ten in the evening
As I went along , I thought of the happy circle I had left ; and again I could not refrain from drawing the comparison between Judge Conway and Mr. Blocque . At the fine house of the blockade-runner -- champagne , rich viands , wax-lights , gold and silver , and profuse luxury . At the poor lodgings of the great statesman , -- a cup of tea and cold bread ; stately courtesy from my host , charming smiles from his beautiful daughters , clad in calico , with worn-out shoes -- and above the simple happy group , the crossed swords of the brave youths who had fallen at Manassas ! It was past ten in the evening when I left Judge Conway . But I felt no disposition to retire ; and determined to pay a visit to a singular character of my acquaintance . The name of this gentleman was Mr. X ----- . Looking back now to the days spent in Richmond , in that curious summer of ` 64 , I recall , among the representative personages whom I encountered , no individual more remarkable than the Honorable Mr. X ----- .