Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-27

Our Washing ton Letter-A Visit to the
 White HOuse-What is to be Seen in
 Some of the Rooms.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER
 As hinted rather broadly in my last, I have been to see as much of the White House as the public are permit ted to see ordinary occasions. went quite unarmed with any credentials and neglected to provide myself with any stopen sesame" taking my chance with about fifty others, all orderly, weIl-behaved citizens and citizenesses. Before reaching the front, north door, I was struck by the appearance of several glittering shields on the columns supporting the porte cochere, and, upon ex- amining them closely, discovered them to be the coat of arms of this great and glorious republic. It semed to me rather an odd place to put them, but, supposing them to be relics. shall say nothing about them. On touching the knob of the door it was opened by a tall, soldierly looking man, whose wealth of whiskers gave to his none too feshy face rather cadaverous appear ance. In reply to a question he informed me that the parlors were open for inspection and that should ''step in to the left and wait'' His manner was that of thorough ly bored man, and I did not dare ask any more questions, so, dofing my hat, stepped into the east room, passing on my way a staircase leading to the second story, at the head of which I noticed several men hang ing over in limp manner, with an expres sion of anxiety on their faces that told their story only too plainly. They were evidently waiting to see the President I had an ex cellent opportunity of examining the East room, and had only taken the precaution to provide myself with a tape-line I could furnish you with the most minute details of it's dimensions, for there was pair of step ladders reclining, with the peculiar grace of those useful articles of domestic economy in front of one of the manteIs, that would have enabled me to reach the ceiling. The carpet is an American Wilton and is mistake for the pattern was not woven with that mathe- nautical accuracy that characterizes English carpets, and when two breadths were laid side by side in making up it was necessary to quicker the edges, to make the pattern fit, or draw the middle in most unfortunate man ner. There were 8 number of cross-seams that told only too plainly of the many times when no amount of puckering or drawing would make the desired match, and the strip had to be cut to admit of tsheep-shanking, '' ss sailors would call it. I cannot say that I admire. the pattern either. The body is pale gray, the figure running vine with the palest of blue and red flowers alternating on either side. In the daylight it looks positive ly shabby, but by .gaslight it may light up nicely, and, after all, that is the time of day it was intended for. It can't be of very good quality though, for detected signs of wear near the door, though it has only been laid few months. The walls are painted gray, of a darker shade than the carpet and embossed in very effective manner. The windows are hung with applique lace and over draper 1 ies of old gold satin embossed. There are | seven of them, all French, three opening to 1 the north and overlooking Pennsylvania ave- | nue and Lafayette Square, three opening to l the south and overlooking the White House | grounds the parade-ground, the Washington l monument and, beyond, the Potomac river, 1 and one large one facing the Treasury build 1 ing, just east of the White House. The l ceilings are finished in the same color as the r walls, but are frescoed just enough not to be l heavy but in no particular design. The cor nices and columns that support the two l square open arches are bountifulIy eiIded | There are large mirrors in each panel, save | two that are filled with full length portraits | of Washington and Mrs. Washington The | former is the original Stewart and has 8 bit 1 of romantic history attached to it. In the war of 1912 with Great Britain, when the | British, under command of General Rose, sailed up the Potomac, made sudden raid on the capital, and, with a vandalism that be-