Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-12-27

presidents left, and the annual parade
begins with the presentation Of Sir
Julian Pauncefote, Mrs. Pauncefote
Miss Pauncefote, Miss Sibyl Pauncefote
and Miss Audrey Pauncefote Sir Ju-
Ian, as the dean OF the corps diploma
tiQue, leads the ambassadors, ministers,
and attaches Of the legation. He is In
brilliant scarlet and gold uniform,
wearing sword which threatens to
trip him up at intervals In his progress
down the line The other diplomats,
IS rule, are in uniforms more or less
gaudy, and the Chinese minister and
his suit are in parti-colored silk robes.
When the diplomats have passed.
Mrs. Cleveland will remove her right
glove, so tfet she may shake hands
with the American citizens, official and
unofficial, who will follow them. Mr..
Olney will retire and Col John NJ. Will
son will take his place at the presi-
dents left TO make the introductions.
A junior army officer will stand beside
Mrs. Cleveland TO introduce the guests
TO her.
THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE.
First will come the members OF the
supreme court OF the United States and
the district judiciary, led by Chief JUS
tice Fuller, then the members Of the
Senate and House, officials of the dis
trict government, minor officials of the
departments, and then the army and
navy officers. Attending the New
Years reception is a duty with these
officers, and they come In full uniform,
adding brilliant touch of color TO the
scene. After them will come the Mex
lean veterans and other organizations,
recognized by name in the orders for
the day, down 10 the Oldest Inhabi-
tants' Association.
Finally the doors will be thrown
open to the public, and the long line
of patient men and women which has
stood outside the White House grounds
all morning will begin TO move. IL is
about II; 80 usually when the public ID
admitted, and at o'clock the reception
ends. Last year Mr.. and Mrs. Cleve-!
land shook hands with about 5000
people.
The White House reception on New
Years day is a great event for the To-
cal papers. II affords an opportunity
for descriptive talent and for the re-
hearsal Of decorations and costumes at
almost interminable length. Usually
some of the best men and women work
ing on the local papers are assigned TO
the duty of writing about the reception,
and since calling and receiving on the
first Of the year have become 80 infre-
queut outside official circles the papers
of the first day Of the year always de-
vote the major part OF their news space
TO the great White House event
A few years ago the White House recep-
ton was no less important a news event.
but the newspapers did not have so many
reporters at their command. and only one
man was assigned TO the White House
This man was always a good space writer,
who could fin two or three columns with
descriptive matter leaving like space TO
be occupied by the official programme, the
names of the people in the receiving party
and other matters which could be supplied
in advance A certain evening paper ona
year assigned a man who shall be known
as Mac to write tho descriptive story be-
cause of his experience in handling similar
stories in other years and because OF hiS
ability as a descriptive writer. In those
days and even now. for all l know-Mao
was know as an expert poker player and
one much interested In card combinations,
such as full houses" "straights. flush
es." etc on the morning Of the LIST OF
January some other correspondents OF dali
~ newspapers at the capital. having no po-
litical dispatches to write prepared for
little game OF draw" Mac was invited
in advance TO join the party. He hated to
let the opportunity slip. 1t involved. L
believe even the matter OF revenge for
past losses to the same crowd. So after
deliberation he sat down IN his room, and.
with an official programme of the White
House reception before him, wrote in adj
vance a very elaborate description OF the
event. He had seen so many receptions al
the White House that he could write about
one Just as we'll in his Office as In the east
parlor.
The description OF the reception was
written, divided into half a dozen parta
so as TO appear as though It was a running
account and placed in numbered envelopes.
Then an order was left with the messenger
company for boy to call every half hour
at the room where the poker game was to
be played, and Mac threw himself heart
and soul into the spirit OF the play.
At the hour when the Presidents recep-
ton was about TO open reporter Of tho
evening paper, passing the White House.
saw a great commotion and noticed that
people were hurrying away instead of go
INK into the reception. He inquired Of one
Of the officers on duty at the gates and
learned that member Of the diplomatic
corps had dropped dead at the beginning
Of the reception and that the President and
the members OF the receiving party had re-
tired Immediately and ordered the White
House closed. The reporter went 20 the
mansion and looked about for Mac. who
he knew was assigned 10 write the story OF
the reception. Mac was not in sight. and
no one had seen him. So the reporter gath
cred hastily what facts he could obtain
and hurried down 10 the office Of the pa
per with them. Two or three men wero
sent out to hunt up other facts. and a
story was put together hastily for publi-
cation IN a special edition Meantime MOTH
ing had been heard from Mac. Presently
a messenger boy came into the local room
OF the paper breathless. From the White
House" he said as he threw down an en-
velope addressed IN Macs wel-known
hand. The city editor tore II open. To
! his amazement. instead Of story Of the
death in the diplomatic corps. he found
a carefully worded description OF tho re-
ceptlon as 1t might have looked al that
time but for the calamity which had I'm
| terfered with il. He put the envelope aside
and waited: half an hour later another
breathIess messenger and another INSTALL
ment OF the story OF the reception as II
might have been; thirty minutes later
moro copy from Mac In three hours I g
reception had been brought 10 n triu +
nhnrt cinen NTH the usual HANDWRITING