The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-02
The Mansion Transformed Into Scene of Be.
wildering Floral Beauty, with Plants
and Vines Entwined Everywhere.
The List of Invitations Extended so as
to Include Fully 100 Persons.
Mr.. Bissell Announces that the President and
His Bride Will, Some Time During the
Summer, Make Trip to Europe.
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

The President Busily Engaged in Supervising
the Work Of Decoration.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.
WASHINGTON, June las soon as President
Cleveland arrived here from New York, this
morning, he went direct to the White House, sat
down to his desk cleared up his mail: and an
nounced his readiness to enter upon domestic
duties He gave immediate instructions to ad-
NIT no one. and all day he toddled around like
fat boy looking at those at work who were en-
gagged decorating the interior of the executive
mansion. Frequently he gave orders as to how
things should be arranged A number of times,
when asked how he would have this
or that done, he unhesitatingly replied.
'Just let that go for the present
Miss Folsom will be here to morrow"
short time before taking his o'clock lunch
the President directed couple Of nominations
to be made. and they were sent to the Senate
Steadily progressed the decorations. Pyra
mids of plants and pot flowers were built up.
with vines entwined everywhere till the interior
of the house tonight presents The appearance Of
having R9ocation in tropical cline.
Miss Folsom will leave New York for Wash
ington in time to arrive here about daylight to-
morrow morning. Colonel Lamont will meet
her and her mother at the depot and accompany
them to the White House. There they
will be received by the expectant groom and
Misses Cleveland and Nelson. conference
will then follow, and the details of such Of the
arrangements perfected as could not be decided
upon in the absence Of Miss Folsom.
Dr. Sunderland was at the executive mansion
this afternoon and consulted with the President
about the ceremony, and he is expected there
again to meet Miss Folsom and reach perfect
understanding and probably participate in q re-
hearsal Colonel Lamont has consented to act
as reporter OF proceedings to morrow and to-
morrow night. He is experienced newspaper
writer, and will furnish the two press associa-
tions a snccinct account Of the ceremony and
attendant Incidents together with full descrip-
ton of the decorations, dresses and supper, 90
there will be an official stamp upon the state.
ments Of fact which will be published.
Mrs. Folsom and Miss Cleveland will remain
here till Friday. when they will return to New
York, probably together. the other visitors at
the White House and invited guests intend re-.
naming day or two after the marriage.
Secretary Manning has SO far recovered as to
be able to call upon the President to-day with
Mrs. Manning. He assured Mr.. Cleveland that
he would be present tomorrow evening
There are conflicting reports about General
Garlands intentions concerning the wedding
1t is stated that he assured friend that he
could not be present. as he had made q VOW
years ago that he would never wear swallow
tailed coat and that he would feel out of plaes
at such an event, any way From another
source it is learned that Mr.. Garland has prom
ised to be there, but will wear Prince Albert
coat.
Notwithstanding reports that the number OF
people who will hear the ceremony will be less
than thirty, it is claimed by persons at the
White House that over fifty will be there.
When Mr. Cleveland and Miss Folsom had writ
ten their private invitations to special friends,
they found that the number had run up to
almost thirty. The Cabinet officers and their
wives, Colonel and Mrs. Lamont, and several
who are considered ex oficio members of the
White House family, will make the aggregate
about fifty. With the attendants and members
Of the Marine Band, the number who will be
inside the building, at o'clock, will make an
aggregate of more than one hundred.
THE BLUE BEDROOM.
The blue bedroom, which the President has
occupied whenever in the Executive Mansion
since his Inauguration, is the same from which
the last two brides whose weddings occurred in
the White House descended to be married in tho
parlors below. 1t was Nellie Grants bedchan-
ber during the months preceding her wedding in
the East Room, May 81. 1874; and it was the
49, ol.hn ya:a
Hayes's niece, during the time she spent in the
White House before her wedding in the Blue
Parlor June 16. 1878. The room, however,
now looks not at all as it did then,
having been thoroughly reGtted for Presi-
det Arthur before he moved into
the White House, in December 1881. Then one
of the Presidents sisters gave her special atten-
tion to that room and had all its woodwork
formerly whte-painted blue and its walls
decorated in a style to harmonize President
Arthur did not want all of this woodwork painted
blue around the doors and windows, but Mrs.
McElroy said it ought to be DONE and then he
yielded,
The Mrnitnre is all of pale blue satin, and in.
cludes lounge, also covered with that delicate
color of satin. The white marble mantle is COW
cred with hand embroidered blue lam breGuin.
The hangings at the two large windows are OF
blue satin. The bed in tho apartment has its
head to the west; above is a canopy of lace ovsr
blue satin. An older down quilt, one side Of
which is blue and the other pink silk
tthe blue side worked with Kate Greenaway
figures in colors), is thrown across the foot of
the bed. There are three doors in the largo.
square room which is on the north side OF the
building One door opens into bathroom, and
opposite is one opening into the corner room,
which adjoins the bedroom This corner room
is about BALI the size of the other. and was fitted
up at the same time the large one was for Prss
ident Arthur and used by him and his successor
rs q private study. Into the large room (ths
bedchamberl President Arthur used to have ths
ladies shown after state dinner, when the gen
tlemen were enjoying cigars down stairs. Th
married Presidents never used the bedrfeM
Arthur and Cleveland chose 70 occupy. prxat