Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-11
THy LINE OF VISITORS.

The knights and ladies assembled the steps in
column of twos, sometimes in threes. and at
times even in tours and fives. but the exertions
of few ushers at the door soon put the line in
single Tile. Several sir knights in uniform stood
close by the entrance and constantly repeated
their eXhortatioDs to the crowd to keep moving
and to go i'll one bv one. Two tall eolored men
were posted. one on either side of the human
stream. holding large PLAQUES into which the
knights were requested 20 put their cards.
The decorated and engraved pasteboards kept
dropping in like illuminated snow flakes, and
occasionally the servants emptied the over
flowing salvers into q small keg that stood on
buffet near the door.
N THE MEMORIAL HALL.
After passing through the parlors the knights
and their ladies entered the memorial hall,
where they could stop only long enough to
want to wait longer and admire the beauties of
the room. The crowd was so great at times
during the evening that the line was not per-
mitted to stop moment and the services of
half a dozen knights were necessary to keep
the crush from becoming too great. The visit
ors had to content themselves with gazing at
the busts. the pictures, the curiosity collections
and the memorial window they went step
ping along IN solid line of twos.
From the memorial hall the knights and
ladies went down short flight of steps into
the small conservatory at the east end of the
mansion, where they obtained breath OF
flesh air and had little more room. But
here, too, we're a couple of sentinels who kept
urging the throng TO move along, and finally
the reluctant feet went out of the doorway into
the night, where the twinkling lamps, the soft
glow OF the lanterns. the steady glare of the
calciums and the music of the band filed the
mind with whirl OF delusive fantasies and
pictures. Here all restraint and forced motion
ceased, and the visitors were at liberty to
wander at will over the grounds without being
forced to move in singles or in doubles, or to
keep moving. please"
THE REFREsHMENr TABLE.
There was a steady stream of plumes and
ladies' hoods disappearing around the corner
Of the mansion into an unknown region Of com
parative darkness, whence occasionally came
measures from the song of the plate. whenever
the band gave any other music a chance In
this mysterious country, on the north lawn
several large tents glowed a soft yellow from
lights inside, while through the open sides
could be seen large throngs of sir knights and
ladies making the best of their time in an effor,
TO give the flock OF spike-tailed walters an op-
portunIty to be agile. And they succeeded
both sides; the guests were hungry, and the
walters were untiring in their fitting, now and
then disappearing into side tents or into the
basement of the house for more stock.
The table set In long tent about a roc
from the mansion. Before il was devastated
BY the attack of the walters, ID was a beautiful
piece Of work. Flowers and fruits were artist
caliy arranged down its entire length, givine
brilliant effect Towers and pyramids arose
at architectural intervals and finished OF the
effect The guests were served standing. tn,
tent accommodating fully q hundred at one
time