Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1890-02-13

A RECEPTION FROM THE OUTSIDE
rangement, comparing unr,easanily with
the method of Mr.. and Mrs. Hayes, who sent
the guests upstairs to unwrap themselves in
the private rooms of the house.
There seemed to be a very little blockage
of arriving carriages on Tuesday, but this
was abnndantly offset by the confusion Of
carriages departing. To begin at the end, let
me say that from IL o'clock to 1 pandemon-
ium reigned around the tempted porto CO.
chere. Ladies scrabbled together their wraps
and went and waited to the front door where
the brass band was footing and where EOlus
was playing all sorts of rheumatic marches
and pneumonian nocturnes, and their heroic
escorts rushed out upon the broad stone plat
form and called for the carriages they had
come in, indicating them by their numbers.
Then the numerous policeman raved up and
down in a very frenzied manner. crying
aloud for "16," "25," 1891" "744," So"
and endless numbers between, and other re
tainers summoned other numbers as if their
hearts would break, hunting for their quarry
up and down the crescent, and now and then.
at distressing intervals, response would
come, and the escort, the ladies' and the We
hicle would somehow get together. The ex-
posure near the door was terrible. How
many consumptions had solid corner-stones
laid, how many inAuenzas, how many grips
newly gripped, who shall say? doubt il
it is extravagant to estimate that each Pres
ident's reception costs one life.
This delay of exit could be quite prevented
by the adoption of the methods which pre-
walls at the great line balls" of New York
city. Under this rule all private carriages
are prohibited from coming to the door at
the close of the ball, but people making their
exit are compelled to take the carriage that
happens to be at the door. prices which may
be charged being governed by law.
Shortly after passing the cloak rooms where
hats, overcoats, bonnets, and cloaks were de-
posted, found myself in the tide of an in
creasing crush" and in proximity to unde-
niably distinguished people all in the fullest
OF full dress Officers of the two branches
militant were in uniform and wore side arms,
giving splendid tone of decoration and Of
fetal festivity to the scene, and many civil
ians, mostly of the diplomatic corps. were
bedecked with ribbons emblazoned with her
aldic devices-the orders of knighthood be-
slowed by grateful sovereigns. Ladies were
costumed in every fabric of every cut and
fantastic fold. from tawdry to elegant from
bizarre to commonplace, from the pretty
dress of this decade to the severely simple
directOire.
The file leader was DR.. Willis, Assistant
Secretary of Agriculture, and his quiet little
wife, and he was more or less stepping on
the heels of Speaker Reed. who lowered
above his surroundings like Pharos.
WELL" said the lady at my side. glanc-
ing inquisitively upwards, lit doesn't make
any difference whether he is bald or not; no
body will know it but those in the galleries"
At our lett Olive Logan was crowded
against the wall, awaiting release. She is
fat, fair and forty now, and her growing
deafness is rather intimidating to the many
who used to delight to converse with her.
Just behind was John Hay, once very much
at home in this crowded corridor as the sec
rotary of President Lincoln. Hay looks like
young fellow yet, and not a bit like the
veteran he is. He chats merrily with Gen.
eral Banks, who stands near and waits for
the surging tide to move again. General
Banks's hair and moustache are white as
snow, but there is not yet about either his
face or his form any Of that giving way and
collapse which generally characterizes old
age. His form is straight as a wild Indian,
AD eye u DIlSut, HIS Htdu cIcSt, dIiu us vOlCo
when he speaks is clear and full Of conf
denoe.
OF few feet further are DR.. W. A. Ham,
mond, with his young and handsome wife
leaning on his arm. They sre very stately
couple. but admirably proportioned and
comely to the eye. He is emblazoned with
the uniform of a brigadier general, by virtue
Of his rar,- as retired surgeon general Of
q ~ nf vii
street nave spoken before in these letters.
Just before the column (about ten wide)
had moved forward far enough to enable
me to get into the red room encountered
Secretary Wiiidom-the dean of the cabinet
by virtue of seniority. He was sauntering
down the corridor. greeting his friends. and
as he is by this time one of the half dozen
bes4 known men in Washington. they arc
numerous. asked him why he wasn't In
the blue room helping the President receive.
with laugh. '.That's sor the President and
lie ladies. I am the fifth wheel of the -
ministra,ion coach in there" Miss Window
was on his arm, evidently enjoying the free
dom of the corridor more than that sumptu
Gus prison known as behind the line"
Twenty-Five years ago Mr.. Window was the
handsomest man in the House. A few gay
hairs have come since then, and eorvine
footsteps have assembled about the eyes, and
he has acquired comfortable physical proper
tions, corresponding quite with his plump
Office and his rotund fame; but he u still
easily enough the finest looking man In the
cabinet.
In the blue room all was gay. An limo
walton has crept in. Nobody but the Preei
dent shakes hands, the ladies down the line
profiefing their hands only to particular
friends It seems odd to old stagers here,
but am not sure but it is a sensible change
Why should these ladies, tired enough with
their manifold duties and with the necessity
Of sanding all the evening in heated roomA
Be shaken and wrestled with by Thousands
Of horny-handed admirers whom they may
never zee againf
II need not be denied that Mrs. Geveland's
supreme beauty and grace were missed IN |
H. ceEulsan par3or; but there can b noHeal |
lnek a. ether cpme3inns OF suavity whflb
~ 1Efnefiye women = Nm Morton, Ma |
I11e1r M nie4 ms) 49,