Telegram-herald., 1891-01-08
GAY WASHINGTON
4 Glowing Account Of the Psesl-
dental Reception.
the lysriL VIlTE loUSE PAGEANT
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Gay ThreaS ~ Diptsnsks


WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.--oae hundred
years ago Thursday, the irss New
Years Presidential reception uas held.
George Washington. the FIRST American
president, inaugurated the Custom,
which had been brought 70 the Island
of Manhattan By our Dutch anocstors-
The presidential reception Of that year
Was held In New York. The first
White House reception occurred dur
ing the administration OF John Adams.
1t was = very stitf and formal affair,
and while the president WAS receiving
his guests, his wife. Abigail. had her
clothes drying IN the famous East
room, and the visitors were restricted
To promenading about the corridors.
We have changed all this now, and in
this year OF grace, 1891. not even Baby
McKee's pocket handkerchief is al
lowed to be OF exhibition in the East
room while the reception is in progress.
President Harrison and the weather
Gods are evidently not on good terms.
Everyone remembers the frighsful
storm in which he Was inaugurAted,
and how people stood in front of the
Capitol catching pneumonia, while
they listened to his inaugural. The
weather year ago, was not quite so
deadly, but 1t was bad enough to keep
a great many persons indoors. Thurs
day morning rain fell with a vigor,
turning the remnants Of the snow into
slush, and making locomotlon decided
ly unpleasant. As might have been
expe cted the reception was only
spars lily attended, and at no time
were the rooms of the White House
uncomfortably crowded. II was Har-
rlson's luck that about the close of the
reception the weather cleared and the
rain stopped falling, but the mist hung
over everything and took the starch
out of fresh toiletsand SNOWY uniforms.
But IL 1t was wet and disagreeable
outside, the scene within the walls OF
the White House only served to make
the contrast more vivid. Once year.
for q few hours, Washington takes on
all the blaze and splendor of court,
and the glitter of scarlet and gold,
blue and silver, jewelled orders and
diamonds of priceless value on the
necks and bosoms of some Of the most
beautiful women In the country, makes
the White House resemble one of the
palaces of the old world when courtlers
crook the knee to royalty, and feel
more than repaid for all their trouble
by being able TO imprint , kiss on the
fat, thick, and generally red hand of
the wielder of the scepter.
Washington, when he held his first
reception, was attlred in way which
would have made President Harrison
pale INTO utter insignificance. The i'm
mortal George exhibited himself TO the
gaze of the admlring throng in all the
splendor of black velvet knee 5reeches,
silk stockings, which came from France.
and an immense powdered wig on his
head. He held q cooked hat Ia his
hand. The guests, when they we're all
assembled. were formed In circle,
| and he made tour of the room and
bowed to each one. When the circuit
had been completed, the visitors ap-
preached him, and bowed and retired.
There was no music and no flowers,
| ard the whole affair was too painfully
stiff and dign,fed for the average man
to think he was having q good time.
The cooked hat and the knee breeches
| have gone, the etiquette Of the
eighteenth century has persisted with
that of the men who created 1t, and In
| its place has come more generous and
| picturesque hospitality. Knee breeches,
cooked hats and powdered wigs were
undoubtedly picturesque in their way,
but no one will deny that the White
House looked great deal more like q
picture than it ever did in the days of
the Republic.
1t was punctually IL o'clock when
the strains OF the Marine Band pealed
| forth "Hail to the Chief" and the in.
itiated knew that the Presidential party
was about to descend the west staircase
| to take position In the blue room.
| While the Presidential party has been
taking lis position In the blue room the
representatives of royalty and republics
have been assembling in the red room.
Divested of their outer trappings they
stand forth in all the glory which un-
limited quantities of gold lace, jeweled
| orders, clanking swords and rich uni.
forms can shed on them. Many Of the
diplomats are accompanied by their
wives, some of them, like their hus
bands, the possessors of jewelled orders
and who wear fortunes in the diamonds
and other precious stones IN their ear.
and around their white throats. Baron
Fava, the Italian Minister, q fine look
ing man, as the dean of the corps, led
the processiolD, aud behind him came
Mr.. Romero, the Mexican Minister, the
next oldest In point OF service at thi,
Capital. After him followed the othcl
ambassadors according to seniority
The Coreans with their quaint looking
brd-cage hats, creased the sensation
they always do at public gatherings
aud the naval and military attaches ol
effete monarchles. who in matter OF
dress are even more splendid 10 gaze
upon than Is our own General Sherman
IN full uniform, were the objects Of
much fervent bat suodued admiration
on the parts of come of the buds who's.
experience of gold lace IL soinewna
limited. Some of the diplomats wen
no further than the blue room and witt
their wives passed behind the line 20 y
tolvstch the show from this position o
advantage, but majority OF then
wcnded their way 20 the east room
where poiyg0t conversation was car
RED on at a lively rate. Ii vas qusia
10 watch the big. dlgnifed and sristo
cratic SIR Julian Pauncefote trying q
make himself agreeable to . min ativl