s; others, that it was a case of love; but she never
told, and the ladies of the convent were just as reticent. She
became an inmate of the elegant Van Ness mansion and was a noted
and brilliant women in society. It is said that she had written
a book, exposing the inner life of the convent, to be published
after her death, but I have never heard of its appearance. A few
years after she left the convent she accompanied the family of the
American Minister to Spain, and resided for some time at Madrid,
where she was a great favorite in Court circles.

General Jackson was not cultured or accomplished, but he had a
strong, well-balanced mind, and he would go through forests of
sophistry and masses of legal opinions straight to the point.
Governor Wise, who admired him greatly, used to tell a story
illustrative of the rough bark of Old Hickory's character. During
the Administration of President Monroe, General Jackson, in command
of some troops, invaded Florida and captured Arbuthnot and Ambrister,
two Englishmen, who, it was charged incited the Indians to
depredations. He at once ordered a court-martial and had them
hanged, with but little time to prepare for their future place of
abode. He was arraigned for the offense before the Cabinet of Mr.
Monroe, and Mr. Adams, the Secretary of State, defended him on the
high ground of international law as expounded by Grotius, Vattel,
and Puffendorf. Jackson, who had quarreled with Mr. Monroe, was
disposed to regard the matter as entirely personal. "Confound
Grotius! confound Vattel! confound Puffendorf!" said he; "this is
a mere matter between Jim Monroe and me."

Having received a complimentary letter from President Bustamente,
of Mexico, General Jackson sent it to the Department of State with
this indorsement: "Mr. Van Buren will reply to this letter of
General Bustamente with the frankness of a soldier." When this
reached Mr. Van Buren he laughed heartily, as he was neither a
soldier nor remarkable for frankness, and the clerks could not keep
a secret.

Although many old citizens, whose relatives and near friends had
been turned out of their pleasant offices by the Jackson Administration,
kept quite aloof from the White House, there was no lack of social
enjoyments at Washington. Mr. Forsyth, the Secretary of State,
gave a series of balls, and there were large parties at the residences
of Mr. Dickerson, Secretary of the Navy, Major-General Macomb,
General Miller,