of the United States, this request could be arranged," I said.

Mr. Choate gracefully replied that Dr. Talmage required no introduction
anywhere, not even from the President, and arranged to have the Charge
d'Affaires, Mr. White, who was later Ambassador to France, take us over
to the Houses of Parliament, where we were permitted a glimpse of the
Members at work from the cage enclosure reserved for lady visitors.

The Doctor's friends in England did their best to make us feel at home
in London. We were dined and lunched, and driven about whenever Dr.
Talmage could spare time from his work. Sir Alfred Newton, the Lord
Mayor, and Lady Newton gave us a luncheon at the Mansion House on June
5, 1900. I remember the date because it was an epoch in the history of
England. During the luncheon the news reached the Lord Mayor of the
capture of Pretoria. He ordered a huge banner to be hung from the
Mansion House on which were the words--

"THE BRITISH FLAG FLIES AT PRETORIA."

This was the first intimation of the event given to Londoners in that
part of the city. Side by side with it another banner proclaimed the
National prayer, "God Save the Queen," in big red letters on the white
background. A scene of wild enthusiasm and excitement followed. Every
Englishman in that part of London, I believe, began to shout and cheer
at the top of his lungs. An immense crowd gathered in the adjoining
streets around the Mansion House. The morning war news had only
indicated a prolonged struggle, so that the capture of Pretoria was a
great and joyous surprise to the British heart. Suddenly all hats were
off, and the crowds in the streets sang the National Anthem. There were
loud calls for the Lord Mayor to make a speech. We watched it all from
the windows in the parlour of the Mansion House, at the corner of Queen
Victoria Street. Dr. Talmage was as wildly enthusiastic as any
Englishman, cheering and waving his arm from the open windows in hearty
accord with the crowd below. There was no sleep for anyone in London
that night. Around our hotel, the blowing of horns and cheering lasted
till the small hours of the morning. It seemed very much like the
excitement in America after the capture of the Spanish Fleet.

We left London finally with many regrets, having enjoyed the hospitality
of what is to me the most attractive country in the world to visit. We
went direct to Paris to attend the opening ceremonies of the Paris
Exposition of 1900. It s