Tt was properly a ball, (riven in the
winter of IR'il, wheuOer.eral McClellan
then the idol of the evliole country
called the vonnz Napoleon and wor-
shipped, looked up to, believed in, and
honed for. was in command at Wash
ington of the army of the north the
army of the 1'otomac On his brilliant
stall were the two yonng French princes
Omut do Taris and tue Puke de Cbar
tres. "Wishing my nephews to add to
their education the linishiug touch
without which the training of a French
gentleman is incomplete the power of
drawing their sword in a pood cause."
said tha I'rince de Joinville, "I have
put them on the sUf of General Mc
CMIan." There were Cve tlionfanJ people in
vited to this grand ball, nd ytt many
were disappointed. All the upper
grades of the army and navy were in
vited the diplomatic corps, the two
houses of Conre; . n1 of course the
cabinet and K.ipreme co:irt. Among
the guests of nu'iflical distinction was
X. 1'. Willis, still besritg that "hya
cinthine front" of curling hair, which
ias-ted Lim to the end, although then a
man of more than Ufty years. The two
princes were of eonrve m t conspicu
ous and honored. The Count de Talis
was tall, slender, and very handsome,
with niiiiiners of great sweetness and 1 jan sonnets none of which he had hap
cordiality. The Lnke do Chartres was pened to see before those which were
taller, thinner, less handsome than this written by Dante and those which were
. .. , . i . . . . . , 3-
oriiner, Ulli wuu me same ueuumui j tom (ije pen OI some menu or preue
mar.uers. Doth spoke Eng'ihh per- oespor of his. There are plays and
fectly, and enjoyed the ball like young
luen. There were many of those bril-
liant and distinguished men who after-
ward fell on the various Co-Ids of the
next three dreadful years. . There were
those who were detained to do their
dntv. and yet be mihtaken and do-
. frauded of their just inheritance of
Rlory. It is the fortnne of war, per-
haps, but so much worse than death.
