94 
A CRUSADE IN THE EAST. 
cause either to smile or frown, turned away and looked at the 
rope-dancers. 
Up to this date, I had always supposed that there was not 
in my nature the slightest leaning toward royalty ; that I was 
republican to the heart’s core. But I now began to doubt it. 
I felt a most unmistakable leaning toward royalty. To be 
noticed in this manner by a real king and queen, was flatter¬ 
ing to my feelings. Had any President of the United States 
frowned at me, I should have simply asked him what he 
meant; had the lady of any President of the United States 
smiled at me, I should have thought nothing more of it than 
that she had mistaken me for some acquaintance; but to be 
smiled and frowned at by royal blood, was something calcu¬ 
lated to produce novel and agreeable sensations. There were 
thoughts within, which I hardly dared to own even to my¬ 
self—thoughts of high offices which might be had by proper 
influence, if we had a king and queen in America. It was 
natural to suppose that it must be gratifying to the ambition 
of any man to be made Prime Comptroller of the Kitchen ; 
Chief Examiner of the Bed-chambers, Lord High Admiral of 
the Duck-ponds ; Commander-in-chief of the Royal Nurses, or 
General Superintendent of the Cake Department, and Feeder- 
in-chief of Sugar-candy to the Royal Babies ; with a salary of 
forty or fifty thousand dollars a year, and the privilege of occa¬ 
sionally beholding in private life the Toyal couple. In this 
train of thought I called to mind a great many of my lady- 
friends (some traveling on the Continent, and some at home), 
whosfe chief ambition I strongly suspect is, to be associated in 
some way with royalty. There might be some little difficulty 
at first in regard to providing titles sufficiently long and high- 
sounding, but I am certain there would be no difficulty in pick¬ 
ing out of the first ranks in Boston, New York, and elsewhere, 
Ladies of the Royal Bed-chamber, Train-bearers to her Ma¬ 
jesty, Holders of her Majesty’s Combs and Brushes ; High 
Powderers-in-chief of her Majesty’s Face and Elbows ; and 
Lady High-washers of her Majesty’s Babies—especially when 
there would be brilliant prospects of matrimonial alliances 
with the Grand Comptroller of the Kitchen, Lord High Ad- 
