Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-17
SOCIETY IN SUMNER.
Extensive improvements Being Made at
the White House.


the White House.
When Mrs. Cleveland Returns - Where
washingtonians Are suamerins.
The White House is getting its annual over
hauling and cleaning up, and. as usual, il is
only getting what it badly needs Outside Of
the mansion the work 10 confined to painting
the south portico. The porch is covered with
scaffolding, and on the swinging ladders the
painters look like big black flies Is they en-
velop the pillars with . new, clean coat Of
white.
Inside the mansion there are more painters.
both upstairs and down stairs. When the
President and Mrs. Cleveland take possession
again the mansion upstairs win have taken on
quite another look ALI the woodwork In the
living rooms 10 receiving . touching mp. In
some OF the rooms the scheme Of decorstion
has been entirely changed and presents an en-
tirely different appearance.
President and Mrs. Cleveland's sleeping
room will be in the future the chamber on the
north side Of the house, . favorise room with
them before, and the same room used by Presi-
the corner was used before by Mrs Cleveland
es her boudoir, and has again been arranged
for the same purpose These two rooms were
the nursery during the last administration, and
we're entirely dismantled after the sickness Of
little Esrthena Harrison. Both are now deco
rated according to Mrs. Cevelsnd's taste, and it
goes without saying that when they are in use
next winter they will be very elegant and com
Portable. Instead Of the pale blues and pinks
that predominated in its coloring before il is
now decked in warmer tints and more brilliant
colors very suitable for winter use. The Presi-
dents bed chamber is now a red room. The
wall paper has q light ground strewn over with
great bouquets OF red flowers. The carpets and
the hangings when in place next season viii be
In harmony.
Mrs. Cleveland's boudoir is the very reverse
OF all this. 1t il in a light shade OF blue and
carpets. hangings and all the accessories are in
this and other dainty shades.
The rooms on the south side Of the mansion
are dedicated TO the use Of Baby Ruth and
visitors. Baby Ruth has the Prince Of Wales
room. which WAS used by President Harrison
as his bed room for the last year he was in the
White House. All these rooms are being re-
painted and a little change here and there made
In them suitable for the needs Of their expected
occupants.
On the pa,lor aoor the basis Of operations IL
the red room 1t IL being prepared for en-
tirely new decoration, from hoor TO ceiling
Today all the crimson wall paper is being
scraped OF And electric light men are sinking
the wires in the walls for the new fixtures. The
artist who 10 to decorate the ceiling and friexe
is beginning to put on the ground color.
This room will continue to be Q red room Not
the dull, esthetio red that wss thought the acme
Of good taste twelve years ago when the room
was decorated before, but . much brighter
crimson, which will help to make the apart
ment lighter on dark winter days. OF the plans
submitted to Mrs Cleveland she chose the enc
that everybody will be admiring when the room
10 again open to the public.
There are so many large pictures in the room
that the walls will be only plainly covered with
the red paper that will serve rs q rich back
ground for them. The ceiling viii be q study
in reds plentifully hecked over with gilt. All
the old woodwork has been taken out and ma
hogany holdings will be substituted to match
the very fine mantelpiece, which has been the
most elegant thing ever in the room A por-
trait Of President Cleveland and President Ar
thur will always hang in this room.
As usual too, at this season Of the year there
is considerable patching up going on in the
conservatories.
The public stairway at the east side of the
mansion never looked shRbbier than il ha,
lately. The army that passed over il since last
March had left indeibie marks. The staircas<
has been painted and vanished and begins Il
make q very much better appearance.
Mr. B. n. Warner and family left the city
| today for Bedford Springs.
Col Wilson has an intimate personal acquaint
ance with every piece Of timber and every
nook and corner Of the White House. Under
his superintendence nothing will be overlooked
| and when the President gets back in two OF
| three weeks he wilbfnd q good many changes
and all In the right direction The work in
the red room will take the longest Of any, bu
| will be finished before Mrs Cleveland return,
| in September. For the next year. then. tho
White House will be rid Of workmen, and tn.
President and Mrs. Cleveland will find IL mucl
more suitable for habitation than Ii was befor,
| while they lived there.
II Col. Wilson'S idea prevails Of removing
the Offices from the building altogether thre'
more large rooms can be arranged % sleepins
rooms besides the end Of the hall and still leav,
| the President the cabinet room q privat
| Office. II Ii understood that the President ans
Mrs. Cleveland favor the change unless Con
| gress should come to the rescue and make ~
appropriation to enlarge the house.
| Instead Of going to Blue Berry Lodgs. Sorrento
Me-. Secretary and Mrs. Lamont came here o,
Saturday night and had quiet Sunday at thu
Arlington. Scarcely any Of their friends knew
they were in town At all Mrs. Lamont return
/ to New York today.
| Mrs. Logan has returned from Deer Park
much benefited by her stay there.
Mrs. Charles F. Ford and daughter Of Capt.
toll Hill are spending the summer at St George
Island, Md.
Mrs Benedict. formerly Miss Jeanuette Hal
| ford, left here this morning for Plymouth
| Mass, where she will spend the summer.
| Mrs. s. I. Crews, accompanied by Mrs. W
r. Bushby and daughter, has gone to Brook
| side for the summer.
"A very pretty wedding took place on Wed
nesday last at the residence Of the father OF tn
groom, Mr.. VIM. NJ. Palmer, in St Mary
county, Nd. the contracting parties being Mr.
| VIM. J. Palmer Of St. Mary's and Miss BlAnch
| Smith Of this city. After short stay Of
couple Of days the bridal couple returned Il
their new home, No. 712 9Th street northeast
where they win be pleased on Thursdays from
| 8 to 10 IN. to see their friends.
Miss Nellie B. Smith Of Capitol Hill ID viii
her sister, Mrs. Jos. ". Graham, in Brooklyn
She will visit her brother. Radford s. Smith, q
Tompkinsville, n. Y, after which she will visi
other relatives in Saugstuck, Westport ans
Bridgeport, Conn, returning home about Sep
| TENDER l.
Miss Anna l. Dorsey is summering at Prout'
Neck, coast OF Maine.
Mr. and Mrs Howard F. johnson and Va,
Rensselaer, johnson left the city today, TO b
gone six weeks at the seashore and mountains
Miss Matte Morgan Of 1924 / street north
west is at Asbury Park with Mrs Stewart.
The following from Washington, d. C., sr
visiting the worlds fair and stopping at Hote
Windermere: Col. aud MIRA W. H. Owen. J.
Barrette, E. ]. Warner, z. ]. Warner, IT,, Mis-
Warner, Miss Dyer, Miss n K Draney, Mis-
Bessie Draney.
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