News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-04-08
A WHITE HOUSE DINNER
A STATE OCCASION AT THE EXEC
UTIVE MANSION.

The Decorations I'm the State Dining
Room-A Costly Service-A Strik-
ing Scene-Thirteen Courses.
Entering the corridor, we find the SER
wants busily engaged in setting the table
OF the state dining room, into which two
doors give en.tance, one at either ex-
tremity. 1t measures forty feet from
east to west and thirty from north to
south, and is plainly decorated and con-;
tains only the necessary dining room fur
nlture. During the administration of
President Arthur and in accordance with
his taste, the walls which had formerly
been paneled, were painted tan or light
leather color, with frieze three feet
deep, in lighter tan, crimson and gold.
The ceiling is lighter tint still. Three
large windows looking south over the in
tervening gardens, the Potomac and the
monument, and two looking west into
the conservatory, have green brocade
curtains with looped side drapery and
lambrequins, over lace.
The side-board, mantelpiece and mir
rors are duplicated, so that the refec-
tions from the superb crystal chande-
liers, second to those in the east room,
mingling with those of the eight
candelabras upon the table, seem to Gre
ate an endless succession of vistas on
every hand.
The mahogony table, five and half
feet wide, can be made sufficiently long
to accommodate thirty-s six guests, and half
as many more if converted into double
T by end wings. On one memorable oc-
casion Mrs. Hayes entertained sixty-two
young ladies--at luncheon party, a
greater number than have ever been
seated together in that room at any
other time
Glanclng along the table, we find that
the service used at the first and second
courses is that decorated by Mr. Davis at
the instance of Mrs. Hayes. 1t repre-
sents American scenery, figures, fish, foli-
age, fruits and flowers, painted directly
from nature We are informed that the
Haviland's, who furnished the set, paid
the artist So, 900 for his decorative work,
which was all they received from the
government, though their own outlay
was not less than $17, 900. AS COM
pensation therefor they were allowed to
make duplicate sets of some portion of
the original, and sold many dinner SER
vices at the rate of 81, 200 for 125 pieces.
Beside each plate were grouped six
Bohemian wine glasses, cut glass tum-
bier and carafe, and champagne glass.
The pepper stands were silver and the
salt holders glass with golden shovels.
Each plate was covered with the fantas-
tic foldings of damssk napkin, the
alternate ones containing a large coIsage
bouquet, no two alike One was a dainty
cluster of Marshal Neil roses; another of
Ro,, Ci1apa. ona+bar of I iliac of fho VAL
lev. They were tied with broad white
satin ribbon with long streamers. One
end of each was crossed diagonally with
the blue and the red; on the other APP
peared fine etching of the White House
and grounds, with gilt-lettered date of
the day underneath. A long corsage pin
with round gilt head, lay also beside
the bouquet, and a card bearing the name
of the guest, surmounted by golden
eagle and its accompanying stars. The
other alternate set of plates, held only a
boutanniere of green with single rose
bud, and the card with his name, by the
side of short white satin ribbin also
bearing the name, and the eagle in gilt.
Down the center of the table extended
a narrow mirror lake with raised side
pieces, bordered with smilax and white
blossoms Directly in the middle rode
the ship of state, at anchor, yard long,
formed of pink and white carnations with
masts and rigging of smilax. There were
tall stands of parti-colored flowers; four
lighted candelabra of silver and as many
of glass, and high gilt stands covered
with flower-filled cornucopias at either
end, quite hiding the view down the
length of the table. Interspers - - az