his restoration to his position in the service, and containing
a lock of "Old Hickory's" hair; another was a letter from Mrs.
Madison, inclosing a lock of Mr. Madison's hair.

Mrs. Polk was a strict Presbyterian, and she shunned what she
regarded as "the vanities of the world" whenever it was possible
for her to do so. She did not possess the queenly grace of Mrs.
Madison or the warm-hearted hospitality of Mrs. Tyler, but she
presided over the White House with great dignity. She was of medium
height and size, with very black hair, dark eyes and complexion,
and formal yet graceful deportment. At the inauguration of her
husband she wore a black silk dress, a long black velvet cloak with
a deep cape, trimmed with fringe and tassels, and a purple velvet
bonnet, trimmed with satin ribbon. Her usual style of dress was
rich, but not showy.

Mrs. Polk would not permit dancing at the White House, but she did
all in her power to render the Administration popular. One morning
a lady found her reading. "I have many books presented to me by
their writers," said she, "and I try to read them all; at present
this is not possible; but this evening the author of this book
dines with the President, and I could not be so unkind as to appeared
wholly ignorant and unmindful of his gift." At one of her evening
receptions a gentleman remarked, "Madame, you have a very genteel
assemblage to-night." "Sir," replied Mrs. Polk, with perfect good
humor, but very significantly, "I have never seen it otherwise."

Mr. James Buchanan, the newly appointed Secretary of State, was at
this time in the prime of life, and his stalwart frame, fair
complexion, light blue eyes, courtly manners, and scrupulously neat
attire prompted an English visitor, Mrs. Maury, to say that he
resembled a British nobleman of the past generation, when the grave
and dignified bearing of men of power was regarded as an essential
attribute of their office. Although a bachelor, he kept house on
F Street next to the abode of John Quincy Adams, where his accomplished
niece presided at his hospitable board. He faithfully carried out
the foreign policy of President Polk, but never let pass an
opportunity for advancing, with refreshing humility, his own claims
to the succession. In a letter written to a friend he alluded to
a prediction that he would be the next President, and went on to
say: "I or any other man may disappear from the political arena
without producing a r