Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30


wife held the first New Year reception in
the White House. The stately ceremony
observed savored of court customs, be-
cause in their several years abroad both
Mr.. and Mrs. Adams had acquired many of
the mannersms of the court circles and
they were naturally aristocrats.
Mr.. LincOln's Receptions.
From january 1. 1901, to the present,
open house on New Year day has been the
rule at the White House and never broken,
except on rare occasions. During Presi-
dent Lincoln's administra ton there was not
much time to think of New Year. The
east room was crowded night and day with
anxious men and women who were far
from pleasure bent. Soldiers in blue uni
forms swelled the number, filling the cor
ridors and stairways and penetrating even
to the private portions of the mansion
With growing sorrow in his heart Presi-
dent Lincoln could not abide the cere-
monious forms. An hour or two of each
day he stood in the east room, shaking
hands with all who came. and as much as
possible avoided the gaslight receptions
He hated dress suit and kid gloves, and
ne wanted to spare the people the hollow
mockery of public receptions with attend
ing display while the nation was in mourn
ing.
During President Arthur's administration
the grand reception had just commenced.
The cabinet had been presented and the
Hawaiian minister dropped dead in the lit
tie reception room. The mansion doors were
closed at once, and a gala day ended in
gloom. Last year the shadow of a recent
sorrow hung over the heart of President
Harrison, and the doors OF the White House.
which never opened more freely to the pub
lie than during his administration, were
closed and the sun shone upon the Quietest
known.
When Mr.. Jefferson came into office he
was opposed to presidential receptions of
an KINDS. he seems to have been born for
the purpose OF upsetting established ethics
In all directions. Much of it was ascrihed
10 his desire for simplicity" but the mag
innocence with which he refurnished the
Mite House astonished everybody: and
tnougn ne rode horseback to his inaugural
ton, and in plainest of clothes IL was a
matter of pique. His splendid coach and
four, which Is described as riyalinr any,
lnlng royalty had ever displayed, failed to
reach MIN IN time for his inaugural as
ordered, and in a fit of pique he fitted his
clothes to his conveyance. Later he is de-
scrioed as wearing richly embroidered
eua Is SIX STOCKINGS, huge silver buckles
on MS shoes. giddy waistcoats, ruffied shirt
fronts and rare laces about his wrists The
statue OF him at the Capitol represents him
In this almost royal attire, and it must
have made a very handsome man of bin,
When MIR. Jefferson decided to do awav
with receptions he reckoned without the
women Washington was q city of onIv
5000 inhabitants at that time and the off,
cial receptions were the bright snots in on
otherwise dull existence When the Prssi-
dent closed his doors to the public and in
augurated an exclusive social system in
which the common herd had no part the
cabinet officials followed suit and n was
not to be endured for moment On the
day when the reception should have been
nsld the society women congregated at the
w ute House, and they were told that Mr.
JEFFERSON was out riding. They composedIv
thavY1S cd
w men he came soon after. he was Informed
Oh tne raid that had been made upon him
anu booted and spurred. with his clothing
spiashcd with mud, he entered the recen.
ton room and greeted his guests with all
the uroanity imaginable After that the re-
eeptions We're held at stated periods, as
nau oeen the former CUSTOM Mr.. Jeffer-
sons daughters or Mrs Madison or both
assisting him '-i
Inc presidential receptions during the
eliie ol Madison and the lovely Dolly are
S waa e, no nave ave been dreams of delight There
from highest to lowest each was received
win charming grace.
Cheerless Place.
During Monroes time the White House
was considered the most cbeerlass nlace
imaginable. 1t had been rebuilt after the
British burned the Madisons out Of IL and
was meageriy furnished. Monroe was given
tne munincent sum of $4,000 to refurnish
It, 1t would take more money than that to
buy carpets alone for the house as it now
stands But for that sum a suite of ele
CANT furniture was ordered for the east
room. 1t was purchased in Paris and was
patterned after that in the palace of Louis
XVI. with the eagle substituted for the eiIt
crown de also ordered a silver service,
which was used until 1869 Cooper saws of
a Monroe reception: II will Acknowledge
surprise at the respectable air and deport
the White House or drawing room. as II is
sometimes pleasantly called. is. in fact. a