The danger was imminent, the crisis alarming, and the excitement very great.

I longed to be in Washington, so I wrote to Horace Greeley, who answered that he would pay me five dollars a column for letters.

It was said that this was the first time a woman had been engaged in that capacity.
I went to Washington in the early part of '50, going by canal to the western foot of the Alleghenies, and then by rail to the foot of the inclined plane, where our cars were wound up and let down by huge windlasses.

I was in a whirl of wonder and excitement by this, my first acquaintance with the iron-horse, but had to stay all night in Baltimore because the daily train for Washington had left before ours came.
I had letters to the proprietor of the Irving House, where I took board.
Had others to Col.

Benton, Henry Clay, and other great men, but he who most interested me was Dr.Gamaliel Bailey, editor of the _National Era_.