Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-05

il much rold and silver lace, gorgeous uni
forms. epaulets and swords, the odd costumes
of the orient. profound bows, blank faces
worn BY owners who understand neither
French nor English, pretty compliments Tor
Mrx Cleveland in both languages. riuch
throwing out of chests and obvious enueavor
to shine web belore such worthy spectators
on the part Of the younger attaches, close
scauti,,- IL oTer-body Of the 'naracrs and
costumes OF the Persians, the Chinese and the
Coreans
The orientals do not remove their head
dress The Persian minister, attended by ms
suite wears the fez of his native land Ine
Coreans wear long coats of brocaded chene
silk, with pink sleeves of the same material,
stockings of green silk, low shoes which give
a grotesque appearance to their green spindle
ankles, big wire winged hats on their heads
tied under their chins with strings OF small,
yellow beads. The Chinese minister and his
long suite of secretaries and attaches present
most imposing appearance. The minister
is in his national costume of white hrocaded
satin, with wide trousers. gold and silver
dragons with open mouths on his coat, and in
bis cap the plain coral button which only
mandarins Of the first rank have the right to
wear.
1t Is passing show Of extraordinary inter
est, but Hseting show, for il Zen minutes
all have ben presented Before the young
ladies Of the receiving party have finished
their comments on the young gallants at
tached to the legations, or have fully enjoyed
their little merriment at the expense OF the
most ugly and grotesque Coreans, the scene
changes once more Now come the justices
of the supreme court. They are grave
judges no longer but gayold courtiers, full
of pleasantly and inclined to wit, seemingly
desirous Of exhibiting republican simplicity
at its brightest and best In contrast with the
stately and ceremonial airs worn by the
representatives of the worlds monarchies
who have just preceded them.
1t is busy day at tho White House. Ten
minutes more and the life tenure justices,
who can well afford to be serene or gay as
the humor seizes them, give way to the sena-
tors and representatives who are here today
In the pride of power, but who may on the
morrow sink back into obscurity. Republi-
cans join with Democrats in paying the COM
pliments of the season to the president and
his wife, but not many of either party ap-
pear, for a majority of the legislators are at
home or en- route to the capital Yet the few
that do come are worth watching, for the
PRESIDENTS nand Is seized warmly uy men
who have within two months roundly de
nounced him on the stump and the kindliest
smiles are publicly seen on the faces Of parti-
sans who have been indulging privately in
the blacklist of frowns. Thus the New Years
day brings a softening Of the asperities Of
politics, and perhaps it would be a good thing
if there were more New Years
1t is now twenty minutes of noon, and the
scene again becomes bright hued and daz-
cling The young ladies Of the receiving
party press forward as the officers of the
army, the navy and the marine corps fill the
corridor with manly beauty and tinkling
scabbards. A numerous and brilliant throng
our army and navy make, and the twenty
minutes allotted to them is fully occupied be-
fore the last officer of the line has been duly
presented to the president.
In all this display we have thorough OBJ
ject lesson in official precedence, for after the
cabinet and diplomatic corps the supreme
court, the court OF claims and the supreme
court Of the District of Columbia; after the
senators and representatives in congress, the
commissioners of the District of Columbia
and the judicial Officers of the district, ex-
members of the cabinet and ex-ministers of