Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-11
A State Reception at the White House.

A state reception is one to which
only officials and prominent private
citizens are invited. The supper, how
ever, is served by a caterer. Under
the Hayes administration it was pro-
vided by Madame Demonet, a curious
old Frenchwoman, whose modest shop
on Pennsylvania avenue is patronized
by the legations and all the leaders of
the gay world. The Superintendent of
Public Buildings and Grounds, who is
now ex-oflieio master of ceremonies,
prepares for the event. He takes the
latest edition of the court guide, the
Congressional Directory" and from it
prepares the list of official guests.
From other sources he obtains the
names of those prominent people,
transient and resident in the city, who
ought to be invited Sometimes these
additional names are very kindly sug
gested by rural Senators and hayseed
Representative. Sometimes these sug-
gestions are accepted and acted upon;
oftener they are not. The list of guests,
which seldom contains more than ZOO
names, having been prepared, 10000
men and women would-be guests having
been mortally offended, the supper is
ordered and the wines will have to be
ordered at the same time.
Then the invitations are prepared
and sent out Those for the Diplomatic
Corps are sent through the Secretary
of State. The Secretary of the Navy
orders the Marine Band to be at the
Executive Mansion on the evening of
the reception. Crash is laid in the
outer hall. .One-fourth of the police
force of the District is ordered to be at
the front door of the house on that par
ticular night, to care for the guests and
their carriages. All is ready. On the
night of the reception the mansion and
its conservatories are brilliantly lighted.
Supper is served in the state dining
room. The Marine Band is stationed in
the tiled vestibule. Potted shrubs and
plants and bouquets and baskets of
flowers are everywhere. In the Blue
parlor on the south side of the house
stands the receiving party-the lady of
the mansion and her pretty young as
sistants. The PRECEDENT, too, is there,
and the master OF ceremonies.
Leaving you carriage under the
great white portico on the north front
of the mansion, you pass In through
the north door, showing your invitation
card as YOU enter, and are at once sur
rounded with an aH-pervading atmos-
phere of sweet harmony, scented and
brilliantly lighted. AS you walk with
the throng through the great vesti-
bule to the cloak-room on the right, you
pass directly In front of the Marine
Band, whose sweet strains fell upon
your ear while You were still outside.
In the cloak-room the wraps" Of the
party are placed in the usual boxes,
and the usual satisfactory cheeks are
given in receipt for them. Walking
across the broad corridor, which divides
the house into a northern and south
ern half, and through small parlor,
you enter the Blue room in from fifteen
minutes to an hour from the moment
when you entered the house. An in
PRODUCTION to the President Off you are
comparatively unknown by the master
of ceremonies, and an introduction to
the Presidents wife by the President.
complete the formal part of the visit.
From that moment you so as you please,
and you can turn aside in the Blue room
and chat with the friends you find, OF
you can find others in the Red room or
the Green room, or, even on such an
occasion as this, in the East room.
There is no limit to the magnifcence in
dress, OF. to the brilliancy of some of
the conversations. They are delightful
fields for the exhibition of whatever
you have of brains or of bullion. You
can remain five minutes or an hour,
and you need not make your adieux to
the host and hostess, or to either of
them.-LetteF to Boston Herald.