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

pore OF the senate makes the mtroouc-
tions of tile senators, and the speaker IN
Produces the members Of the house. but
there are always stragglers, and The mem
hers Of the house pop up singly and in
pairs a intervals all through the re-
mainder Of the reception time.
Then come the army and navy officers.
Gen. Miles leading the one corps and the
senior admiral the other. And the odor
of moth balls follows in their trail Sec
rotary Lamont VIII Introduce the officers
OF he army, and Secretary Herbert VIII
perform a Ike duty for the officers OF the
navy. Many of these viii go behind the
receiving line, for the potency of brass
buttons is no less in Washington City
than in the veriest American village.
Now comes the department officials and
the superintendent Of public buildings
Col. John NJ. Wilson. takes his place at
the presidents right, while younger army
officer, a lieutenant. stands between the
president and Mrs. Cleveland TO repeat the
presentations. There is no recognized or
der Of precedence among these department
people. Assistant secretaries and second
assistant secretaries are all jumbied to-
gether and OF equal Importance. Then fol-
low the Associated Veterans of the District
OF Columbia and other local organizations,
and finally the Oldest Inhabitants Assoc
citation appropriately closes the column of
recognized guests. The doors of the re-
oeption room are closed for little while.
and the president and his assistants take
a much-needed rest.
In the East Parior.
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
~ n
inston City knows from one years end to
another. Tho crowd in this room and in
the adjoining hallway IS thiCkest after the
army and navy officers have gone through.
\ little later it 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
prettest part of the spectacle has van
ished.
And the disinteerat! ton IS not alone in
the east parlor. The receiving party he
gins 10 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 ana TIE secretary of the navy. Tor
Hi"iiitrit sN'-dl law requires tnat the OIL
GERS OF the army shall call on the secretary
OF war and the officers Of the navy on the
secretary Of the navy So most of the re-
ceiVing party withdraws before the public
is admitted This time the withdrawal
WIZ bee stmpIaed by an improvlsed door
way which has been cut from the blue
parlor into the red paror.
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 i'm Install
meuts al the discretion Of the officer in
charge of the gate The attendants keep
u moving rapidly through the hallway
into the Ted rarlor and the bIue parlor
and on 10 the east pari0r. where il he
wishes. the visitor may linccr FOR time
But few II those Who come in the public
line care for more than Climuso N the
reception rooms and "a quick grasp OF the
presidents hand
IL is lzSd when tho lire is started The
doors II the mansion are % he closed az /
O'Clock ON the last reception given dur
INK the first administration 81 Mr.. C'ave-
lana IL was necessary 70 omen the doors
after the usual hour TO take in several
hur sired people who were n the end of the
lne on tn8t occasion the president shook
hands with 5.Hh people The usual num-
her is about H50. and as most of the new
'auer-ssmfn are Republicans this winter
and Mr. Clsve.aod's party friends are not
strong 30 Washington Cifv. IL is alto
setee~ NAe!v thar the coming retention
V.l rtt equal the record breaker % his
former trm.
GEORGE GRANTIAAG Balm.