The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-02
White House RECEPTION
New Year Congratulations Are Re-
ceiyed at the National Capital.
THE PRESIDENTS CALLERS
Diplomats from Every Nation Gather nt
the Executive Mansion and Pay
Their Respects TO President
and Mrs. Cleveland.

termed the state apartments. namely
the blue room where foreign ambassa-
dors and ministers have their first for
nal interviews with the president. the
red room, the green room and the spa
cious east room, the scene of so many
incidents that have become historical,
and lastly the generously proper
| toned corridor. extending near the en-
tire length of the mansion with which
all these apartments communicate.
Wherever the eye wandered in the
blue room, the corridor the east room.
or the other chambers 1t was met by
groups of spreading palms and tall.
drouping rubber trees, by towering rose
bushes from the deepest Of crimson
Ponsetta blooms, to the most delicate
of white rosebuds The mantels. the
lire places. the window embrasures
were banked with floral beauty. The
chandeliers We're almost hidden in
wreaths of green smilaX. Ferns waved
delicate branches from hooks and COR
ners while stately and graceful speci-
mems of the screw pine stood alone in
alcoves more impressive in their soil
tude.
The reception was set for IL O'Clock
| and just al that time the members of the
| receiving party comprising President
| and Mrs. Cleveland. Vice President
stevenson and the cabinet officers and
their wives came down the private
staircase leading TO the corridor. pre-
ceded Ivy Colonel John Nj. Wilson. L. $.
~, Superintendent of public buildings
and grounds, in full uniform.
When the Rand Played.
Entering the blue room, the president
and Mrs. Cleveland placed themselves
at the right of the line and the others
We're ranged in accorda nee with onicial
precedence. The march from the pri-
tate apartments above the stairs mad
been accompanied by music from the
United States marine band under Prof.
fancitulli, which was stationed in the
public lobby. The cabinet ladies in the
| receiving line We're Mrs. Olney. Mrs.
Carlisle, Mrs. Harmon, Mrs Lamont,
| Mrs. Wilson, Miss Herbert and MISS
Morton.
According to custom. the members of
the diplomatic corps We're first received
and they came in force. headed by their
dean Sir Julian Pauncefote. the tall
and heavily looking British ambassa-
dor, attifed in his court uniform. who
shook hands firmly and exchanged
smiles with the president, as though
! there had never been such q thing as
! "a Venezuelan note or message to
congress on the Monroe. doctrine.
Mhs. Cieve!and's gown was lavender
and white striped satin trimmed with
point lace and high neck as were all the
gowns OF the members OF the receiving
party.
| And Mrs. Yung Yu Smiled.
| 1t was matter of singular note that
nearly all the members of the diplo-
| matte body were accompanied by the
ladies' of their families, if they had any,
or by the ladies of somebody else's
family If they had not. And it so hap
pened that one of these women attract
| ed more attention from the spectators
than any Of the male members of the
| foreign contingent, despite their red
| and blue. yellow and white coats and
braid and side arms. She smiled sweet
| ly on Mrs. Cleveland and then went
smiling and bowling down the line, and
continued to smile during her progress
| to the east room, apparently wholly
| unconscious of the great interest she
created. She was Mrs. Yung Yu. the
| wife of the Chinese minister who found
| herself the cynosure of all eyes. Where
ever she went her progress vas greeted
with whispers of Isn't she pretty
What beautiful silk" What an odd
| head dress"
All the diplomatic officers and the
| ladies accompanying them left the
|
der to partake of the annual diplo-
matte breakfast at Secretary Olneys
Dignity in Line.
Plain black frock coats and black
| coats of other cut, succeeded the
Kaleidoscope array of diplomatic at
tire The chief justice and associate
justices of the United States. supreme
court headed the Democratic contin-
gent. Chief Justice Fuller, accom-
panied by Miss Fuller; the broad
| shouldered Justice Harlan. the gigantic
| Justice Gray, the venerable Justice
Field leaning on the arm of his wife for
| support Justices Brewer White.
Brown and Shiras. The justices of the
United States court of appeals for the
District of Columbia. headed by Chief
Justice Alvey and other district Judges,
assistant secretaries in the government
departments, and host of senators
and representatives. many of whom had
wives and daughters with them.
Interstate commissioners. directors
of various public institutions. the COM
| niasioners of the District of Columbia.
Bureau officers of the executive depart
ments. and many others holding official
nositions filed back in endless array.
The yellow Sash Appears.
Then came the army officers. Major
General Miles heading line of his sub
ordinates making his first official So
cial appearance as the major general
commanding the army, gorgeous In
yellow sash and all the appurfenances
of the commanding generaIs costume.
Then came the navy-bluff and cOurtly
old sailors and spruce young lieuten-
ants and ensigns, all walking with ma
val swing.
A host of other civilian officials fol-
lowed the naval officials and then fol-
lowed the associated veterans of the
war of 1916, carrying the battle flags
members of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, the Loyal legion. the Union
Veteran legion and the Oldest inhabit-
ants association of the district of Col
umbia.
The prOmiscuOus Shake.
Between 1880 and 1 o'clock the public
reception to citizens began. All the
morning those who fell within this
category had been assembling outside
the white house until at the time stated
they numbered many hundreds and
stretched in long line, two deep,
down the driveway to one Of the main
gates and out into Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. Several of the cabinet ladies' and
a large number of those behind the
line had left the white house by this
time to attend receptions of their own
but the president and Mrs. Cleveland
stuck bravely to their fatiguing task
and had a handshake and a smile fol
all who came. At 2 o'clock the doors
were closed and the annual official re.
ception was over.
|