Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-02-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
a White House Reespsiou-Splssdid
Toilets OF she 0suslsmen-sav.
ages nud Othsr Distinguished
PersonaSes Present.
Correspondence of the Gold Hill Daily ssv,.l

WASHINGTON. February 2, 1880.
Last Friday was held the next to last
Presidential reception Of the season.
and. thinking you might care to hsar 1t
described. I betOok myself thithsr at
hali.past eight O'Clock. The gas-llt
semi.circular carriage.way in front Of
the White House was full Of vehicles Of
various sizes, styles and heraldic inscrip.
tons, but all confined to n or two
horse power. There was less display Of
livery than you would see on half that
number OF carriages in Europe, but still
there was enough. Some Of the drivers
made no further o~stsntstion than Q close
buttonsd overooat and q silk hat. A
majority Of the callers, male and female,
came on foot. In the brilliantly lighted
ante-ehambsr the relocated Marine
band was playing such enchanting dance
music that some impressionabls ladies
seemed unable TO walk straight, and
entered the cloak room in . half waltz.
In the cloak room We removed our hats
and ov.rcoats. which were placed in Q
large numbered pigeon. hole. aud q check
with q corresponding number handed rs.
After carefully admiing . large mirror.
We were ready to swarm up and be pre-
scented. Through q large open door We
could see the President and Mrs. Hayes
industriously smiling and shaking hands.
Pronouncing q names to Mr.. Webb
Hayes, who stands on the left OF his
father and nearest the door. hs conveys
the sound to the President, who shakes
hands in an urbane. businsss.liks way,
calling the name Of each visitor. Tho
presentations to Mrs. Hayes. who was
standing two steps to the right, were
made by Colonel Casey In the same man
ner. The next step was to move on and
Join the great throng that had already
shaken and passed into the East Room.
Here everybody was promsnading, talk
ing with her scquaintances, flirting In Q
digniAed way. or admiring the dresses Of
the dressy. the styles Of the stylish. and
the airs Of the airish.
On this occasion q group OF Ute In.
dian Chiefs, who had come to the re-
ssption in their moccasins. beads, and
many.colored blankets, we're the chief
attraction. and their immobile. smile
less, melancholy faces presented .
strange contrast with the gay and bril-.
liant throng that surrounded them. The
General OF the Army was present in uni
form; as usual. attentive to the ladies,
some OF whom he introduced to the In
dams. Among the distinguished persons
present were the Chief Justice OF the
Supreme Court. the Speaker OF tho
House, and Senator Edmunds. OF the
undistinguished persons present were
members OF Congress. foreign Ministers,
reporters, army and navy officers. gov
eminent clerks, ready made clothes mor-
chants, and United States Senators. !
will not attempt to tell what all the gen.
tlemsn had on; there were too many Of
them and too great Q variety Of costume.
I observed that q tailor from Seventh
street wore an elegant frock coat, cut
demi.train, with extensively padded
shoulders. p~antaloons Jared at the bot.
tom, and dark. dollar kid gloves. Mr..
-, . tall. elegant beau from
the Postofioe Department. salary
$1,000 year. was much admired
in short. grayish habit, cut
straight in tsryum, pantaloons fitting
closely over toe hips. aud couture ar
ranged a Ia Hesnsn. The Judge OF the
Police Court, . pronounced blonde, up.
pearsd in white gloves and cravat, black
swallow tail coat. and pantsloons to
match. with metallic ornaments. /
mention these, not that they were more
elegantly sttired than most members OF
Congress, aud attaches OF legations, but
because their costumes may be taken As
types OF styles, and furnish q guide to
the brother Of Miss Flora McFlimsey,
who may come to Washington not quite
knowing what to wear when he presents
himself at the American Court. While
the white necktie and swallow tail coat,
with black trowssrs, 10 the costume de
riseur for perceptions, no gentleman
need feel conspicuously out Of place in q