ! So much beyond all that I had expected ! 

 It's magnificent ! W'ell, I ought to have a list of the 

 donors." He made reference in language I cannot recol- 

 lect to the idea of its being all done past recall ; and so 

 the thing was neatly accomplished a perfect success. Of 

 course it was very natural there should be some embarrass- 

 ment, as well on my part as his, and I certainly had 

 nothing particular to say ; so I interrupted the somewhat 

 awkward situation by handing him the blue-velvet box 

 containing the watch and called his attention to the in- 

 scription. This, of course, was a descending climax, in- 

 flection, or whatever you call it, and served as a relief. 

 He was much pleased with it, and thoroughly delighted 



