Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-03
A STATE BANQUET.
ABOUT FORMAL WHITE HOUSE DIN.
NERS, PAST AND PRESENT.

The Highest Social Event in Washington
Life-The Invitations and the Guests.
Flowers, Sculpture, Wines and the
Most Exquisite Cookery.
The president gave his first state dinner
not great while ago. It. was to the cabi-
net. and each guest received heavily en-
graved invitation inclosed in an envelope,
which bears the national coat of arms The
White House paper and cards have gigantic
eagle printed in gold upon them. 1t bears a
gold shield on its breast, and its beak holds
the words ''E Pluribus Unum." The card Of
invitation to state dinner is almost as big
as cabinet photograph. 1t is engraved in
black, and it bears the words: 1.-THE PresN
dent and Mrs. Cleveland request the pleasure
of the company of - at dinner on -
evening, at - o'clock, 1885,"
These dinners last several hours, and the
guests first assemble in the East room, and it
is here that the president and Mrs. Cleveland
receive them. They go to the table at once,
and there they eat often as high as twenty
courses. The dinner just mentioned was one
of thirty covers, and the state dining table
was set in its ordinary form. There are
three ways in which the table may be ar
ranged, according to the number of guests
who are to be seated, and the table, as it
usually stands, is fitted to seat thirty-six 1t
is long oval, and it runs the full length of
the state dining room. When more than
thirty-six sit down it is changed by adding
to each end, making in one shape gigantic
letter II" and in another, by following out
the sides, a figure like the stand of an anvil
The dining room is gorgeous during state
dinner. 1t is great oblong parlor, as large
as the ground floor Of a house thirty feet
wide and forty feet deep, and its ceiling is SO
high that it would reach to the base of the
windows of the second story of city house.
1t lies at the left Of the great promenade cor
rider, and its windows look out on the Poto-
mac and the monument 1t adjoins the Red
parlor on the east, and it has windows on the
opposite side of the room which look into the
grand conservatory of the White House.
The flowers of state dinner table are be-
You'd description, and the florist puts his best
efforts on the gold lake which lies in the CEN
ter Of the table. This lake runs nearly the
whole length Of the table, and it is a mirror
with gold rim about three inches high, and
this, during great state dinner, is framed
with the choicest of flowers and greens. A
thousand roses are often used at state dinners
and about the same number of carnaton
pinks. During single season the state dinners
have consumed 5000 sprays of lilies of the
valley, 400 strings of similax and thousands
Of other flowers, such as camellias and Gala
lilies. AT times canoes are made. and ships
Of flowers in full sail are seated upon the
table. At others there may be bridges and
castles, and once there was a design which
represented the Hanging Gardens OF Semi
ramis. To these flowers is added the bril-
lance of the state china, and the wine sparkles
IN cut glass
1t goes without saying that guests at state
dinners always appear in full dress The
men wear boiled shirts and the decollete dress
prevails. as rule, with the ladies At the
dinner referred to Mrs. Fairchilds dress was
decollete and Mrs. Endicott's dress was we'll
hlieo IN with lace at the front Mrs. Gen.
Joe hawley wore blue satin train of silver
orocaoe and her corsage was low. and Mrs.
). v L. Pruyn wore a ruby velvet, with a
low necked waist. Mrs. Whitney appeared
In pearl gray satin, and Mrs Ingalls, looked
regal in trained robe of black velvet.
HE men looked well. too. and Bayard
walked out with Mrs Cleveland. while the
president sat with Miss Bayard on his right.
Speaker Carlisle looks Ike statesman in a
swallow tail coat, and Senator Hearst was
straIghter than ever in his claw hammer
garment. Secretary Lamar appeared slnos.
Judicial, with his long hair hanging down
over his collar, and Admiral Porter and Gen
Sheridan were as courtly as usual Put
thirty such guests around this big table.
let the light glitter, make the wine fow and
add the gorgeous table decorations and Won
have some idea of the scene Bring on wait
ers IN full dress suits and have the dark.
eyed steward presiding over tie whole. and
you may begin TO appreciate state dinner.
10 this, however, must be added tia food
and 1t comes on in shapes that please YOUR
eye while at the same time il tickIes yo,r
stomach The cook of the White House pets
a better salary than a New York bookkerner
and he Is as much Of an arts. as some Of the
biz chefs Of EuronA he builis h,s disb.s