The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-01-09
"HAPPY NEW YEAR"
The Reception at the White House-The Dec
orations Very Pretty.
The White House Reception.


The new year opened bright and clear
with more snap and crispness in
| the air than during all holiday
week. The day is more generally
observed here than in most cities, and while
the custom of keeping an open house is
falling into desuetude with the more fash
ionable social set society observes the GUS
tom, and in many homes parties were made
up to receive all callers. These receptions,
however, do not begin until the afternoon,
and the event Of the morning and early at
ternoon was the president reception at the
white house. The executive mansion was
made especially attractive for the occasion
The floral decorations were tasteful but not
elaborate
Festoons of smilax were everywhere in
elaborate profusion-from friezes of walls,
from gas and electric light fixtures and in
window embraZureS In the state dining
room ported palms were placed. In the red
room row of Chinese primroses stood on
the mantelpiece flanked and backed by
green plants. Palms We're clustered before
the fireplace and in the corners OF The room.
The blue room, in which the president and
receiving party Stood showed the brightest
flower effects Daylight was wholly shut
out OF this ROOM and the great chandelier,
with its glittering crystal pendants, was
all ablaze. Before the window to the south
ward were dropped palms and plants, gorge
Gus scarlet leaves of the Christmas plants
being the conspicuous feature. ON the man
primroses again. The shelf on the other
side of the room was bank of bright flow
ers, roses lilacs carnations, tulips and
white hyacinths. The east room decorations
We're confined to green's with few Chinese
primroses peeping flc4t the recesses hers
and there.
She Wanted Her Money.
Just before the reception began and while
carriages of members of the diplomatic
CORPS were arriving at the entrance to the
old n
a scene. The president, she said, owed her
a bill and she wanted the money right
away. She would take possession of The
white house and stay there until Alr. CleVe-
land opened his purse.
1t was case OF no pay, no go. The state
ment of the fact that today was a legal
holiday in the District of Columbia, and
that no debt could be legally collected until
tomorrow had effect on the old woman,
but physical force and some strong moral
suasion induced her to so to the police sta
ton.
The receiving party stood in the blue
room, an oval-shaped apartment tastefully
and elegantly decorated. A few minutes af-
ter II o'clock while the members of the di-
plomatic corps were arranging themselves
for saying Happy New Year" the marine
band, stationed in the public lobby struck
up the usual Hail to the Chief" The peo-
pie who crowded the big. wide hallway
which separates the public from the private
part of the mansion, knew what that meant
and all eyes turned to an old-fashioned
quaint-loolling staircase at the end of the
corridor.
The Receiving Party.
In minute there was a fiutter Of wo-
mems skirts seen in the turn OF the stair
case and whispered here they come"
announced the appearance of the receiving
party. Colonel John NJ. Wilson and Cap
tain Pitcher, of the army. both fne-looking
men, headed the lire. They We're in full
uniform. Immediately behind them came
the president with Mrs Cleveland on his
arm. The vice president and Mrs Steven
son followed and then came the cabinet of
ficers and their wives with Secretary and
Mrs. Gresham leading.
In the blue room there was bevy of ma
irons and yong girls to whom the honor
of standing behind the line had been ac-
corded. The president Mrs. Cleveland, Mrs.
Stevenson and the ladies of the families OF
the members of the cabinet formed them
selves in from door to door Of the blue
room and the reception began.
The First Lady of the Land.
Mrs. Cleveland never looked better than
in the reception gown of vivid magent
MORE with bodice of Irish point lace fin
iShed with an artistic mass of chiffon at the
front of the bodice The skirt was entirely
without trimming; she wore her hair part
ed in front and drawn back at each side
into a simple knot at the back of her head
which was fastened by a gold comb; no
flowers were carried. Mrs. Hoke Smith wore
gray silk with bodice and sleeves of
sBangled sunset velvet
AT 1876 o'clock the reception to the gen.
eral public began and continued until 2
o'clock D. The crowd was so large that
when the doors were closed there was a
long line of persons standing in front of the
white house who had been unable to gain
admission
Mrs. Stevenson and the ladies of the
cabinet generally held receptions at their
homes during the afternoon, at which greet
ings were exchanged with many callers.
Mrs. SteVenson's parlOrs at the Normandie
We're prettily decorated with palms and
flowers Those assisting her included Mrs.
Crisp, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Cullom, EIrs.
Palmer, Mrs. Lindsay, Mrs. Springer Mrs.
Funk Mrs. Judge Weldon, Mrs. John c.
Black, Mrs. Frank y. Nrooman Mrs.
George Vending, Mrs. Winston, Miss Carr,
of Durham, N. c., the Misses Scott and
Stevenson.