and
rather jaunty cane, which he held between his knees. Although greatly
inferior, so far as mere physical appearances are concerned, to his
colleague, there is yet something in the expression and bearing of Mr.
Stevens which suggests a depth and comprehensiveness of intellect for
which one searches in vain the face of Mr. Davis. On the platform were
gathered nearly all those restless spirits which have, during the past
twenty years, disturbed the peace of the country. Conspicuous among them
appeared the bristling head of Mr. Toombs. He sat during the whole
ceremony, with his face, wearing the imperious expression which had
become habitual to it, turned upon the people. With uncovered heads, and
in perfect silence, the crowd listened to the oath of office.
Immediately on the completion of this ceremony the two presidents and
the congress withdrew to the senate chamber.

A levee was announced for the evening. The hall which had been selected
for this gathering was a large, low room in the upper story of a
building near the centre of the city.

Some efforts had been made by the ladies to conceal the rudeness of the
apartment, but it was expected that every deficiency of this kind would
be forgotten in the presence of that courtly society which had hitherto
given all the attractiveness to occasions like this on the banks of the
Potomac. It is but fair to suppose that these expectations were
disappointed, for early in the evening the hall was crowded with a
throng of men and boys, who, standing with uncovered heads, talking
loudly of the hopes of the new confederacy, or moved uneasily about,
seeking a favorable position from which to watch the 'president shake
hands.' This was the ambition of the evening. Every standing point in
the vicinity of Mr. Davis was taken advantage of. Chairs and benches
served as footstools to elevate into positions of prominence long rows
of men dressed in the yellow jeans of the country, who stood, during all
the long hours of the evening, watching with unchanging countenances the
multiplied repetitions of the short double shake and spasmodic smile
which Mr. Davis meted out to each of the constantly forming column that
filed before him. The platform was filled with the same class, and even
the arch of evergreen, under which it was intended that Mr. Davis should
stand, was pushed aside, to give place to those unwinking faces which
pressed to every loophole of observation. The ladies, who appear