Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-01-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Jam. 5. 1855.

>OtDc OF tue ~ fiinS CITIES. " - AW-
he.ed to here. [, deed Washington
may be called the New Years city
of the world. Beginning with thu.
President and going down the scale.
everybody receives. The distin
gulshri, the obscure, the wealth, /,
the well to do, the % hard up" and
the run down" open their doors
aud w-lc. me callers.
The White House reception was
unusually grand. President Arthur
had invited over sixty ladies to a.
sist at his last New Years receptions
md they were socially equal To I'll,
occasion. greeting callers as hospita
oly as their chief. Besides the Cab
net ladies' and those of the Suprem,
Court, there were the wives of Sena-
tors, Representatives, and many
'thers prominent in the society cir
cles of the Capital. The Presid-n
was beaming with health, good spir-
1t, and cordiality, and the official
.ageant that wished him a happ,
New Year was imposing in its gor-
seous uniforms, decorations, and
foreign court regalia, Cabinet Off
,ers, ex-cabinet officers, foreign dip
iomats, Supreme Court Justices, and
Justices of the District Courts, Con-
sress, Army and Navy officers, ex.
ministers, assistant secretaries, heads
of bureaus, Commissioners, Superin.
PENDANTS, assistant PoStmasters
General, Attorney General, Solicitor.
General, Veteran soldier and civic
organizations followed in order.
a brilliant scene was witnessed
by the privileged few WHO peeped
nto the East room while it was
rhronged with the Diplomats in theil
costumes of many colors, with gilt
lace, gold braid, dangling swords.
ind shining helmets. There is moth
Ing gorgeous in attire, head or foot
gear, sashes or epaulets that the
,.anity of foreign pcwcrs has not
,atented. One could see the green
elvet Court dress Of Brazil; the bril-
liant helmet and uniform Of France's
military attachee; the oak leaves,
'corns AMI wheat, emblematic of
'elgium; the mandarin costume 10
the Chinese Charge D'Affaires; the
gay, curious Turkish garb, and so on
in endless variety. The New Japan
,.se Minister in flowing satins. gold
wrought shoes and rare embroideries
looked on in i'll concealed astonish-
inent at his first New Years recep.
ticn in America, while tho British
ministers in dark suit and gold lace
':llatted with group of ladies of diff.
ierent nationalities.
While the Diplomatic corp was
passing by the receiving party, the
band in the vestibuIe very appropri.
ltely played the patriotic airs of the
nations represented. 1t was inter.
sitting to notice how quickly the
notes were recognized by the repre-
sentatives of the countries to which
the airs belonged, and the pleasure
it gave them.
The oldest inhabitant association
TEL minated one division of the days
reception. When the last hoary
headed citizen had grasped the Presi
1ent's hand, there was a momentary
pause in the reception. Then the
loors were again thrown open. The
people, regardless of race or color
',egan to surge in, and the public
reception commenced. The Presi.
lent did not change his position,
did not suffer himselfto look tired,
'lId not take time to wipe the perspi-
ration from his brow, but went right
to work again shaking hands. The
procession seemed endless, but he
was ready for each extended hand,
expressed New Years wishes affably.
kissed some children gracefully, and
lid other gracious things that even
"A President of the United States was
not expected to do. 1t was mot
ley crowd that passed by him, though
the cattle drover with his whip and
the pedlar with his pack, to whom
tr ID ton has assigned a place at the
Presidents public receptions were
not there. The rich and the poor,
the fashionable and the PLAIN, IN.
fancy, old age, and all the intermedi-
ate ages we're in the procession
There were many handsome toilets,
and many damaged ones, and in the
crush that is unavoidable on such
occasions, clothes as well az their
wearers suffered. The procession
had to be stopped occasionally, to
allow the crowd inside to be reduced,
md then the line would again begin
20 move. 1t went on and on thus
until the time for closing arrived.
A teacher in one Of the Newark
schools was a little crochety the
,ther morning and made the girls