The morning times., 1895-12-15

he general, III conforming to the rules o
etiquette established by long usage. The
quality OF the conversation must depent
altogether upon the kind OF people who tax,
part. -----..-.. .i-.i---s-
1t is in the White House annals that one
Mike Walsh, once horrified Mrs. Franklii
! Pierce on State occa sion by confiden.
TALLY communicating to her the circum.
stances that attended his going n fishing
on Sunday" Also that n modern Congress
man once filled in.ih Q spaces between the
mouthfuls by telling his next neighbor. q
lady, of the exact articles OF diet his
palate most craved.
4 He was NOT at III inclined to French
dishes,' but he was fond OF pork and
beans. as well as ice cream and peaches"
On one occasion, at "a rare affair in the
| state dinner line, n novice in the etiquette
OF such august assemblages, passed up
his plate for IA little more of that you
brought me the last time, please He had
no objection to making the second de-
| mand, but for the lifeso him he couldn't
muster the courage TO undertake the pro-
| nunciation OF the uame.
He had heard it, and It might have
! meant chicken, for all he knew, but his
| ignorance of the French name was not
teXposed.
| This recalls that when an accomplished
| young American lady once had the honor
| W uiut VIII tfe tZdT bI fluSsld, ner lack
of instruction in the etiquette Of the royal
| occasion caused her Unreasonable moEtifi-
| cation. When the grapes were passed she
| topksan entire bunch, in the hearty Ameri-
can way, but the Others guests used the
| little gold knife to remove a single grape
| each. Had Russian damscl helped her
self at an American table to whole
chicken the error would have been the
same.
In no
offend none, 1T is necessary for a Presi-
dent, who observes the custom to give
quite a number OF these entertainments
during the Congressional presence in town.
The dinners cost from three hundred to
fifteen hundred dollars, according To the
quality of the guests, and the expense is
draft upon the Presidents private
purse. The average amount disbursed is
probably S100.
Those Invited include members OF both
Houses OF Congress, the Cabinet Officers,
the diplomatic corps and occasional dis
tinguished visitors from abroad.
The state dining-room at the White
House is handsomely appointed apart
ment and inviting at all times, but when
rerurnished, as ii is at intervals, as well
as repapered and freshly painted and
adorned by the artistic touch of the deco
rator, 1t presents an. appearance that may
at the ends, extends through the middle
of the Room, and at this board thirty-six
may be seated, and yet leave room for
the servants to perform their duties sat
isfactorily.
As once described by feminine guest,
New mirrors and chandeliers have been
put In, but the upholstering. carpets and
papering seem TO have descended from
regime OF a quarter of a century ago.
THE exquisite taste Of Martha Patterson
is seen on the daintily tinted walls, the
figures of the carpet so nicely adjusted to
the size OF the room, the dark green satin
damask at the windows, and the quaint
chairs, under her supervision arranged to
match.
"A clock. as ancient as tie days of Madi-
son, adorns one OF the marble mantels,
while hydra-headed candlesticks. gr:.n with
age, descended from nobody knows whose
brief reign, grace the other. With the ex-
ception OF pair of modern mahogany
sldeboards, the furniture seems to have
belonged to the era of Washington or JEFF
ferson, IL is so sad and somber."
The White House was modelled after the
palace of The Duke of Leicester, and the
State diDing-room more than any other
part OF the building, is suggcs tive of a
baroDiaI hall.
There are many plans in embryo in
reference to the future White House, one |
OF which Is to convert the present one |
into an exclusively Ex ccutive depart-
ment for the use of the President and
the construction OF another building to be
set aside as the house OF his family.
Should this be done, or whether or not, !
the Presidents mansion. small and made
quate as 1t Is, VIII probably, ere long. !