who had served my husband's family for many years and whose name was
"Uncle James." His manner at times was quite overpowering. On entering
my drawing-room on one occasion to greet George Newell, brother-in-law
and guest of ex-Governor Marcy, I found him seated upon a sofa and
apparently engaged in a "brown study." Referring at once to "Uncle
James," he inquired: "Who is that man?" Upon my replying, "An old family
servant," he remarked: "Well, he is the most polite man I have ever
met."

Some years later my sister, Mrs. Eames, moved into a house on the corner
of H and Fourteenth Streets, which she and her husband had built and
which she occupied until her death in 1890. I naturally shrink from
dwelling in detail upon her charm of manner and social career, and
prefer rather to quote an extract from a sketch which appeared in one of
the newspapers just after her death:

... During the twenty-eight years of her married life in
Washington Mrs. Eames's house was one of the favorite
resorts of the most conspicuous and interesting men of the
nation; it was a species of neutral ground where men of all
parties and shades of political opinion found it agreeable
to foregather. Though at first in moderate circumstances and
living in a house which rented for less than $300 a year,
there was no house in Washington except, perhaps, the
President's, where one was sure of meeting any evening
throughout the year so many people of distinction.

[Illustration: MRS. CHARLES EAMES, NEE CAMPBELL, BY GAMBADELLA.

_Owned by Mrs. Gordon-Cumming._]

Mr. and Mrs. Marcy were devoted to Mrs. Eames; her _salon_
was almost the daily resort of Edward Everett, Rufus Choate,
Charles Sumner, Secretary [James] Guthrie, Governor [John
A.] Andrews of Massachusetts, Winter Davis, Caleb Cushing,
Senator Preston King, N.P. Banks, and representative men of
that ilk. Mr. [Samuel J.] Tilden when in Washington was
often their guest. The gentlemen, who were all on the most
familiar terms with the family, were in the habit of
bringing their less conspicuous friends from time to time,
thus making it quite the most attractive _salon_ that has
been seen in Washington since the death of Mrs. Madison, and
made such without any of the attractions of wealth or
luxury.

The relations thus established with the public men of the
country at her f