Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-01
A Brilliant Gathering at the Executive
Mansion-The Vice President and
Members Of the Cabinet Keep Open
House-Incidents of the Day.

Nituout any Vi tuese prOtectlVe articles seeneu
content so long as there was hope Of ultimately
seeing President Harrison, his cabinet and the
aggregation Of beauty and fashion that was
assisting him in the great New Year reception.
The hour of 10 o'clock had not arrived when
the crowd commenced to assemble, not the
distinguished folks who were to occupy the
attention of the presidential party from IL a. m.
until 1890 pm, but the people-the citizens
who never miss an opportunity to enter the
White House on such occasions. They had q
long wait ahead OF them, but there was no ap-
pearance of encouragement even when the
drizzle settled into steady downpour. They
formed themselves in a long and patient
culumn, which was wider tiIan the wide side-
walk. and they watched the carriages of the
more fortunate enter the territory, which was
effectually protected by large force of police
and very substantial iron fence.
Inside the grounds the great and still verdant
semi-ellipse was fringed with carriages, backed
up to the lawn and as closely packed together
as possible. Here the police had a great
amount Of work, but they succeeded admirably
in preventing the chaos which on all such oc-
casions is SO near at hand. Lieut.. Guy and
several officers were beneath the portico and
they moved the procession along in the quietest
and most orderly of fashions.
INSIDE THE MANSION -.
the scene was brilliant one. All was warmth
and brightness. Smiiax twined in and about
the great chandeliers and depended from the
tops of tall mirrors and windows. The east
room, where most of the callers assembled,
was the only one Of the four public reception
rooms that secured its light from outside sun.
Great spreading palms and tall rubber plants
were standing in every nook and corner, while
the mantels were banked with gardens of
hyacinths, azalias, ferns and other plants. In
the blue room, where the President and his party
stood, the decorations lent an added charm to
the general beauty of the oval-shaped apartment.
The central chandelier and the side lights were
shaded with unique effect and brought out
strongly the changing color of the various tints
Of blue. The three windows in the back of the
room were almost hidden by masses of green.
AS in the east room, smilax. palms and rubber
trees predominated. Red lowered poinsettas
and pink azalias peeped out from among their
green cousins. Under the mantel pieces ferns,
hyacinths and ice plants were banked. In the
red room, where the diplomatic corps as
sembled, and in the green room the decora-
tions were much the same, differing only in the
substitution of fowered plants to suit the colors
in which each room was furnished.
The bright scarlet coats of the Marine band
were without apparent blemish and with the
polished instruments presented highly salts
factory appearance. In the main corridor Just
beyond there was a wealth of gold, silver and
rainbow hues but rarely equaled in any social
assembly. The diplomatic corps, the members
of the international maritime conference and
n n M MOI nt min,
gied together in a sea of decorative tailoring
Then came the Senators and Representatives,
and it may be remarked, incidentally, that they
caused great deal of confusion by coming too
soon. Their rather previous arrival bothered
Capt Dinsmore and his assistants not little
and it was a matter of considerable difficulty to
separate, SO TO speak, the sheep and the goats
and to place them properly in line.
THE PRESIDENTIAL RECEPTION PARTY
1t was but a few minutes after II O'Clock
when Prof. John Philip Sousa tapped warning
on the music stand before him, and an instant
later the corridors and rooms were filed with
a burst of the never wornout air of Hail to the
Chief" 1t sounded just well as ever, and
had moved on but a few measures when Presi-
dent Harrison, with Mrs Mckee on his arm,
came down the stairway and entered the blue
parlor. Following immediately behind
members of the reception party-vlce
President and Mss. Morton, Secretary
Blaine and Mrs. Elkins, Secretary Window and
Miss Window, Attorney General Miller and
Mrs. Miller, Postmaster General and Mrs Wan
retary Noble and Mrs. Noble, Secretary Rusk
and Mrs. Rusk, Secretary Proctor and Mrs
Carey and Mrs. John A. Logan.
The party at once took up its position in
front of the following ladies, who we're invited
to be present in the blue room: Mrs. Logan,
Hal Mo
Hiscock, Mrs. Platt, Mrs. Pugh, Mrs. Quay,
Mrs. Cockrell, Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Carlisle, Mrs
Burrows, Mrs. Springer, Mrs. Lodge, Mrs. But
terworth, the Misses Blaine and guests, Miss
Wanamaker and guests, the Misses Halstead,
the Misses Window, the Misses Ernst, Mrs.
Glover, Miss Miller, Miss Rusk, Mrs. Harlan,
Mrs. Drum, Mrs. Ernst Mrs. J. V. L. Findlay,
Baltimore; Mrs. r. NJ. G. Brown, Mrs. VIM. L.
Harris, Miss Maude Gouverneur, Miss Anna
Wilson, Mrs. s. B. Elkins, Mrs. Chas. Emory
Smith, Philadelphia; Miss Shepard New York;
Miss Grace Davis, Miss Halford and guest, Mrs
Wilmerding, Miss Tracy, Mrs. and Miss Rams
dell, Mrs. Carey, Miss Proctor.
The presence of the Vice Presidents wife,
was something OF novelty. for at the sixteen
New Year receptions last past there has been
no such lady. The last Vice Presidents wife
who stood in line was Mrs. Schuyler Colfax.
THE PRESENTATIONS.
Col. Ernst of the army ana Lieut. Parker of
the navy acted as masters of ceremonies, the
former making the presentations to the Presi-
dent Except in case of special presentatjons).
and the latter repeating the introductions to
Mrs. Mckee, who occupied the place next to
the President. The other ladies assisting were
ranged next in order follows: Mrs. Morton,
Mrs. Window, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. wanamaker,
Mrs. Tracy, Mrs. Noble, and Mrs. Rusk.
THE LADIES COSTUMES.
Mrs. Mckee wore handsome princesse gown
of white armure silk, en- traine, with the front
draped in embroidered mouseline de sole, elbow
sleeves with high puffed top; corsage cut square
and edged with embroidered mouseline de sole
and fiat puff the drapery was caught at side with
rhine stone brooch, gold chain with portrait
pendant set in diamonds and she held a bou-
quet of La France roses.
Mrs. Morton, who stood second in line wore
a trained dress of pearl gray satin. court train
of satin lined with pink faille; body V-shaped;
back heart-shaped, in from: edged with
pink silk gauze and black Jet
and steel passementerie; elbow sleeves
of satin edged with pink and trimmed with jet
and steel crescents. The front Of body and
x,..~