New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-30
4 WHITE HOUSE RECEPTION,
A BRILLIANT COMPANY NET 10 GREET THE
BRAZILIAN OFFICERS.

A BRILLIANT COMPANY NET 10 GREET THE
BRAZILIAN OFFICERS.
soNE OF THE NOTABLE FEATURES AND FIGURES
OF Tho OCCASION sKETcHED-ApMIRAL
wALKER-MR- BLAINE.
washington. Nov. 2o.-Here are some observa-
dams made during a stroll through the rooms OF
The White House last evening, when the Presidents
,ecertion to the officers of the Brazilian Squadron
was at its height: First. compliment for the
MAGNIFICENT Marine Band, playing with such spirit
IN the antc-rocm OF the White House. There is
M better military band in the world The fa-
MINUS bands of London, Paris and Vienna are
hardly a match to its excellence. 1t is only in
Rerin that its equal can absolutely be found.
The one point Of eminent superiority of this band
is its dash and spirit. Its fiery leader, Sousa
who has had charge of this organization for sew
ora, wears. is responsible of course, for its excel
,encN Before his time it was an ordinary military
hand. with no special claim to superiority.
A. the right as YOU enter the White House.
~. colored servants. These servants both in the
lades' and gentlemen's waiting-rooms, are not In
livery: neither are they in the evening dress
IN which servants are often clothed in private
bouses. They stand about in plain business gar
,n.nt. and apparently have the success OF the
,sceuton as much at heart as If they were the
hosts II is odd to see the smile OF welcome ana
r,cctiug given by these people to some one whom
they have often seen at the White House. Inc
rorel spcctaclc of some of tSese waiting servants
.h.s;ng hands with some of the guests who hand
them their wraps is frequently seen. Ihis Is
..,u,a,. for every one in Washington recognizes
IL 10 M
s.r,ao,s left and that their af-ctionate demon
s,rativeness never borders IN the slightest degree
,.or dlrespect. Indeed, it is the genuine afec-
,;on that the colored people have for those VINO
Lnow how to treat them that constitutes the basis
If their good service As two ladies' turned away
from the warm greeting of a co1ee-colored hand
,n.;asr who had lust been assuring them that it
1ocs her eyes good to see such old friends in tho
wilt. House once more. one of them related q
oharacteristic story of colored servants. She had
widowed colored Girl that had given great sat
;sfaction to a friend Of hers. She could do moth
;ro with this girl and one day called her In TO
.si, her why it was that she who had been SO
GOOD a servant with Miss A. was such a bad one
with her. The reply was this:
at is Just dis way Mss; you amt frm via
me- Miss A, she was always hrm wi'n he' "N"
that is Just what i need
Ranged along the doors between the wai.ius
rooms and the main hall stand policemen in plain
clothes The distance from the first rooms 10 the
email Rlne Parlor where the President STANDS, Is
sbor. I'm a moment after leaving the shining wei
.oue of smiling colored faces the Blue Room Is
,oached This room has been redecorated ana Is
uucb ;mproyed in point of color The blues are
warmer and now harmonic. In the decoration
he,oye there were several shades of blue when
under raslicht separated, some turning green, the
combination producing anything but a pleasant
effect. Here. save for the uniformed oincer VINO
calls ones name as one advances into the 1orih"i
row of naval officers at the right there is nothihg
IN mark n great difference between this ana re-
ception in the house of a gentleman IN private
life. The President and Mrs. Harrison are cordiai
without being effusive they are dlgnihed wl'hou'
being stiff In no way are they any dil1erent IMAM
- IL were n reception at their house in Fifteenth
st.. where they lived when Mr.. Harrison was III
the Senate Mrs. Harrison's lame wrist prevents
her shaking hands. The President shook hanos
with every one The high officials and the per-
sonal friends of Mrs. Harrison received from her'
a. they passed her. an invitation to remain In the
Blue Room, which is large enough to hold COM
fortably perhaps fifty or sixty people.
At the right of Mrs. Harrison Admiral walker
and his staff made the Brazilian officers look DE-
cidedlv small. Nearly all of the American officers
were above the average height while the Bra
villains with one OF two exceptions, were below
the medium. Admiral Walker was head and
shoulders over his staff 1t was he who for so
many years occupied the place of Chief of the
Bureau which had the making of the detail for
his brother officers. He was at one time the sub
iect of much attack He could not order every
officer upon pleasant duty, and where an unpleas-
ant detail was made the wives and other women
relatives generally made concerted attack upon
him lie soon became so Injured to this kind
Of warfare that he acquired reputation for
being exceedingly hard-hearted. But in time he
was sent 10 sea- and in his management of the
White Squadron showed some of the old-time
critics, who had said that he was mt only for
bureau life, that he was the equal of any man OF
his rank in the service in point of real knowledge
and that he was the superior of the mass in ad-
ministrative ability.
A little back of the President and at his left,
leaning against the WALL stood Mr.. Blaine,
who had quiet bow for every one.
lie YVES in plain evening dress, his white
hair and beard fairly shining under the soft
light. His dark eyes were like stars. He was the
centre OF attraction for the Brazilian visitors IL
was to him. as the pioneer of policy which is to
make the National Capital familiar TO the South
Americans, that they directed their most curious
looks; it was about him that they gossiped, and
oil were enthusiastic concerning the future policy
which is TO make the nations upon this continent
act together upon harmonious basis for the
protection Of their best interests. whether COM
mercial or diplomatic Mr. Blaine stood the keen
observer Of all that was going on around him. lie
was constantly approached by some one from the
inner circle, who pressed near him to ask some
question. or to wish him good evening
Back of him stood the other members OF the
Cabinet with their wives. Most Of the members
Of the Cabinet are large men physically ana ap-
pcared to be upon the best of terms with the
Senator's and members of Congress who came oc-
easionally to talk to them-and this, too. without
any regard to politics. Nothing could petter IL
ustrate the naturalness and ease OF TINS reception