The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-31
The White House.

The Washington correspondent OF the
New York World says: The long illness
of Mrs. Garfield and the tragedy Of the
summer have given new interest to the re-
opening of the White House and the re-
turning stream of callers has given renewed
life to the grounds. The refurnlshlng OF
the interior has also an Importance not war
ranted by the actual changes that have
taken place, and tempts even the old hab-
itues to mingle among the peripatetic sight
seers with something of that curiosity with
which one regards sentient beings who have
experienced some great emotion. Curlos-
ity of all kinds now, however, Is modified
by wise restraints. Under President Ar
thur the American citizen no longer holds
a proprietary interest in the state rooms,
nor is free to pause and eat his frugal lunch
in the East Room, nor to take his siesta on
the sofa, where Mr.. Pendel, the custodian
for seventeen years, says it has often been
his duty to waken him. The East Room
was also favorable to appointments and tor
convenient rendezvous, thus serving in va
rious WAYS as kind of cheap hotel parlor
Small parties are now conducted through
the rooms with guide, having ample time
for observation, but with no opportunities
for eating or sleeping, or for chipping of
souvenirs of the furniture. The changes
in the rooms have been rather incidental
than intentional, except in the Green Room,
and have been prompted by the necessity
of repairing the inevitable wear and tear as
it is made manifest, rather than by any at
tempt at furnishing the rooms, as it is now
understood. The heaviest burden falls on
the East Room, which in size is the i'm
posing apartment of the White House.
The changes here consist of new furniture
and new draperies. In these the prevail
ing tint is olive One set of furniture is
of olive plush, the other of olive brocade
and ebonized wood. The draperies are OF
olive brocade lined with old gold, with EN-
broidered lambrequins. These are hand
some in themselves, but receive slap in
the face from the vigorous red carpet which
was put down in President Grant first Ad,
ministration and whose brilliancy defes the
lapse of years. Nor is there any mediatory
color in the room, nor any works of art to
call attention from this family quarrel. The
only two paintings are the Washington
once fondly believed to be by Stuart; and
Andrews's Martha Washington while on
the mantels are some diminutive bronzes
whose ludicrous disproportion to the size OF
the room is emphasized in the mirrors.
The Green Room is really exquisite. In
place of the dark green which gave the
room its name it wears now a delicate
spring-like tint with which nothing else il
permitted to interfere. The walls are GOV.
cred with gold ground almost covered
with foriated design in pale green anc
white. The upholstery and draperies are
of pale green satin, the furniture in choice
forms and the draperies finished with ele-
CANT fringes. The carpet-a deep-piled
Wilton-is a fawn ground, with pale green
and blue forms blending into the fawn anC
border of yellow dafodils and foliage
scarcely outlined, and given the impression
of color rather than of form. A double
cushioned ottoman introducing number
of harmonious tints sits like great jewe
before the mirror, if the imagination vii
allow the conception of a plush jewel. Tn,
ceiling is the most commonplace feature o.
the room, but this Is In the design of tn.
fresco not In It's tone, which completes
that of the room.
The Blue Room, except in the regilding
of its furniture, is left as it was in all it