Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-06-30

The ceTemonious DINNERS at the White
House are as much matters of course as the
reception of the Presidents wife by day
and his own CASUALLY called levees, no one
knows why, by night. Custom has made
it obligatory on our Chief Magistrate TO
give several of these dinners during each
session OF Congress. A spacious apart
ment, forty by thirty feet, known as the
Estate dining room,' is provided for these
banquets. There is another smaller room,
where the President and his family take
their meals, and where they often entertain
their friends. Twenty or twenty-five can
comfortably dine therein. The ''State
dining roo:n" adjoins the red parlor and
has door of communication with that and
two with the hall. 1t has a handsome
carpet and antique, substantial furniture.
including solid mahogany buffet OF the
largest size, which looks as if it had been
in use half a century at least. There are
two windows fronting south, reaching from
floor to ceiling; there is nanlel-piece and
fireplace at one end of the room and side
tables OF mahogany in convenient places.
The walls are tinted a pale hue and paneled
with gilt bands. The table used for ban
duets is long and broad enough to seat forty
guests and leave abundant space for the
servants to pass around it. A mirror about
two feet wide and long enough to extend
nearly the entire length of the table is one
of the heiriooms of the White House, and
is always placed horizontally along the cen
tire of the table when feasts are given. 1t
mas an ornate gilt frame and serves as the
Co. tb ba ,all1 Aan.ratinnS There
are other handsome ornaments belonging to
the White House which are sometimes used
these occasions, as, for example, the Hia-
watha vase, representing Hiawatha in a
single-masted vessel on crystal lake "a
mirror) on whose borders are representa-
tions in silver of aqueous plants and amphib-
ious animals. This vase was purchased for
the use of the White House by Mrs. GTant
at the Centennial Exhibition. The liable
linen is very fine. The glass is the finest
white cut glass, as thin as egg shells. The
china is white Sevres, with colored bord-
er. The silver is massive, and for the de-
sert the celebrated gold forks and spoons
which brought down wrath on Van Buren
are used. China, glass and linen all have
an eagle and shield upon them and are
simply marked Presidents House" The
dinners are the only official entertainments
given at the White House at which refresh
ments are offered. The custom of offering
even the simplest collation. at any of the
public receptions was long since abandoned,
not only because it was impossible 10 pro-
vide food for the multitude which rushes
in ON such occasions, but also On account
of the piggish way in which the crowd fed
ard swilled Lemonade, throwing as much
on the CARPETS as into the rapacious mouth.
Those who are entertained at the State din
ners are members of the Cabinet, Judges OF
the SuBreme Court, Senators and Repre-
sentatives and the foyeign ministers. The
wives of all who are married are asked
when the husbands are; these dinners are
never ''stag- parties" When a foreigner OF
high rank, who may be regarded in any
sense as representing foreign nation or
sovereign visits Washington, he is usually
dined III state at the White House. 1t /:
etiquette not to decline al invitation to one
of these feasts for any reason OF lass mag
nitude than death in the family or severe
illness. Previous engagements, however
.mporteut. must be cancelled when an invi
talon 10 due yilhthe President is received
, Once during the last session S ntsmber o
Congress and his wife, who gave very ele
CANT din nners, invited most Of the foreigl
ministers and their wives to dine with then
i on 9 ce,;ain day. All accepted, and tn
, dinner was in process Ct preparation, wher
) 10, President Grant, who had been delay
ing his snrqal diplomatic dinner, thInkin
J the Grand Duke Alexis would come, fndin
! out that that Russian scion Qi tbs Emperor d.
not intend to accept bis hospitality, issue