Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-25
SOCIETY NOTES,

SoSIL L
The last large entertainment to be gIvea by
the President and Mrs. Hayes in the Executive
Mansion occurred there last evening, the occa-
sion being the third annual reception In homer
OF the diplomatic corps. This was In no respect
lacking In any OF the features which made the
first two OF this species OF entertainment at the
White House remarkable for the beauty OF the
scene and enjoyment afforded.
The following classes Of officials were invited:
The Chief Justice and Associate justices OF the
Us. supreme Court, of the Court Of Claims, and
the District Supreme Court; all the members OF
each mouse OF Congress: members and eX-mem-
bers OF the Cabinet: the Assistant Secretaries OF
the state, Treasury. War, Navy and Interior de-
partments; the Assistant POstmasters General:
the Assistant Attorneys General: the heads OF
those important bureaus in the executive de-
partments whose nominations to Office must DE
confirmed by the Senate; e1-U. S. ministers to
foreign lands; the members OF the international
sanitary commission and OF the Franco-A Ameri-
can claims commission: few representatives
OF leading journals In different cities; and all
army officers OF the rank or majcr and above
That grade and all navy and marine officers OF
corresponding rank. All the invitations were
addressed TO gentlemen. who were asked with
the ladies or their families" from until Il
o'clock. The members OF the diplomatic corps
were Invited through the Secretary OF State
who last week notified each minister, or cldTop
G0FdlItS, that The President and Mrs. HAYES
VIII Uc udppy W TtCelFt InP LQeIQUerS or the
Diplomatic Corps and the ladies of their fani-
lies at an evening entertainment on THURSDAY
February 24tb, at eight O'Clock"
Before the hour liked many OF the other ia
Nlted guests arrived and before half-paSJ eigh-
the house was full. The line Of carriages. be
ginning In front OF IL, extended several squares
The arrangement to prevent the members cf
the diplomatic corps from being fnconyeLi
enced by the crowd, they being the honOred
guests OF the evening. was the same eXceIeay
one as last year. Their carriages drove up TO
the stairs leading from the southern portico 0,
the mouse. where temporary carriage porch
was made al the foot or the stairway, Whic..
was also covered and carpeted A doorway
was contrived by placing steps inside AID ou
Side the Red Paflor window, which opens on
the port1co. Thence the ladies and gentlennpn
passed up stairs, where special dressing rooms
were reserved for them Ia the private part OF
the house. A red. a white, and blue ribbon
across the upper corridor separated these two
reserved rooms zone Of which was Mrs. Hayes
own bed-room) from the other cloak rooms.
The other guests entered by the north door
and went up the stairs leading to the Presi-
dents Offices These were used as cloak rooms
by the gentlemen, while the ladies passed on
10 the chambers used by the Presidents family
Every room on the two main floors OF the EX-
ecutlVe Mansion was open and brightly lighted.
Ine use or the upper rooms as cloak rooms
contributed much to the impression of being in
amagnlncenu private residence at grand ball.
Flowers were placed In the upper corridors aud
flags dIaped the pictures. All the guests de.
scen0ed Oy the staircase In the private division
OF the house.
This grand stairway was feStooned with flags.
and In The hall below, from the brightly lighted
conserVatores 10 the east room where the re
ception took place, one seemed walking
through tropical garden, for hot-house plants
lined the walls and every parlor was decorated
With flow ers. The grand drawing room was
even more lavishly adorned with flowers than
usual. Potted plants were grouped on either
side the main entrance. and against the central
WINDOW opposite were numerous very tall
plants, forming background Of vivid green
uh Sfr INN, n
fD front OF ii. Above these plants was silkeH
ag.iAnd on either side of it the full length
portraits OF General and Martha Washington.
The mantels were entirely covered with ex-
quislte cut flowers forming sloping bank
The chandeliers were festooned With smllax.
Punctually at eight the music OF the Marine
Mrs Hayes entered the East room from the
corridor, followed by the Vice President and
Mrs. Noble, OF Columbus, the members OF the
Cabinet with ladies, and the young ladies aud
gentlemen now visiting the President and hls
wife. AT present their family numbers eight
cen, as their five children are with them. to.
gether With invited guests.
Very soon after the President aud Mrs Hayes
took their places, with the Vice President on
the left OF the former and the ladies of Cabinet
families on Mrs. Hayes right, with the other
ladleS In tne rear,-makiDg very 1ne looking
group,-the band announced the approach OF
the diplomatic corps. Secretary Eyar[s entered
with Lady Thornton and Sir Edward Thornton
WIN MIS- Adam. His daughter and son and
lowed. Mr. Schlczer, the German minister
came next, and all the gentlemen and ladies or
tn6 Qlpl0matlc corps now In the city, except
Sc me who are III, came In the order etiquette
assigns to them. Among the other countries
represented were the Argentine Republic (Che
minister, Senor Garcia, being ABSENT by the
q &c daffaires; Brazil; Hayt1, py the minister.
Mr.. Preston, and his daughter; Turkey. by the
minister. ArtstaIchi Bey, and Rustem Efend;
japan, by the minister and his wife and IN ost or
the gentlemen OF the legation; Italy; Sweden
and Norway, by the minister ana MS Vile;
France. by the minister, M. Outrey, and seve-
raj other gentlemen OF the legation; Mexico, by
the minister, Sehor de Zamacona, his wife and
daughters, MI. de Cuellar and his wife; China,
by both Its ministers and nearly every gentle
man OF the legation; Portugal, by the mlnist r,
the Viscount das NOgueiras, and his wife anu
daughter and their guest, Miss Vanderpool, OF
New York; Spain, by the minister and his
daughter and several or the attaches; Austria.
minister and his wife, daughter and son; Rus
STA by the minister and Nine. Bartholomew and
NJ and Madame de Meissner; Denmark by IT.
minister, NJ. de Billie. A few other countries
sentees, by reason OF illness In the families OF
the diplomats and some belonging to the lega-
tons here are now In Europe. All the gentle
men named wore full court suits, some OF
which were very beautiful Secretary EVarts
made the presentation OF the diplomatic corps
to the President, and when the other guests
came Mr.. X. B. Hayes Jr, succeeded him, and
was In turn soon Afterwards succeeded by Mr.
George Gusttn, one OF the Presidents private
secretaries. who made the fntroductions during
the remainder OF the evening. Colonel Casey
stood next Mrs. Hayes, and introduced TO her.
The dressing OF the ladies was, OF course
very elaborate. although In contrast with the
full dress uniforms OF the army. navy
and marine corps, and tie gliltering court
dresses OF the 70 eign legations, the