Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-02
FLOWERS GALORE.
The White House Made to Look Like a
Tropical Forest.
PRETTY LITTLE MRS. YANG-Yu.
The wife of the Chinese Minister
the Cynoxurc of All Eyes at the
Presidential Reception-Her Re-
marISablc Attire.

markablc Attire.
WASHINGTON, ID. c.. January line
White House Is roomy, but its large
capacity was taxed to the utmost to-
day by the crowds that passed In ana
ont of what may be termed the state
apartments, the Blue Room. where the
foreign ambassadors and ministers nave
their first formal interviews with the
President; the Red Room. and Green
Room. and the spacious East Room the
scene of so many incidents ulat nave
become historical. and the generously
proportioned corridor, extending nearly
the entire length OF the mansion with
which all these apartments commune
cate.
A force of decorators, under the direc-
ton OF Gardener Feister. the veteran
superintendent of the White-House con-
servatory and grounds, had worked hafd
last night and early this morning III
making the mansion look beautiiul lor
the great show OF the New Year. Inc
conseryatories had been robbed OF their
choicest possessions, but TO such an eh-
tent that those whose observation extend
ed TO their tropical precincts were not
impressed by any sense Of depletion.
Wherever the eye wandered in the
Blue Poom, corridor. East Room. or
other chambers. 1t was Giet by groups
of spreading palms, and tail' oroopihs'
rubber trees. and by Towering bushes,
from the deepest of crimson poinsettia
blooms TO the most delicate Of white
rosebuds. Mantels, fireplaces. and win
dow embrasures were banked with floral
beauties. The chandeliers were almost
hidden in wreaths of green smilax. Ferns
waved their delicate branches from all
hooks and corners. while stately ana
graceful specimens of screw-pine stood
alone in alcoves, the most impressive in
their solitude.
RECEPTION-ROOM
To the oval-shaped Blue Room had
been given the preference of blooming
plants asd cut-iowers, whose perfume
hung heavily on the air. The west man
tel, brilliant in color. with its profuson
OF red roses, red camellias, and red
poinsettias. standing i'm marked contrast
to the decora tons OF the east mantel,
which was all i'm white roses and white
camellias. From the chandelier was sus-
pended a large basket of roses. hanging
above the heads of the receiving-Darty.
while smilax was entwined with the
jingling crystals and draped in chains
above the door-ways Banked on the
mantels and i'm the one great window
were palms dozen feet in height, and
azalia and ponsettia plants.
The East Room, where most OF the
guests assembled after they had paid
their respects to the President. Mrs.
fr1avaian1 nd OF ko - h.
ceiving party. looked like a tropical
forest Palms. ranging in size from the
tallest domestic variety to the diminutive
kind so frequently seen IN window gar
dens. were the principal decoration OF the
east window. and these were surrounded
by red poinsettia, or Christmas flower
and great variety of foliage plants.
Every fireplace and window had It's pro-
fusion OF these varieties, and the prevail
Ing chandelier decoration OF smilax
wreaths was also noticeable.
Flowering plants were everywhere in
the Green Room, while in each corner
was a tail rubber tree. The decoration
or the Red Room was much in keeping
with that In the other apartments. ex-
cept that one mantcl was entirely in
pink besonias
In anticipation of the large crowd. and
in order 10 give il free movement,
few screw-pine trees and some plants
banked on pedestals, were the only dis
plays in the corridor.
RECEPTION.
The reception was set for If o'clock.
and iust at that time the members OF
the receiving party comprising the Presi-
dent and Mrs Cleveland. and the Cabi-
net officers and their wives. came down
the private staircase leading to the
corridor. headed by Colonel John NJ.
Wilson, United States army, Superlntend-
ent of Public Buildings and Grounds, in
full uniform.
The only absentee from the Cabinet
party was Mrs Smith. wife OF Secretary
Hoke smith, of the Interior Department.
Reaching the Blue Room, the President
and Mrs. Cleveland placed themselves at
the right of the line, and the others
were ranged In accordance with official
precedence.
The march from the private apartments
above-etairs had been accompanied by
music from the United States Marine
Band, under Professor Fanciulli, which
was stationed i'm the public lobby.
The ladies of the families OF members
of the Cabinet in the receiving line, were
Mrs. Olney. Mrs. Carlisle. Mrs. Harmon.
Mrs. Lamont, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Herbert,
and Miss Morton.
A numerous array Of matrons and young
ladies' had been invited by Mrs. Cleve-
land to "stand behind the line as the
term t.. They comprised the wives and
daughters of Senators, Representatives
Justices of the Federal Supreme Court
assistant secretaries OF Executive de-
partments, bureau officers high officers
OF the army and navy. and other promi-
nent official friends OF Mrs clevelands,
not directly connected with official life
THE DIPLOMATS
According TO the custom, the men,
bers Of the diplomatic corps were first re-
ceived and they came in force, headed
by their dean, Sir Julian Pauncefote
the tall and hearty-iooiing British Am
bassador, attired in his court uniform,
who shook hands warmly and exchanged
smiles with the President, as though
there had never been such thing as a
venezuelan note" or message to Con-
gress on the Monroe doctrine.
Mrs. Clegeland's gown was OF lavender
and white striped satin, trimmed with
point-lace, and high in the neck, as were
all the gowns of the members OF the re-
ceving party.
1t was matter of particular note that
nearly all the members OF the diplomatic
body were accompanied by the ladies OF
their families, II they had any, or by
the ladies of somebody else's family, il
they had not.
And il 80 happened that one of these
women attracted more attention from the
spectators than any male members OF
the foreign contingent, despite their red,