It  was  then  made  manifest  by  certain  of  the  rollicking  crowd,  that  a  new
party  had  been  instituted,  denominated  the  "hat-burning  party,"  wherein
the  burning  of* a  hat  was  the  token  of  membership.  Of  this  I  was  already  a
member.  In  the  course  of  the  evening,  as  numerous  others  came  in,  they
were  added  to  the  new-born  party,  through  a  like  burnt-offering,  till  a  start
was  made  with  highly  respectable  numbers.
So  long  as  the  fun  was  fast  and  fUrious,  the  Speaker  was  forgotten.  He
had  been  rapidly  admonished  not  to  go  to  his  own  room,  but  to  that  tlicn  oc-
cupied by  the  lion.  Willis  Ilall,  Elijah  Ward,  and  a  large  party  of  friends.
To  this  he  proceeded,  and  the  door  was  barricaded.
The  precaution  was  timely.  A  cry  was  raised :  "Where  is  the  Speaker?"
and  the  wolves  became  aware  that  he  had  eluded  them.  Forthwith  a  rush
was  made  to  his  bedroom,  and,  in  common  parlance,  it  was  gutted.  A  rapid
search  was  then  made  for  him  in  other  rooms.  Through  nil  the  corridors
the  uproar  went  on,  and  reached  at  last  the  chamber  where  he  was  ensconced;
but,  without  opening  It,  the  pack  was  driven  off  by  diplomatic  lies.  At
length,  worn  down  by  its  orgies,  and  persuaded  by  the  remonstrances  of  the
Commodore  and  other  friends  to  Itave  the  house,  the  pack  passed  again  into
the  streets,  and  left  the  Speaker  to  a  troubled  and  apprehensive  sleep.
