llar. Then he
looked at Doris.

"Wrap yourself up and come along," he said huskily.

Already people were hanging flags out of the windows and stringing them
across the streets. Every sled and sleigh had some sort of banner, if
nothing more than white or brown paper with the five welcome letters,
and everybody was shouting. Some men were carrying high banners with the
words in blue or red on a white ground. When they came to State Street
it was impassable. Cornhill was jammed. The _Evening Gazette_ office had
the announcement, thirty-two hours from New York (there was no telegraph
or railroad train then):

"Sir: I hasten to acquaint you for the information of the public of
the arrival here this afternoon of H. Br. M. sloop of war
_Favorite_, in which has come passenger Mr. Carroll, American
Messenger, having in his possession A Treaty of Peace."

They passed that word from the nearest, standing by the bulletin, to the
farther circles, and in five minutes the crowd knew it by heart. On the
Commons the drums were beating, the cannons firing, and people shouting
themselves hoarse.

Mr. Adams went around to the Royall house, and that looked like a hotel
on a gala day, and was nearly as full of people. The treaty had been
signed on Christmas Eve. The President had now to issue a decree
suspending hostilities. But one of the most brilliant battles had been
fought on the 8th of January at New Orleans, under General Jackson--a
farewell shot.

For a week no one could think or talk of anything else. Then the
official accounts having been received from Washington, there were plans
for a grand procession. An oratorio was given at the Stone Chapel in the
morning. Madam Royall had managed to obtain seats for Mr. Winthrop and
Doris with her party. The church was crowded. American and British
officers in full uniform were side by side,--as happy to be at peace as
the rulers themselves,--chatting cordially with each other.

The State House was decorated with transparencies, and there were to be
fireworks in the evening. The procession marched around the Common, with
the different trades drawn on sleds. Printers struck off hand-bills with
the word "Peace!" printed on them and distributed them among the crowd.
The carpenters were erecting a Temple of Peace. The papermakers had long
strips of red, white, and blue: every trade had hit upon some
signification of the general joy.

Uncle Win sent Cato round for Mer