exception of a flying visit to America about twelve years ago.
Uncle speaks of visiting his studio in 1851, in these words ("Glances
at Europe," page 217):

"I saw something of three younger sculptors now studying and working at
Florence--Hart of Kentucky, Galt of Virginia, and Rogers of New York.
I believe all are preparing to do credit to their country. Hart has
been hindered by a loss of the models at sea from proceeding with the
statue of Henry Clay, which he is commissioned by the ladies of
Virginia to fashion and construct; but he is wisely devoting much of
his time to careful study, and to the modelling of the ideal, before
proceeding to commit himself irrevocably by the great work which must
fix his position among sculptors, and make or mar his destiny. I have
great confidence that what he has already carefully and excellently
done is but a foretaste of what he is yet to achieve."

CHAPTER XI.

The Fourth of July--A Quaker Celebration--The House in the Woods--Mrs.
Greeley's Life there--Pickie--Mary Inez--Raffie--Childhood of Ida and
Gabrielle--Heroism of Mrs. Greeley--The Riots of 1863--Mrs. Greeley
defends her House against the Mob.

_July 5_.

Yesterday was the pleasantest Fourth I ever experienced in America.
Last year at this time I was upon the Catskill Mountains, and was
aroused at an unearthly hour by the discharge of a cannon, whose
reverberation was something appalling, and made me doubt if I was not
shot. The hotel was graced with the presence of some thirty or forty
children, whose fond parents had invested largely in fire-crackers and
toy cannon for them, and no place upon the grounds, it seemed, was so
favorable for the ebullition of youthful patriotism as the spot
directly under my window. Consequently, as I was already weak from the
effect of a prolonged attack of nervous fever, I was before nightfall
in a state akin to distraction, and filled with anything but patriotic
sentiments. I could not then but think with regret of a previous
Fourth spent upon the steamship _St. Laurent_, where fire-crackers were
tabooed, and the celebration consisted entirely of a magnificent
dinner, and speeches--during the latter I made my escape to the deck.

This year was pleasanter still. I do not know if the Chappaqua people
are less patriotic than other citizens of the Union, but our nerves
were only disturbed by the occasional popping of a fire-cracker in the
garden of our neighbor, the trai