The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-01-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington on New Years Day
scenes aud Incidents at the ESecu.
tive Hansion-Thc annual Rccep.
ton of ihc Washed and of the Tn.
washed A strange ana Curiou>
enEgsggla

ton Of thc Washed and OF the Tn.
washed - = strange ana Curious
Spectacle.
From our Regular Cornc-pondent.l
| WASHINGTON. II. G.. Jan. !. lS7G.
There are three classes OF people to
whom the ADVENT of New Years Day is
a perfect god-send. These are the lady
correspondents. the D,caistes and milii-
ncrs, and-0ur mice" young men. Every
body knows that the great forte Of 4 lady
correspondent is the description OF mag
niiiccnt toiictics there she is at home
and completely at her case and In her
element; and while the poor male letter.
writer hopele>sly wrestles with such tech
meal terms ~ tvHfHiH'ss. o5lisses, cc5i, lace,
J crepe he chuc, etc., now and then STUN
bling over squlre-cut and dec9iistte cor
sagcs, the lady correspondent describes
all these things iu an ofI.hand manner
that must be charming to those VITO uil-
! derstand their significance, but Is little
short OF bewillering TO bachelors, who
have never had the pleasure u of paying
! a wife's or daughters milliner bill.
I suppose il was for this reason that
the lady correspondents were so largely
represented at the New Years reception
Of the White House. Mr.. Graudz was
there 50 was ''Faz" Gicmcr, and 81 host
Of others but | missed the benevolent
taco OF "Gracc Greenwood, " who is now
in Europe. As early rs ten o'clock, the
newspaper representatives and cores
pondents began to arrive, and were
u,hered into the large ante-room, await
Ing the opening Of ceremonies. a large
card-ha=i---,, !..,s,iiu= a,yuut two or three
bushels, was placed here, at eleven o'clock
it was empty, but by three O'Clock in the
afternoon, when your correspondent LETT.
1t was overlooking and cards We're scat
tered all over the green carpet OF the hall
floor.
After we had waited about half an
hour, Secretary Fish, accompanied by
Mrs. Fish. arrived, aud was dshercd into
the Red Room. \ few minutes later,
the pOstmaster-gcneral's carriage drove
up, and Mr.. and Mrs. Jewell, accompan-
led by his daughter Sarah, joined Mr.
and Mrs. Fish in the Red Room, which
was set aside for the reception of the
big bugs : and they had scarcely en-
tered, when the president made his APP
pearance, with Mrs. Grant hanging on
hi, arm, followed by Colonel and Mrs.
Fred Grant and General Babcock. The
president was attircd IN full evening
dress, black nccltic and straw-colorcd
kids; Mrs. Grant wore very handsome
anl becoming blue silk, with black lace
overdrcs,, and carried very beautiful
bouquet in her left hand. Her hair wa,
arranged in puils, and adorned with II
diamond aigreite. Mrs. Fred Grant had
Oh a pink grain silk, one of my lady
friends said it was "cru.hod straw
berry" she had on, bat suppose she re-
icrrcd only to the color, loopcd up with
buds of yiolets and moss rOses-rca.
The appearance OF the presidential
! party was the slgual for the marine band
to ",trike up" which they did, opening
with the overture To Tampa - the pres
. ident and Mrs. Grant slowly marched into
the room, where they, rs usual on thcs,
' occasion, took their station near the cen
II ter OF the room, which was Handsomely
= decorated with large bouquets from th'
!, White House conservatory. Secretary
p Fish was on the presidents left, Mr.
% Fred Grant on his right, and Genera
p baocock in the background. Meanwhile
y, ~ the diplomatic corps had arrived, heade,
or by sir Edward ana Lady Thornton. ant
Il their glittering uniforms and ounln
:. court costumes added largely to the bri
~ llancy Of the scene.
Then the real hard work commenced
The president, after shaking hands wit
his cabinet officers, commenced with n
~ diplomatlsls, who were introduced, on
ed by one, by Secretary Fish. Each OF
N took up his pluncd hat add made Il dee
en- bow as he passed Mr, and Mrs. Gran
- The Japanese minister, who was accou
panied by his wife, was attlred in gorg
Gus oriental costume, and bowed 80 de,