The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-03-23
-sEAIE-a1lNNERs
What the Presidents Big Feeds Cost
The Custodian of the, Silver
BH OF Fare, Ao. rs
[Ffom the Philadelphia Press.l

Thirfy-six persons only can be seate
IN the banqueting hall of the Exec
tive Mansion, consequently it is in
possible that all of the peoples r
representatives., during one session, sha
have the honor of crossing their fe,
under the National mahogany. Ne,
mirrors and chandeliers have been az
ded since the Administration of Pres
dent Grant The White House wa
modelled after the palace of the Duk
of Leinster, and the state dining room
more than any other part ofthe build
ing Is suggestive of a baIonial hall
- But if there Is one thing more than an
other from which the state dining
room cutters it is from 3 dearth 0
silver. Steward Melah," the silver
voiced Italian whom the Governmen
employs to box after this part Of it,
business, actually wrings his hand:
with terror and dismay when he set,
the table for state Oecasionsl why,
madam" says Mehihz "there ISL
enough silver in the White House to
set a respectable free lunch table,"
Melah 'tgets up a dinner according
to the quality OF the guests. These
dinners cost from three to fifteen hun
dred dollars, though the average cost
Is about eve hundred. The state
dinner OF which Prince Arthur had she
honor of. -partaking was composed of
t~wenty-nine courses and cost fifteen
hundred dellars5 but it il only when
royalty 10 to be entertained that these
feasts assume sach costly proportions,
This modest sum does not include the
wine and other beverages, for these
come under 4 separate "item." In no
other administrator has the Govern
hent appointed = man to spend the
Presidents money Heretofore the
ladies Of the White Holse' have
looked after this part of the. official
business, but ne man during the exis
'tence Of the Republic Has ever bean
shs recipient Of so many costly riffs AZ
the present Executive. IissaIG
II "A rare work of art adorns the csu.
ter oil. the long table in the state din;
1ng-room It is several feet long, and.
perhaps, two feet wide, and IL com.
posed of gilt and looking1glass. The
foundation is a long mirror, and this
is beached by a perpendicular sshore
three inches III height. but of no APP
preciable thickness Little, fern-like up
heavings may be seen rising. out Of
the tawdry gilt at equal distanessapart,
AND these are used a receptaeles for
flowers. But, lest the guests
look into m us mirror, and see
each ether facetiously effected, at .
moments, too, when the human moth
assumes any thing but poetic proper t
lions, large vases of flowers are strewn (
IN its CLASSY surface, and the mischief f
u the mirror IS nipPed in the bud. &
1he ornament is not merely ornament
i; it is useful. 1t answers the very l
purpose to help out q social ambus- q
;ade, for it car be arranged 50 to hide d
he President from any guest from t
whose presence he is suffering, whetlr.
IT said prison comes under the head a
If enemy or friend. Conversation at
. state dinner can not be general. !
Each guest must depend upon his own v
leighberhood The quality of the
depends entirely upon a
he kind of people who are manaEaetur- s
ng it. Mike Walsh terrified Mrs. s
Franklin Pierce at a state dinner by I
about "his going a fishing GU e
sunday" A modern Congressman t
lied up the official time between each e
nouthfnl by telling his next lady F
the exact things which his
'alate crared. He didn't Ike "French 2
ishes," but he was 'tfond of pork and e
cans, as well as ice cream and can @
ed peaches" b
Once upon a time an accomplished 4
Dung American woma had the hon n
T to dine with the Car OF all the G
During the royal entertain ?
lent a plate of delicious grapes was +
assed around. It .strue the young lady Il
the golden F.nife which rested on e
ae SIDE of the basket hut as the fruit '
anae to her first she had no way of 7
,araing its Use; SO size did just as she D
'ouid have done in America-she .
sached cut her dainty fingers and .
fted from the dish a whole stem of u
tapes. What was her CONSERVATION :,
} see the next person, as well as all !.
o ,ther guests, take the golden knife II
ne. sever o single grape each, and :
: Ansfer it 10 their plates Had q 2
foung Russian lady in this country I
herself to a whole chicken the .
,rror would have been precisely the ,
anne. a5.; Z
q On the evening of the Presidents i.
tate dinner, the guests are expected !.
TO be punctually in their places at :
seven o'clock p. NJ. President and :
Mrs. Grant are already in the Red !,
Room awaiting company. The ladies '
have disrobed themselves OF outer :
Rrappings, and, like graceful swans, !
hey sail slowly into the presence. :
Mrs. Grant is in full evening dress =
laees, and all the ct ceteras to
Her lady guests are attired :
rs handsomely as herself, and gentle =
men are expected to wear black swal- ;
coats and white neck ties. '
President Grant leads the way :
the wife of the oldest Senator I
present on his arm-noL the oldest :
Senators in years, hut the one who has ;
the longest term of Office. ,
The President is followed by the 9TH :
sr guests, while Mrs Grant, assisted I
by the husband of the woman who +,
honors the President by her exclusive '
attention, brings up the ear, and af- 9
ter slight confusion the guests are !
most comfortably seated. When no :
is present the Divine blessing ,