102                   THE  OLD MERCHAJVTS
 

CHAPTER XIH.

About eleven months ago, the author of these chap¬
ters received a note and a ticket from Daniel Lynch,
James Swords, Daniel F. Sullivan, John White, Dan¬
iel Lucy and Peter Brady, inviting him to attend a
grand soiree of the Walton club, to take place at the
old Walton House, 326 Pearl street, on Thursday eve¬
ning, March 14, 1861. The writer could not go, and
from then until now has heard no more of the matter;
but he supposes it is a club got up to do honor to an
honored old merchant name, for such were the " Wal-
tons." So believing, he at the time determined to re¬
cognise the intended kindness, by giving one chapter at
least to those " Waltons." I have frequently said
something about them; In this chapter I will say more,
and if the club Is in existence yet, I hope they will take
it as a sort of acknowledgement of past favors, and If I
throw any more light upon the Waltons, I shall be glad
of it.

There seems to have been a family of William Wal¬
tons flourishing In London, as well as New York, for
two hundred years back, and mixed up, too, with South
American affairs. One wrote a " History of South
America " many years ago ; and one William Walton,
as late as the regency of George IV. of England, wrote