Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-01-16

word with the ladies, who flank the Chief
Magistrate, aud then they join the diplo-
mats in the parlor The Congressman fol-
low. AGlcr that comes an exchange of
commonplaces upon affairs of State, and n
casual discussion of the condition of the
country in general. Then the callers pass
out to their carriages, and are whirled
away somewhere else.
Time now II NJ. The blaze of army and
navy uniforms now appears, and the specta-
Gle is as gorgeous rs the elimination of a
pantomime. Gold lace, noddiug plumes,
uprigh. martial figures, looking as uncom-
Portable as men always do when they are
conscious that they are making objects of
themselves. The officers come in squads.
Gen. Sherman looked very well to-day.
A bland smile stole across his stern coun-
tenance, which, Is shaded by gracefully
plumed chapeau, as he gazcs at the mag
niiicence about him of which he, by virtue
of the four plumes in his hat, is the head
The proce ession of army officers passed.
Admiral Porter appeared upon the scene
heading the representatives, of the navy,
many of them very sea-lions in personal
appearance. Bat a few brief moments are
the crowd entertained by the martial pres
euce, when the scene shifts, and the First
Assistants of the Cabinet officers and the
chiefs Of the bureaus arrive. The crowd
now yAwn for the first time. They have
been treated to the spectacle of great chiefs,
leads among their kind, and they have
little patience for anything else.
a. q IT 4 q
gray-headed men, arm in arm. Some lean
upon canes others walk with heads erect,
as If the weight of years was carried by
them now as easily as in youth. They are
soldiers oftho war of 1912, veterans of 1916,
and the oldest inhabitants of the District.
The ranks are little thinner this year than
they were last reception day. Each yoar
tho number OF veteran soldiers presented
will be smaller and smaller, until the sole
remaining one, like the last guest of the
annual dinner will come tottering up the
steps alone to pay his respects to the Ex-
ecutive.
1t is the "sovereigns' turn now. The
policemen stand away from the gates, and
the people come crowding up the walks till
they bank up in a mass that has TO wait its
turn in the compact file which is making
its way into the house. Passing through
the ante-room and the hall opposite, the
crowd enter, and there find a short man in
full dress, who stands with military pre-
cision upon a certain figure in the carpet
and mechanically shakes hands with those
who pass before him. The crowd is COM
posed Of nearly every grade Of Washington
society. The colored friend and brother,
who has lelt his whtewash brush outside,
jostles fraternally against the lavender.
| gloved exquisite, portly easy-goiug mer-
chants, coarse-looking women, beautiful
women, country visitors, disappointed pat
| riJts in search of office, pert children, news
boys-eyery type of Washington humanity
| you may care to imagine is here. Some at
tempt to converse with the President, bu
the crowd behind make this an impossible
| ity. AS for instance, red faced man, will
a confiding waist-coat advances smilingl
to the President, saying my name is John
son, met you out at Seneca in Wiscons
here somebody hits him in the small {
the back, and he is sent beyond the Chic
M0sistrato with such velocity that befor
he can explode an oath he is in the cas-
parlor. All attempts 10 get upon coniiden
tial terms with the President with the surg
abortive. At o'clock the President retire
with very black glove upon his hand, tn
door, were closed and the show was over