The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-24
THE PRESIDENTS RECEPTION.
The Distinguished Gathering at the Union
League Club, New York.

NEW YORK, Jan. % The Union League Club
gave reception this evening in the clubhouse,
at which President Arthur was the principal
guest, the entertainment being given specially
in his honor. The house was flied with promi-
nent gentlemen and ladies. The richly-fur-
nished rooms were shown to the best advantage
and were the subject of much admiration, the
presence of so many ladies in attractive
toilets giving the interior of the house
an unusually brilliant appearance. The walls of
the art gallery were covered with paintings,
loaned for the occasion, and dancing was en-
joyed in the theater, the floor of which was COW
cred with crash. Nearly 2 900 people were present
The halls, corridors and staiways, were deco
rated with masses of dark green plants, which
made pleasant background. Two
chestras, under Bernstein, furnished music,
one for promenade, the music being,
in the upper hall, and the other stationed on the
stage of the theater, which was overhung with
rich, red cloth, forming tent. AT the back of
this were flags of the State and nation crossed.
The front of the stage was banked with growing
plants, lilies, azaleas and tulips. The card
room on the first floor was used as a
ladies' dressingiroom, and the bowling
room underneath fer the gentlemen, The read
ing room, ON the Fifth-avenue side of the first
floor, was open to visitors, as was the library on
the next floor above it. Throngs of people as
cending and descending the handsome Stairway,
set with statuary, made an interesting scene.
The President arrived about $50, and was es-
corted by committee TO the reception-room in
the theater attached to the club, where at 10
o'clock he began to receive and shake
hands with the guests. The supper-rooms
were thrown open about midnight, and here, as
elsewhere it was evident the club had made a
special effort in the way of entertainment
Among the guests of the club were Secretary
Folger, Secretary Teller, Marshal McMichael,
Washington; r. J. Phillips, the Presidents sec
rotary; Lionel Sackville- West, British minister;
Mr. and Mrs David NJ Stone James NJ Brown,
president of the Chambero of Commerce: Rev and
Mrs. Robert Collyer, and other members of the
best society of New York
AS the President and party entered, the band
in the lower hall played "Hail to the Chief"
After brief handshaking with the committee in
the reeeption-room, they passed IN procession up
the President. There they were ranged ON the
side of the room opposite the door, Salem
H. Wales and Jesse Seligman being on the
Presidents right and Attorney general and Mrs.
Brewster and Secretaries Folger and Teller ON
the left. Many remarked on the President look
ing older than when a resident of the city, though
his appearance was not such as to justify some
recent reports as to his ill-health. His
color was good and he seemed in
the best of spirits. When the Presidents party
arrived the clubhouse was only comfortably
full, but by 1880 there was almost an immov-
able crush ia the upper corridor, while outside
the carriages extended five blocks and the
shouts of drivers told of the bitter strife to reach
the door 1t was nearly midnight before there
was chance for dancing in the ballroom.