Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-17
Mrs. Clevcland.s Reception.
A BosToNIAN's EXPERIENCES.
Editor of THE EVENING. Sr.p

BOSIONlANS EXPERIENCES.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
thought on Saturday afternoon as looked
upon the thousands of ladies waiting to be adj
mitted to the White House, if there was any
other nation under the sun of whom il might
so justly be said, what fools these mortals
be" as we Americans, and one of the Ameri-
cans.
To a stranger coming to Washington for the
first time, hoping, yes. longing, to see some
high life at the capital on being informed
that the Presidents wife will give a reception
resolves at once that here is now a chance to
be presented, also to see how she is dressed
to have a few words with her, and, of course
to be introduced to the receiving party: and
when one returns home to have something
definite to tell ones friends. That is woman's
idea of reception before they go, but alasl for
the reality.
AS the reception Il wish more appropriate
name could be found is to begin at o'clock.
II is thought advisable to arrive at the execn-
tive mansion at the hour named We arrived
and 10, instead of walking in, we take our
position IN line on the pavement outside the
gates and about in front of the Treasury build
ing. While waiting, we begin to look about us
and find that 1t requires a policeman to about
every one hundred women, presumably to keen
them in order. or possibly to prevent the late
corners from pushing out of the weaker
sisters and taking her place in the line
Every few minutes we would move about two
or three steps, and finally after one hour and a
half of weary waiting in the cold. with feet and
hands like ice, We reach the door. and feel at
once as If we have just stepped into heaven.
But then L hope heaven will never be SO
crowded as that place was for evidently il was
only an illustration OF everything in the gov
ernmental line. for the ms in STAYING in and
the outs were trying to get in, so that all one
could do would be to stay in the current and
be carried forward.
A fha
ing party stand you are told to keep the line
moving ladies'" then ''break up there 60 one
at time, announce your name" and then
with shove from behind and somebody's hand
to grasp you in front, you are pulled through
and find yourself shot into the east room bv an
attendant who informs you in not the gentlest
tones. that there is no time to look around ~
and then you realize that YOU have been re-
| ceived (?) by Mrs. Cleveland. When YOU get
time to take breath you ask Ibid YOU see
herr well, no, is the answer, ''all l could
possibly see was a tall lady in white couldn't
tell for the life of me whether she was younp
or old, dark or fair, and failed to tell what the
| dress was made Of" Well, since we cannot see
| what we came to see we must feast our eyes on
| what we did not come to see
The crowd has blocked up the corridor lead
ing TO the conservatory, the early birds have
blocked up the doorways and short people can
| only gaze up at a sea of heads. Such mix
| ture! Women are there with babies in their
arms, women with three or four half-grown
children, women well dressed and women
poorly dressed, and here and there Won see a
man sandwiched in. DIR. Mary Walker is ON
hand, and gives every one a chance to admire
her manly proportions. A giddy young man,
when the Marine band plays lively piece.
feels as If he must wiggle and shake himself
all over to let people know how fond he is of
dancing.
The pushing. the elbowing the beg pardons,
| &c, the black looks one woman knows SO well
now to bestow on another, makes it all some
thing to be remembered Dispirited and de-
spairing with aching limbs, we make our way
homeward, but notwithstanding ali onr trials
we have something to look back upon, for we
nave been to one of Mrs. Cleveland's receptions.
| BOsToNIAN