The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1861-03-21


gives the following lively account Of Ms. Lia-
con's frst levss; tas7ti
The President gave NJ, frst levee last evs.
| nlrg, between the hours of eight and tef.--.
YOU are aware that upon such occasions ad-
mi'laoee to tie White House is '.frue," rot
not even card being necessary. The rush
was awful : oarrisges weie & reed TO dtpcsit
their fair freight q hundred rods from the door
aud the tiles of pedestrians, with lock step,
like Penitenhary convcts, extended alo, q tue
circular pavement more than twenty rods
from the mansion. The great effort wss 10
get into the house, and the moment that was
accomplished, the wish was to get out again.
Crlnollne suffered. and from that "6rm paced
and slow procession, in which, by the watch.
thirty minutes were consumed in making that
twenty rods, We noictd maay break from
the ranks, by ladies whose skirts we're literal
ly torn from their waists. and the owners glad
10 osat retreat Cut Of he grounds. by taking
the back track in the carriage way. dodgiug
hacks, and searching in vain for the carriage
from which they ha1 alightd. Ladies' came
In carriages with cloaks and nubias re irpd
on ioot--wthouI even getting to the steps OF
the White tlouse-- cloaks and nubia ia
one hann, aud vain'y striving. with the aid OF
male attendants, TO gather about them skirts
and dresses ft only her, after for the rag bag.
We are showing the naked tru In this pic.
sure. -.
Those who reached the cloak and la.room
that for the gentlemen being the spacious
main entrance hall-g tveup outside garments
TO the tender meicies Of the crowd. Some
early here received checks for coats and hats.
but soon the immense rack was entirely mad.
equate for the demand and the combined de-
pots oi the railroad country could not have
furnished "checks" sufficient for the calls
made Goats, cloaks and hats were thrown
into promlscuous pile, an1 at least one hun.
dred men who came into the door with thirty
and tity dollar outside garments retired to
their lodgings without them, while the sarne
number OF thieves rep(enished their scanty
wardrobe 10 the same extent We supped.
after lhe leves with California gentleman
who lost coat and hat, and in the pocket Of
the tormer were the entire papers OF an sPpli-
cant for office whose creder tials cannoL be
supplied short Of the Pacific coast
Tnere were two persons in that crowd who
understood the business ia haad. One
friend under whose wing your corresFo oideni
lo1k shelter. counselled the leaving al our
Lodgings of overcosts, aud being willing. II
necessary, to ego a ba." on the occasion. We
plunged into the crowd. Reaching the cloak
room We found three Cleveland gentlemen,
Messrs. Tioen. Coon and Bond, hanging on
bravely TO their outer 6 'rments, and forming
an all'ance OF defense, one half The prty held
tho hats and coats OF the other half, which in
turn, reciprocated. and thus all were enabled
t. see The E.st Room vi hou, loss or dam.
age.
The other parties, whose familiarity with
Presidential levees had taught wisdom, was
a lady. One brau led. another followed and
rs soon as the current Of the crowl was reach.
ed she requested Bob" ~ take up her skirts.
bob obeved making second reef in The
rigging when abe gave the word, "higher
sull, bob" In the party went, and the lady
was safely landed inside the dos, with her
skirts hgncr than her knees.
We made no attempt to pass in review be.
FIRE the President. who, stationed near the
door leading from the msia hall to The oval
rec,p o. room. greeted the comp,ny. who
then. passing through the blu, room, reaeh.
cd the fan Gus + ,stern II ,om. We took the
direct route through the man nall, opening
dnectly into the Z tst Room, Around e. Q i'm
mense room stood gentlemen unaccompanled
by laies. AT least twenty feet deep, and an
inner circle was occupied by ladies' and gen.
tlemen, making desp :rate attempts at prone.
male. The ladtes' dresses had evidently been
often stepped on, for there was great breadth
upon the floor and very scsnt patterns about
the shoulders. We inferred, AT least that by
bcing stepped upon, this result had been
attained, aIthoug not certain that such was
! the case, "a none seemed "a be in the least
disturbed by the lack of neck covering. and
all appeared delighted to act as carp t sweep.
ers, although il invo'ved the necessity OF mop.
/ Ping up tob acco juice, for--we must speak
the Iruth-the soyereigns did not even emp
! ty their mouths before pacing the carpet, but
ac ually threw their cid quds upon the brus-
sells and p 'stry, and ok fresh ones from
! their tobac,o b x =. After making turn
through the East r on. and doing duly here.
! after as coat aud hal hoIders for our friends,
! We sought egress to open air, and fund it by
way OF wiudo@, junp,ns from the sill TO tue
| portico a4eL Isr.e-
Slch, in brief. was our FIRST experience at
a Presidents levee. -s
-----a---o---o-------