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Show Washington's Emotion. Washington had accepted an invitation from Arnold to breakfast with him on the very day the plot was discovered. but was prevented from keeping his engagement by what men call chance - by the earnest request, namely, of an old officer, near whose station they passed, to spend the night there and inspect some works in the neighborhood. Next day, while Washington, with his staff, including Lafayette, were seated at the table at his officer's quarters, a dispatch was brought to the American General, which he immediately opened and read, then laid it down without comment. No alteration was visible in his countenance, but he remained perfectly silent. Conversation dropped among his suite and after some minutes, the General, beckoning Lafayette to follow him, passed to an inner apartment, turned to this young friend without uttering a syllable, placed the fatal dispatch in his hands, and then giving way to an ungovernable burst of ???, fell on his neck and sobbed aloud. The effect produced on the young French major? accustomed to regard his General (old and dignified to be his usual manner) as devoid of the usual weakness of humanity may be imagined. "I believe," said Lafayette, in relating this anecdote, "that this was the only occasion throughout the long and sometimes hopeless struggle that Washington ever gave way, even for a moment, under reverse of fortune; and perhaps was the only human being who ever witnessed in him an exhibition of feeling so foreign to his temperament. As it was, he recovered himself before I had perused the communication that had given rise to his emotion; and when he returned to his staff, not a trace remained on his countenance either of grief or despondence. -- Lippincott's Magazine. <br><br> A Hartford paper gives the following "signs of the times" to be found in that city. "Washing and today's work done ??" Breakfast, dinner and supper at all hours" and "???, and set upstairs." <br><br> A wealthy London lady recently gave a ball in that city at a cost of $20,000. The floral decorations were magnificent, and included blocks of ice into which the flowers were frozen. |