Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-15
WHITE HOUSE DINNERS.
They Are Elaborate and Expen-
sive State Affairs.
An Apocryphal Story About Mrs. Morton
and an Ignorant Guest - How n
Western Man Got Along
SwlmmIngly.
Especial Washington letter.

The state dinners whlch are given oy |
the president of the United States, at
the white house, are elaborate and
costly affairs. The president on such
occasions invites oil members of his |
cabinet, with their wives and daugh-
ters, to dire with him. The president
and his wife, with their guests, enter
the state diningroom at eight o'clock
in the evening, and they usually re-.
main at the table for an hour or more.
The time 10 occupied not alone in eat
ing, but ~ gossiping and nibbing at
the numerous dainties which ere
brought in by courses and removed
from time to time by quiet, expert, eN-
perienced walters. The great dining
room is decorated with flowers from
the white house conservatory, the ta-
BILE is adorned with floral designs, and
everything that wealth can procure for
adornment and pleasure is sklllfully
arranged by artistic fingers.
The president similarity entertains
the members of the diplomatic corps
in the state dining-room once every
year. These gentlemen are ambassa-
dors, envoys and ministers from all of
the nations of the world, and they me
accompanied by the ladies of their
families. These state dinners are so
named on account of their official
character; but affairs of state ore
never discussed on such occasions. 1t
would be bad form to talk shop" Mt
such distinguished social gathering.
From time to time the president also
gives state dinners to members of the
senate, members of the house, the su-
preme court, and the leading bureau
officials who rank next to the members
of his cabinet. He also gives public re-
ceptions to the army and navy officers,
and to citizens of the United States
who desire to pay theirrespectss 10 their
chief magistrate.
During the winter and spring until
the Lenten season begins there is
continual round of dinner parties given
In Washington by men and women
who are leaders in the social swim.
The vice president entertains the same
functionaries who are banqueted at the
white house. The senators, representa-
tives and justices of the supreme court
give elaborate dinners; and all of them
take place at night under the gas and
electric lights in the palaces of the
the patricians of Our republic. 1t
never costs less than $500 for the flow
ers which are used upon each occa-
sion, while, sometimes more than 81 900
has been expended solely for floral
decorations for one evening.
One evening when the wife of Vice
President Morton was giving a select
entertainment she was Mortified by the
action of one of her guests, who, though
n man of political prominence, was not
acquainted with the use of modern
doilies, which are intended for decora-
tion, and not for utility. She had
just imported set from Paris, and
each of them was hand painted in
water colors. On the evening in ques-
tion they were displayed for the first
time at dessert under the finger bowls.
Imagine the surprise of Mrs. Morton
at seeing her guest, so famous as Il leg
islator, and yet so ignorant of social
amenities, coolly dip his fingers deep
in the water and wipe them with the
greatest nonchalance upon one of her
precious new works of art on filmy
boiling cloth. The costly little dolly
was wreck, and the entire set was
spoiled; but Mrs. Morton was so polite
and well bred that she took her own