d bedroom," she said,
"that you may see how a President lives." Then she took us upstairs and
showed us their home.

While we did not keep open house, there was always someone dropping in
to take dinner or supper informally, and I was somewhat surprised when
Dr. Talmage told me one day that he thought we ought to give some sort
of entertainment in return for our social obligations. It was not quite
like him to remember or think of such things. On January 23, 1899, we
gave an evening reception, to which over 300 people came. It was the
first social affair of consequence the Doctor had ever given in his
house in Washington.

My husband's memory for names was so uncertain that when he introduced
me to people he tactfully mumbled. On this occasion Senator Gorman very
kindly stood near me to identify the people for me. I remember a very
dapper, very little man in evening clothes, who was passed on to me by
the Doctor, with the usual unintelligible introduction, and I had just
begun to make myself agreeable when, pointing to a medal on his coat,
the little man said:

"I am the only woman in the United States who has been honoured with one
of these medals."

I was very much mystified and looked up helplessly at Senator Gorman,
who relieved me at once by saying, "Mrs. Talmage, this is the celebrated
Dr. Mary Walker, of whom you have heard so often."

It was difficult for Dr. Talmage to assimilate the social obligations
of life with the broader demands of his life mission, which seemed to
constantly extend and increase in scope into the far distances of the
world. More and more evident it became that the candlestick of his
religious doctrine could no longer be maintained in one church, or in
one pulpit. The necessity of breaking engagements out of town so as to
be in Washington every Sunday became irksome to him. He felt that he
could do better in the purposes of his usefulness as a preacher if he
were to bear the candle of his Gospel in a candlestick he could carry
everywhere himself. I confess that I was not sorry when he reached this
decision and submitted his resignation to the First Presbyterian Church
in the spring of 1899, after our return from a short vacation in
Florida.

On our trip South I remember Admiral Schley was on the train with us
part of the way. The Admiral told the Doctor the whole story of the
Santiago victory, and commented upon the official investigation of the
affair. My husband was very fond of