The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-03

Dolly arc said 10 have been dreams
Of delight, There Yves no kind pi forms
atty whatever, and, from higheit 20
lowest, everybody was received with
ehsrnipg grace twas while Madison
occupied the executive mansion that
the British invaded Washington and
burned the white house, Madison then
rented the famous Qctagon house, Just
east OF the executive mansion, and here
for nearly two years the most brilliant
receptions ever held in Washington
were gwen by Dolly Madison, II was
IN this old house that the treaty ot
Client was signed, The quaint old
structure, built Of brick brought from
England, still stands, ito dismantled
rooms echoing with the ghostly voices
and phantom foot steps OF the gay
crowds that once filled them with
lapghterapd light Tangled vines cover
the queer windows which have so often
framed Dolly Madlsoh'a sweet face, and
the dust Of more than halt q century
lies thick upon the old fashioned fFes'
Goes,
When Mr., Monroe entered the white
house in 1877 it was only partially re-
stored and was not even comfortably
furnished, Congress ordered Consul
Lee, then residing in Paris, 70 purchase
a silver service Tor the use OF the presl-
dent, This silver was used constantly
until 1860, when a more modern set
took It's place, There was also ordered
from Paris an elegant suit OF furniture
for the East room, The furniture was
patterned after that in the palace Of
Louis XVI, and each piece was sur,
mounted by the royal crown In gold.
This was removed, however, and an
eagle substituted before the furniture
was sent on from France.
There Ia but one piece Of furniture In
the executive mansion which has come
down from the first President, and that
ia tho central ornament which Ia used,
ontle BANQUET table on state occasions,
1t Is . long mirror lake, with beautiful
gilt bronze open,work railing embel-
lishel with exqulsitsly fashioned tg-
ures, and was purchased in France at q,
cost Of 81, 400 which seems to have been
considered q scandalously large sum to
squander on such work OF art, II was
PuI u;atss. w otg ITn;taS stata. S md
was first used by himon the occasion, oftt
q grand state banquet at the execpt i've
mansion In Philadelphia In 1901, II Is
now more that century since the ele'
CANT ornament was first placed upon
Washington's table, but not one jot OF
Its beauty has faded,
During Monroe'stime the white house
was consilered the most cheerless place
In Washington, little better than Y
barn. as some foreign visitors STYLED
IL Y Va -, Iot Z 80 I SO =, r,,o,,,yina1 "a
that year advocated the sale Of the ex.
ecgtlye mansion to the Smithsonian In
stitute organization ana salu;
Letthe RESIDENCE Of the president be ttSq'ttsEs;
req % more mSassE SnsIon a MN s va
old ever have % long tolerated. to see and hear
Of tue palace tthepFesldent"
G. MRS. MoNRoE's RECEPTION.
Mrs. Monroe was a woman OF frail
Iii ~ LA ,,;ra,a hrt.1,,tIo a.
HeaAVu' aHu 0Vu.e tps.S wv 4''''e -
society, but the tortnlgntly leeYes were
kept up. Cooper says OF these receptions;
No invitation was necessary, It being The
1917 ~, Sh,SS,,
oGfs fortnight during the Toas9
Hctaowledss my sur surprise al lie respectable air
and deportment q the assemblago. The
Syealag ~ GS S9 1s' c cSISs
collection oFall CLASSES Of people who choose to
80 TO INC trouble aug Sxpsnse Of ores suitable
70 "a Ordinary evening parsy; an . hoy sate
tlat even utess " ugn , lor saW taere
good many wearing po9I Ing !eI ,aa Were
al pE93Ps nIs5ss ~ de 4 "St n,. Vs snI
ia6orIRg Glasses would ind little pleasure IN
such scene, and the infamous; iiknown. would
n9t % hgR ~ rsaSe
and not rioaS Offenders rarely presume toyloIstc
the public feelings by invading society,
II was New Years day, 1889, that
Mrs. Abram Van Buren,, the lovely
bride Of the son and private secretryot
the president, was introduced to Wash
ington society as the mistress OF the
white house. She is described as hay:
ing been "aladyof rare accomplish
ments, very modest, yet perfectly easy
in her manners and vivacious in con-
yersation. She was universally i'd