Society. The medals are not given for services to government, but for expeditions conducted at private cost, involving sacrifices. For subsequent expeditions, Frémont received Austrian and Prussian medals and diplomas.

The death of Mrs. Frémont's only brother shortened their stay in London. Among other gratifications, they lost that of being present at the last dinner given in honor of the birthday of the Duke of Wellington, to which they were invited by Miss Coutts. The Duke always dined with her that day, selecting his own company. His death soon followed this celebration, at which some of the royal family were present.

She

In Paris, Mrs. Frémont saw the eagles of the Empire restored to the flags of the troops at the great review in the Champ de Mars, on the 10th of May, 1853. This was the era of the Republic headed by a President, and few anticipated the restoration of the Empire. witnessed its proclamation, however, on the 2d of December of the same year; and admired the brave daring with which the new Emperor performed his part. A solitary figure passing on horseback through the crowded streets-no one within at least forty paces-holding his chapeau in his right hand, his breast and throat exposed to any deadly ball, his head bared and bending in acknowledgment of the popular greeting—his confidence in the people could not fail to inspire respect. Frémont saw the Imperial nuptials, and had tickets for reserved places in all the fêtes succeeding. The pictu

Mrs.

resque aspect of the new court interested her, but she preferred the genuine royalty of " that dingy St. James." During the two hours she stood in the throne-room of that palace, a gallery of striking portraits was photographed on her mind. Nowhere is the beauty of noble English women excelled. Its expression of wholesome truth and unaffected goodness, with simplicity and dignity of manner, was most impressive to one who had been nurtured in the midst of English ideas, literature, and home ways, and saw all at the fountain-head. Near Mrs. Frémont stood the Duke of Wellington, with Mr. Gladstone, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, and on the wall above them hung a large picture of the battle of Waterloo; while at the head of the line of ladies belonging to the diplomatic corps stood the Countess Walewski, representing France as ambassadress of the empire of another Napoleon. The pearls she wore were the famous Cis-alpine pearls, which cost poor Josephine so dear; this association, with the wonderful resemblance of Count Walewski to his imperial father, added to the effect of the historical grouping.

After their return to America, Mrs. Frémont remained in Washington while her husband made an overland winter journey to California. Then came the political campaign of 1856, when General Frémont accepted the republican nomination for the Presidency; and his wife became severed from her past life, and associations linked to her by birth and education. It was a painful sacrifice to feel the alienation of valued friends;

but she accepted the trial with regret, sympathizing cordially in the plans of her husband, acting as his secretary, and aiding him by counsel as well as co-operation.

She was again in Paris in 1857, having had the large experiences of a political revolution, which made her even a more appreciative listener than before to one of her friends-the Count de la Garde, who had lived from childhood within court circles-the courts which made the history of Europe from the French Revolution to the present empire. He was naturally pleased to talk over such a life with a listener so deeply interested. He left her a collection of souvenirs of the Bonaparte family; the central figure Queen Hortense, whom he had known longest, their musical taste bringing them into constant correspondence. The album is a curious and valuable historical relic. It opens with a rare and exquisite miniature on ivory, by Isabey, of the first Napoleon, taken in 1804, in the uniform of the Old Guard. It was his love-gift to Josephine. The book contains other portraits in water-color, engravings, and lithographs, of Josephine, Hortense, the Marquis de Beauharnais, Prince Eugene, &c., with autograph letters from these and others related to the Bonapartes, original drawings and water-color sketches by Hortense, and music composed and written out by her. Among her letters is one to the Count, illustrating her heart as well as her mind, written as it was after such a tremendous reverse of fortune. It shows no bitterness or repining-only a certain gentle

philosophy in recognizing society's estimate of a woman in power and out of power. I give an extract, printed as the original is written:

"en arrivant chez moi, je trouve votre nouvelle romance monsieur le Compte, elle est bien jolie, et si je suis deja habituée aux choses aimables de votre part, je n'en suis pas moins etonnée de la promptitude avec laquelle vous faites de si jolis vers. On a un peu changé ma devise en vous la donnant, moins connue moins troublée, est celle que j'avais prise depuis bien longtems, elle convient tant à une femme dans des temps plus brillants des amis y avoient ajouté mieux connue mieux aimée c'est qu'ils connoissaient toute mon ambition et voulaient me persuader que je possedais ce que j'envias le plus, ils ne le pensent peut-être plus à present? c'est donc la première devise qui seule peut me convenir.

General Frémont had made arrangements in Paris to reside there with his family for some years; but the scheme was given up when impending war demanded his services at home. His California property was sold.

*TRANSLATION.-"On returning home, I find your new song, Monsieur le Comte. It is very beautiful, and although I am accustomed to these graceful acts of yours, I am not the less astonished by the rapidity with which you make such lovely verses. My device has been somewhat altered by those who gave it to you. 'Less known, less troubled,' is the one I had chosen very long ago-it suits a woman so well! In more brilliant times, friends had added, Better known, better loved; this they did, knowing my chief ambition, and wishing to convince me that I possessed what I most desired. Perhaps now they no longer think so; only the first therefore can be suitable to me.

"Dated Augsbourg, the 8th of June, 1819. Addressed to Monsieur le Comte de la Garde Messeull, at Munich."

During the war, the city of St. Louis was for a time the home of his family. They now reside in New York. In her beautiful country-seat on the Hudson-"Po-ca-ho" (the old Indian name), near Tarrytown, Mrs. Frémont has found congenial rest. The neighborhood has been described in the sketch of Mrs. Beekman. The region is associated with recollections of the manorial lords of colonial days, of wild adventures during the Revolutionary struggle, of quaint Dutch customs and curious traditions, some immortalized by the pen of Washington Irving.

Political life has never been the choice or the ambition of Mrs. Frémont; her preference has always been to live apart from it. The care and education of her children, who received all their instruction at home, more agreeably absorbed her attention. The cultivation of music was a part of her domestic life; all her children possessing musical talent. Flowers have always been her especial delight. A thorough system of reading has been pursued by the younger members of the household under her direction, and a splendid collection of rare books facilitated their studies. The library contains the greater part of Humboldt's among its treasures; with his diplomas, the signatures to which comprise the autographs of the distinguished literary and scientific men, and most of the sovereigns, in the civilized world, who have lived within sixty years. All the standard works, with others rare and valuable, some filled with annotations, are included. Mrs. Frémont has been the teacher