Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-01-26
THE STATE DINNER.

night by the President and Mrs. Cleve-
land in honor Of the diplomatic corps
marked an epoch in such entertain
ments. The decorations were more
elaborate than upon any previous oc-
casion, with the single notable e1cep-
ton of the Presidents marriage day,
but arrangements for seating guests
were something so entirely out of the
usual line as to render the dinner, on
that account, a most notable one. For
the first time on record, the state dining
room was not used. The brilliantly ap-
pareled diplomats and the guests asked
10 meet them were seated undgr an
avenue of palms, and dined in the inner
corridor, down which heretofore all
guests at state dinners have walked TO
greet the President before the an
uouncement was made for the dinner
in the state dining room. The effect of
the pal-lined corridor, with the long
table running the entire length, with
its gorgeous settings, the wall frstoon-
ed with smilax aud brilliant flood of
light pouring down from every direc-
ton, was gorgeous beyond description.
To this effect was added the magnifi-
cence Of the court costumes and the
unrivaled display of flashing jewels and
gay sashes on the ambassadors and min
listers plenipoteniiary.
la the East Room the President and
Mrs. Cleveland received their guests in
surroundings that had the effect of a
vast bower of green, To the usual
elaborate massing of palms in the win
dow, recesses and corners, and banking
of the mantels with scarlet and white
blossoms, the entire ceiling was fes-
tooned with garlands of ropes and smi-
lax. These radiated from the three
crystal chandeliers, and extended to
every portion of the ceiling, clustering
in garland effects about the circular
electric lights The pillars were twin
ed with smilaX, and the spaces above
each doorway were filled in with a
splendid array of small palms and
foliage plants. As the setting of the
table in the corridor, instead of in the
State dining-room, necessi,ated diff
ferent arrangement Of the manner OF
entrance of the guests at the dinner,
the business portion of the White
House was utilized in solution of the
difficulty, and elaborately decorated.
The diplomats, after entering, were
shown at once to the elevator, and, af-
ter laying aside their wraps in one OF
the private rooms on the second floor,
passed down the length OF the corridor
to the doorway leading to the official
portion of the mansion, and so
down the public stairway, which
was lined with ferns and tall,
growing plants. The window re,
cess at the foot of the stairway was
entirely filled in with palms, about
the base of which were foliage plants.
The upper corridor was also lined with
palms.
The dinner was further remarkable,
from the fact that never before has so
large number of guests been enter
tanned at one time in the White House.
The immensely long table was set for
sixty-siX guests, three sitting at each
end. The President occupied his usual
place on the north side of the table, i'm
mediately facing the Blue Room, direct
ly in front of which was the place at
which Mrs. Cleveland presided. In
the Blue Room the decorations were
entirely in green and white.
The seating of the Chinese and jap
anese ministers at the table was mat
ter in which general interest was felt,
as all society is aware that the social
relations Of the two dignitaries are de-
cidedly strained at present. According
ly, at the expenditure of considerable
gray matter on the part of those in
charge, it was finally settled to have
the Chinese minister on one side of the
table, and opposite, at safe distance
was seated the minister from Japan.
Mrs. Cleveland wore gown of white
velvet mingled with silver. In her
hair she wore double string of soil
taires.