The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-01-11
THE CABINET DINNERS.
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this time no luncheons were served at the White
House until the time of President Hayes, and
now no refreshments served at an ordinary
White House reception.
PRESIDENT HAYEs's FAMOUS LUNCHEON.
President Hayes has been called mpecunious,
but the fact is that he was perhaps the most
generous President who ever occupied the White
House Both himself and his wife gave many
dinners, and, though he saved the eleven thou
sand dollars which Thomas jefferson spent on
wines during his administration, he spent more
than this in other ways. His famous luncheon
was held in February, 1884, and 1t was given in
honor Of the Diplomatic Corps. More than
seven thousand persons were present by actual
count, and forty-iive hundred partook of the re-
freshments. The terrapn used filled two large
wine barrels. 1t took four hundred chickens to
make the salads, and there were great tanks of
lemonade and one hundred and fifty gallons of
coffee. The sandwiches required fifteen hun
dred loaves OF bread, and one hundred and fifty
hams were cut up for the meat which went into
them. There were one thousand quarts of Ice
cream, which formed only part of the dessert
furnished, and there were bushels of cake and
great store boxes of candy. Fifty waters were
required to serve the guests, aud it took ten
dish-washers to scrub the platters, SO that twen-
ty-fve hundred clean plates were constantly on
hand for the guests. This luncheon cost six
thousand dollars. The guests were invited by
card, but q number of the congressman invited
outsiders on their own hook to go with them,
and the affair was one of the most mixed that
has ever taken place in the White House.
HOW OUR PRESIDENTS ARE IMPOSED UPON.
1t is not possible for any but the invited guests
to go to state dinner now, but the invited re-
ceptions always contain many outsiders. In
Van Buren's day 1t Is said that persons came to
the White House and said that they would vote
against him at the election il they were not
given good breakfast, and Van Buren's cook
said that he bad the greatest trouble in satisfy
ing them. Van Buren, entertained right royalty.
He gave his dinners in the French style and his
COOK was Frenchman. Jefferson had French
cook, but John Tyler's servants were all brought
from his Virginia plantation. Jefferson's din
ners began at and lasted until midnight.
Some of his dinners were held in the East Room,
and he found 1t hard to get enough money to
pay his market bills. Washington entertained
very well. His cook was a r egro, named Uncle
Harkless, or Uncle Hercules, who strutted out
of the Presidential kitchen under cooked hat
clothed in knee-breeches and a blue cloth Goa,
and rufiied shirt, every afternoon, and took
promenade carrying his gold-headed cane.
Washington paid him two hundred dollars
year. Washington's steward was man named
Fraunces, who liked good living, and with
whom Washington continually quareled about
the marketing. One time he bought shad in
February, and as Washington saw it coming
into the dining-room he was charmed and asked:
'What fish is that ?''
"It is shad,' replied the steward, "a very
fine shad. 1t was the only one in the market
and bought 1t for YOU"
"But what did you pay for it?" said Wash
ington sternly.
'It is very fine shad,n continued the stew
| ard, "and it Is cooked to turn
'But want to know the price-the price ~
sit cost three dollars,'' stammered out
Fraunces
ttTaka n ,wav >, cold Wasb;nrtor q, no
raised his hand. "Take it away. It shall never
| be said that set such an example of luxury
and extravaganza" And with that he drove
the steward out of the room, and the shad was
| eaten in the servants kitchen.
| Washington's state dinners were very sober
! affairs. His guests looked upon him as a little
| god. They laughed at his jokes and did not
frown when WI he played on the table with his
| fork. The first state dinner was given by Wash
ington in May, 1879, in honor of the arrival of
| Mrs. Washington in New York, and state din
ners have been given regularly from that time
| to this.
HOW STATE DINNERS ARE ARRANGED.
1t is no small matter to get up a state din
ner. There will be four given this season, and
it may be that others will follow later on.
| Every year the President dimes the Cabinet, the
Supreme Judges, the Diplomatic Corps, and
the Army and Navy, and he usually gives a
number of dinners to the leading Senators and
| Representatives and their wives. Fifty-four is
the largest number of guests that can be we'll
seated at the state dining table, and invitations
| are usually sent out for some number between
thirty and fifty. These invitations are engraved
! on fine, heavy cards, about six inches long by
five inches wide, and they state that the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Harrison request the pleasure
| of the company of Mr.. and Mrs Blank at din
ner ON blank date at blank O'clock This card
| bears the coat-of-arms of the Presidential Man
| sion. 1t is put in fine envelope and is carried
| by messenger. Private Secretary Halford aids
in the arranging of these invitations, and he has
| something to say as to the seating of the
guests The President usually sits in the centre
of one side of the table, with the ladies whom
he likes to honor on his right and left, and his
wife sits opposite between other honored guests.
Invitations to state dinners are usually sent out
a week in advance, and they must be accepted
or declined within three days. The usual hour
for state dinner is p. NJ. The guests are ex-
pected to come little before this time, and
after they have laid off their wraps they go to
the East Room, where Mr.. and Mrs.
Harrison await them. AS soon as they
| enter the room usher hands the
| gentleman a small envelope containing a card
and bearing the name of the ladyh will escort.
| On the diagram the number of the seats he and
his lady will occupy are marked, and he looks
| at this diagram soon as he has been received
by the President and then joins the lady whom
he is to take into dinner. All the guests at a
state dinner appear In evening dress The
President leads the way to the state dining
room, and Mrs. Harrison, escorted by the prin-
cipal gentleman, closes the line. State dinners
! last about three hours, and at the close of this