was mostly written in capitals and I asked him if he
followed any rule in regard to their use. He said "Oh, yes, always begin
a line with one and then use your own discretion with the rest."

_May_ 25.--I wish that I could have been in Washington this week, to
have witnessed the grand review of Meade's and Sherman's armies. The
newspaper accounts are most thrilling. The review commenced on Tuesday
morning and lasted two days. It took over six hours for Meade's army to
pass the grand stand, which was erected in front of the President's
house. It was witnessed by the President, Generals Grant, Meade, and
Sherman, Secretary Stanton, and many others in high authority. At ten
o'clock, Wednesday morning, Sherman's army commenced to pass in review.
His men did not show the signs of hardship and suffering which marked
the appearance of the Army of the Potomac. The scenes enacted were
historic and wonderful. Flags were flying everywhere and windows,
doorsteps and sidewalks were crowded with people, eager to get a view of
the grand armies. The city was as full of strangers, who had come to see
the sight, as on Inauguration Day. Very soon, all that are left of the
companies, who went from here, will be marching home, "with glad and
gallant tread."

_June_ 3.--I was invited up to Sonnenberg yesterday and Lottie and Abbie
Clark called for me at 5:30 p.m., with their pony and democrat wagon.
Jennie Rankine was the only other lady present and, for a wonder, the
party consisted of six gentlemen and five ladies, which has not often
been the case during the war. After supper we adjourned to the lawn and
played croquet, a new game which Mr. Thompson just brought from New
York. It is something like billiards, only a mallet is used instead of a
cue to hit the balls. I did not like it very well, because I couldn't
hit the balls through the wickets as I wanted to. "We" sang all the
songs, patriotic and sentimental, that we could think of.

Mr. Lyon came to call upon me to-day, before he returned to New York. He
is a very pleasant young man. I told him that I regretted that I could
not sing yesterday, when all the others did, and that the reason that I
made no attempts in that line was due to the fact that one day in
church, when I thought I was singing a very good alto, my grandfather
whispered to me, and said: "Daughter, you are off the key," and ever
since then, I had sung with the spirit and with the understanding, but
not with my voice