The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-31
TIE RyIr rEporc1 TIE WINDOW

THE EXIT THROUGH TIE WINDOW.
VIII perform uKe DUTY for the officers OF
the navy. Many Of these will go behind
the receiving line, for the potency of brass
buttons is no less in Washington than in
the veriest American village.
Now come the department. officials, and
the superintendent Of public buildings,
Colonel John NJ. Wilson, takes his place
at the presidents right. while younger
army officer, lieutenant, stands between
the president and Mrs. Cleveland to repeat
the presentations. There is no recognized
order of precedence among these depart
Inent people. Assistant secretaries and
second assistant secretaries are all jumbled
together and of equal Importance. Then
follow the Associated Veterans Of the Dis
trict of Columbia and other local organi-
cations, and finally the Oldest 1nhabit-
ants association appropriately closes the
column of recognized guests. The doors
of the reception room are closed for little
while, and the president and his assistants
take a much needed rest.
In the East Parlor.
In the east parlor the scene has been
brilliant and kaleidoscope. The mingling
of gaudy diplomats, brass buttoned officers
and gorgeously gowned women under the
electric light, with the palms and the flow
ers for background, makes one Of the
most brilliant scenes that official Wash
ington knows from one years end to an
other. The crowd in this room and in
the adjoining hallway Is thickest after the
army and navy officers have gone through.
A little later il begins to empty itself
through the window east Of the entrance,
which Is an improvised exit, and before
the public is admitted to the mansion the
prettiest part of the spectacle has van
ished.
And the disintegration Is not alone in
the east parlor. The receiving party be-
gins to thin out as soon as the official Wis
itors have been received. The wife of the
secretary of state must return 10 her home
to assist her husband in the entertainment
of the diplomats, who invariably breakfast
with him after the receptions. The other
cabinet women have receptions at their
own homes usually, and this is invariably
true of the representatives Of the secretary
of war and the secretary Of the navy, for
unwritten social law requires that the Off
GERS Of the army shall call on the secretary
of war and the officers Of the navy on the
secretary of the pavy. SO most Of the re-
ceiving party withdraws before the public
Is admitted This time the withdrawal
will be simplifed by an improvised door
way which has been cut from the blue
parlor into the red parlOr.
When the president is ready for the or
deal, the doors are opened, and the public
is admitted The long line without the
White House grounds comes In in install
ments at the discretion Of the officer In
charge of the gate. The attendants keep
it moving rapidly through the hallway
into the red parlor and the blue parlor
and on to the cast parlor, where, II he
wishes, the visitor may finger for time.
But few Of those who come in the public
line care for more than q glimpse q the
reception rooms and quick grasp Of tbe
presidents hand
Il l. 1890 when the line Is started The
doors Of the mansion are 90 be closed ., !
O'Clock On the last reception given dur
ing the frst administration 81 Mr.. ElsEe-
land Il was necessary 20 open the doors
after the usual hour 70 take in several
hundred people who were az the end Of the
line On that occasion she president shook
hands with Zoo people. TIE usual nam
te- l. about 8. 80 and as most q the Dew
congressman arc Republicans this winter
and Mr. Clevelaud's party frieras are not
strong IN Washington u IL altogether
likely that TIE coming reception viii Dos
equal the record b-eake- u his former
term OEoI>ss GEASEhAS BAL