The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-29

there rain or shine. the patient people
gather a. az early hour ard form in sin
gle file 20 wait for the doors - b opened
These At the head u tire line hold their
places FOR an hour and half before they
achieve their ambition. and ] have seen
the line extend past the White House
grounds the fan width OF the treasury
building beyond. ard end al the junction
OF Fifteenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. Stra NICELY enough. Il IS composed n
great part o. the citizens of Washington
CITY though there Is a liberal sDrinkling
OF strangers 20 whom the reception AZ the
presidents mansioR Is 4 unique spectacle.
THE newspaper correspondents are early
arrivals ~ the mansion, and the red tape
Of ire occasion il brushed aside for them.
10 hour is set for them 10 be received ~
the president. and few Of them 20 through
.he empty Formally % shaking his hand.
bat any one Of hem VINO can Identify
himself a. a newspaper writer has access
freely 70 the White House grounds and %
any one Of the White House parl0Ts except
that which is reserved for the president
and the receiving parry So by the time
the whole Of the diplomatic corps IS as
sernhled there ia quite an army % the
correspondents gathered fl the long hall
When the Doors Are Opened
II the blue parlor IS a chatting mob.
mostly women az IN elaborate toilet No
ray OF daylight enters the reception rooms.
and the women Of the receiving party are
arraycd as for an evening reception.
line OF attendants stretches across the lob
By and the hallway to the door OF the red
parlor. Ia the lobby Prof FaHciulli and
his relocated men are assembled, ready
for the presidents coming. a late conner
hurries across the ban and joins the dlplo-
mats IN tire red parlor. where they wait
for TIE reception 90 bs gin. Some member
OF the receiving party delayed in the dress
ing room. comes down the stairs, and Is
admitted to the blue parlor by the captain
of the watch. VINO stands guard by the
brass gate AT attendant stands al the
foot Of the stairway. which Is at the west
end Of tho hall lie waves his hand 10
another attendant. who stands at the door.
The signal passes to Fanc!ulN. and with
crash the band strikes up the familiar ana
unImpressive strains Of Hail TO the
Chief" II any one Of the long line or
presidents OF the United States had had
any music IN MS whole soul, ] think he
would have Issued a proclamation against
the playing OF that air on Official occa-
SONS.
To ne crash OF brass and the sound n
aG.e and horn the president comes down
the stairway. II is customary for him 10
bring down the wife OF the vice president.
Mr. Cleveland has violated this custom ON
occasion ~ bringing down hls own wife,
aut fortunately the rule on this SUBJECT s
less s4gid than the rule Of precedence. fer
wbonsoever the president brings down
stairs his own Rlfe stands at his side when
h. takes his place in the blue parlor ON
tbs OCCASION. too. Mrs. Stevenson VII
PROBABLY not be present, as she Is IN MOURN
lrg FOR her daughter.
Behind the president and his wife are
she secretary Of state and his wife. and
tten the other members OF the cabinet Is
corting each others wives. The husbands
lose the order Of official precedence on ibis
occasion. oat their wives maintain II for
them. The wife Of the secretary OF state
must u,,soeda the wife of the secretary of
the treasury. and the sister OF the score
cary Of agriculture must bring up the rear.
or there would be a revolution. Amid the
buzzing comments OF the group gathered
in the hallway the president makes the