The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-05

MODERN RECEPTION.
tom. Not much could be learned about
it. IL was easy enough to discover that
the custom autedatcs the recollection of
The oldest inhabitant. and as i'm lhe oldon
DAYS there were no society reporters, nc
historians OF the drawing room, The
curly history of the White House New
Years must. no doubt remain forever
in some mystery. AS good an author
itv MS can be found on this point
saws the Grt New Years reception
az the White House WAS given 10y
Madison in 1910. Madison having caught
the idea from tho customs Of the elite Of
Now York. among whom he mingled
while the seat of government was at that
city. Washington Irving confirms this
ly describing his call at the execu-
tive mansion New Years. 1911, he saying
OF Mrs. Madison in h.s lively way; 'A
fine. portlv. buxOm dame she is, who has
smile and q pleasant word for every
body. Her sisters. Mrs. Cults and Mrs.
Washington. are like the Merry Wives Of
Wind or: bat as 10 Jenny Madison, ali
poor Jenny, he is but a withered little
Applc.Joln." ltis certain that the New
Years reception was continued by Mon
rocihroughout his administration, which
good authorities have declared TO mari
tho period Of the most highly cultured
and most distinguished society in Wash
inciOn But those were not public re-
ccpi ons They were merely for tho
gentry. and invitations were issued. IN
1921 the Case public rcception was held
and ia the o'l National nielligencer Of
next morning was published cougratula-
lions 90 the public on It's good behavior
Probably tao custom of making New
Year calls grew ont of the affairs at tho
White House. The iirst private house in
Washington thrown open for the recep
ton of visitors ON New Years was tho
TAYLOR mrl ion. which still stands
now occupied los Senator Don Cameron
That was u 1880 and here the member.
Of the diplomatic corps had habit OF
Iraacr ev themselves after their formal
ca'i on iee president an arrayed in court
dreescs apl accompanied by their secre
tarias end attaches, which were fully a.
nume.ou. in those days as in this, th0ugl
] douD, ii as many of the diplomatic
"cuhs' wcr, SONS or other relatives o..
the minister, and ambassadors as we zinc
e.. the present Time While Dolly 1ladi
son sem d -ed IN that famous old house
iust around the corner from Don Came
rcls mansion. the diplomatic corps ano
0lher society leaders used to pay her the
handsome compliment Of proceeding IN
y Body from the White House to her
<parlors to wish her many returns of tho
dav. Au old lady who remembers Mrs
Madison quite well tells mo that favOrte
of an White House favorites was % good
deal such o woman as Mrs. Logan
woman of plenty Of heart and sincerity
all frankness and tenderness, and yet
with lots of tact and a splendid memory
for faces and names. This old lady also
remembers that forty years ago it was
the custom of the society ladies' 10 make
of the New Years reception at the White
House am occasion for the display OF
their new GOWNS and bonnets and other
winter fnery, just as Easter Sunday Is
now the recognized occasion for the dis
play Of spring bonnets
As one looks at the well dressed and
well bred crowds Of people-even the
huiablcst members Of the great public
looking well and acting well-at the
modern New Years reception, he Is
led TO the thought that our soci.
siy Is lrowing better in form and
mls:anCe. Notwithstanding thecriucisms
Of some moralists and would be reform
era. fancy that In manners the people
who make up the throng5 at the capital
ars now UGH of an Improvement on
those of JacSsoa's time. AT any rate, II
Nvopld he almost impossible now TO duph-
cate q scene which living eye witnesses
v0uch for as having been enacted at the
White House when Old Hickory first
came % power $50 great was the curiosi-
~ of tho pfople 90 see the new president
that they climbed on the fine domask
covered chairs in the east room with
thcis boots AN covered with The red clay
of MARYLAND and Virginia. On the same
New Years day the friends and admirers
Of jackson drank several barrels OF
White llourc punch. and made The his
toric halls f.ne wi,h their shouts of gieo
On another occasion they ate up whole
-hcc.c which "a New York dairymau had
sent the president. and which he had or
derod cut into pound pieces for the en-
tcriainnent of his callers. Not only did
the crowd gorge itself with cheese, but
II ,ramplod what it didn't eat into the
carpets OF the east room, filling the
mansion with a cheese factory flavor,
which did not come out OF IL. lis said,
for several weeks.
Sixty years ago Christmas was even
more OF a holiday 40 the national capital
than il IS now. Almost every house in
Washington, whether occupied by rich
OF poor. sec up It's biz punch bowl, and it
was much easier get drunk than tostay
sober, and fully as respectable At that
time ''Daniel Webster punch, so called,
was tie great favofte, and was every
where served from antique silver punch
bowls Nearly al public men were
drinking men then, and from Christmas
tiil after New Years il was impossible
20 get a quorum Of sober Wen in the
house Of representatives Nov, / verify
believe. a large majority Of the members
Of that body do not drink at all, even on
Christmas let alone getting their states
mems skins 80 full that they could not
sil upright IN their chairs A half cen
t,ry ago the holidays were celebrated in
Nsshiaston IN a rollicling, rosy fashion.
Bands u Young colored men oaradad the