Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-23
SOCIAL MATTERS.
Contents of the White House Parlors-
Personal Notes.

IN the req drawlng-room. Mrs. Mckee and
Mrs. Russell Harrison joined the long process
sion Of carriages that were on the Avenue in
the sunny afternoon hours. 1t would be a
kindly thing if the ladies of the city would for
bear to request audiences Of the lady of the
White House for a brief period, until she and
her household have fully recovered from the
recent fatiguing experiences they have been
through.
An idea that the parlors Of the executive
mansion are as lacking in household orna-
mentation as is a railway, station is incorrect
as will be seen by taking the rooms in detail and
noting their contents. The red corridor is di-
vided from the main vestibule by a large and
beautifully jeweled screen that replaced q
large ground glass partition in President Ar
thurs day. This corridor extends in front of
the three semi-private parlors, the red, the
blue, and the green rooms. 1t is hung with
the portraits OF numerous eX-Presidents its
inches are filed with tropical plants in hand
some jars set upon pedestals, its mirror-rests
are decked with blooming plants, and the
chairs and sofas that line the walls are luxuri-
ously upholstered. The first room Of
the suite, beginning at the western end
OF the house, is the red parlor.
The two tall French windows on the sou tn side
of the red parlor open upon a balcony, and
they are hung with curtains of wine velvet
lined with yellow silk inside and white lace
curtains, and on the glass are sash curtains OF
red silk Upon the walls in heavy gilded
frames are hung portraits of Gen. Arthur
Three exquisite cabinets of carved wood,
that were selected by Gen. Arthur, whose
taste in such matters was excellent, are
set against the walls, and on top of these are
six china vases, variously decorated, and one
bronze figure. The elaborate mirror rest that
Is between the windows is covered with a vel
vet scarf. The rest is of carved wood and has
a jeweled glass back. Upon it are two tall
wine-colored vases mounted in gold, and be-
tween them time-piece. In the far corners
Of the room are two velvet-covered pedes-
tails supporting bronze figures. Against the
east wall is placed large and curiously carved
table, upon which is silken cover and
a fancy lamp with white lace
shade, and half dozen of large
gilt-edged morrocco-bound volumes of French
art. There is a small table of onyx set in brass,
and in the center of the room a large table on
which is a high brass lamp with an umbrella
shade ofred silk. On one side of the fireplace
is high brass lamp standing upon the floor
under umbrella shade of silk, and on the
other side is a brass pedestal bearing a basin
and antique ever in brass. The mantel is of
carved wood, under a mirror, and holds
two many-branched candelabra. On the
ledge below the mantel are painted
PLAQUES, though some Of these pieces
have disappeared in the past few
tory that is made every four years. Two hand
some jars over three feet high stand on either
side of the fire place that has brass tenders
and accessories. There are three screens in
this room, one very handsome japanese
screen of many folds, and one piece of elab-
crate needle work framed in brass. The two
mahogany sofas are upholstered in wine velvet,
aud four of the chairs are in velvet and six
in yellow satin brocade set in gold frames. The
gold chandelier is ornate to a degree, the walls
are wainscoted in murky red and the walls
tinted in maroon color to a fancy border, and
the ceiling is in red and yellow mathematical
pattern. The carpet is a yellow-hOwered rug,
with q border laid upon a plain crimson felt
that avtpnda ron nn1er N
In the east wall opens into the blue room. This
Is the state reception room of the suite, and
contains no bric-a-brac save two clocks and
two vases on the mantel and mirror-rest that
faces the fireplace. The room is a perfect oval,
and the eoloring is peacock blue. The chan
deller Is very handsome, and the gas brackets
are adorned with pendant crystal grape
clusters. There are four large sofas and one
central divan, besides dozen or more chairs
upholstered IN blue satin, and over one OF the
blue satin-hung windows is gold eagle with
spread pinions ready for flight. The deep
frieze is in white and blue jeweled effects.
The green parlor is par excellence the ladies
room. 1t is delightfully."- cool in coloring and
dainty in its details. On the walls, that are
hung with gilded and green paper, are the
portraits of Mrs. Hayes. Mrs. Tyler, and Mrs.
Polk, in golden frames. The windows are
hung with pale green satin. Two cabinets, a
low and high one. stand against the walls, on
which are placed vases and three screens are
paced ABOUT. the mirror rest and mantel
draped with fringed brocade in the style that
was thought elegant some years ago. On the
former are two vases of Venetian glass and a
bronze figure, and on the latter a petty clock
and two vases OF seyres china. On the hearth
stand two tall vases from China of the most
beautiful ware of the Orient. The center
table has cover of Persian weave and some
handsome books, and pretty lamp.
An inlaid table supports a china
vase of much beauty. The grand piano
r11 L
upon it, and there are two music racks on the
floor. The two sofas and the chairs and the
double floor cushions are IN green and gray
satin. and the chandelier is a companion to the
one in the red parlor. The furniture in these
rooms, that are fitted for sitting-rooms, and in
which few people might voluntarily sit down
TO spend the evening without doing violence to
their esthetic souls. is faded, worn and sadly
out of date. The hangings at the windows are
DINGHY dlscolored from long exposure to sun,
and sometimes rain, and others Of the details
of the room are open to criticism, which NAV
generate a realizing sense of unfitness and great
penuriousness In the nations housekeeping
and thereby bring about reform and refurnish-
ing.
The east room that everybody visits who goes
to the White House is the best-furnished room
in the house. Its carpet is new, its golden
brown-plush chairs and sofas are fresh and
modern. and the portraits of General and Mar
tina Washington and Thos. Jefferson have been
y
sharp contrast to the other portions of the
house, whose rooms and furnishings are dingy
Mrs. John Armstrong Chanler held an in
formal reception yesterday afternoon, between
the hours OF and z, in her own room in the
hotel Arno. Mrs Chanler wore a Greek gown
ofwhite crepe, fastened with pearl and diamond
headed pins, and her callers were numerous
The lady managers of the Garfield hospital
had red-letter day yesterday at the loan exhi-
bition. The day was fine and everybody was
out. Mrs. G.. G.. Hubbard was the hostess of
the tea room, and she was assisted by Mrs. A.
g. Bell, Mrs. Chas. NJ. Bell, Mrs. Lander, Mrs.
Kellogg, Mrs. Orange Ferriss and Mrs
J. W. Powell The young ladies who
passed up the checks for the pur-
chases were Miss Scidmore, Miss Spofford
Miss Robena Taylor, Miss Ethel Ingalls, Miss
Lucy Corkhill Miss Tiers, the Misses Pope,
Miss Edes, Miss Porter, Miss Moore, and Miss
Mary McCulloeh. The tea used was brought
by Miss ScidmOre from China and was excep-
tlonally excellent in flavor. Yellow ionquils
and tulips were the floral decorations The
music was furnished by Mrs. Chas Voorhees,,
who sang, Miss Halle Voorhees, PLAYING the
accomplishment. Mrs. Buxton, Mrs. HYDE.
Miss Hare. Miss Nicholson, and Miss Bestor
also contributed to the program. Among those
present were Mr.. and Mrs. H. A. Willard Mr.
and Mrs. and Miss Buriette Mrs. Judge
Bentley, Mrs. Frank p. Gross Mr.. and Mrs 8.
8. Cox, Mrs. Spinola, Mrs. Chas. NJ Hendley.
Mrs HastinQs- Mrs A Wortbino@oc NJ.