Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-02
MRS. CLEVELAND RECEIVES
Seven Thousand Visitors Of High and Low
Degree at the White HOUSE,
DECORATIONS ON A MOST LAVISH SCALE
DriiIinncy of the Principal Room EN-
cccds Anything Seen on similar
Occasions Bcforc--DIpIomntic
Corps Comes First.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 1.--seven thousand
persons shivered outside the white house to-
day for periods varying from one to six hours.
But patience had its reward in every case,
for the president and Mrs. Cleveland shook
hands with every one of them.
The closing New Years reception Of the
present administration vas the most brilliant
Of Mr.. Clevcland's eight years in office. and
old Arthur Simmons, the presidents famous
colored messenger, whose service In the
white house dates back thirty years shook
mis- head sagely as he viewed the far-reach-
ing crowd from an upper window and de-
clared it de greatest inception sence de
wah."
The cold. gray eky that threatened rain
served merely as a foil to the brilliant page
ant that moved for hours through the forest
OF trcpic plants that filled the softly lighted
parlors inside the executive mansion. The
diplomatic corps as usual. furnished the high
lights in the picture Foreign uniforms and
decorations OF every sort from the white ana
silver of the German military attaches to the
green and crimson silks Of the Chinese min
lister almost served to pale the Paris gowns
OF the receiving party and OF the ofhciai
guests behind the line. Only shade more
subdued were the uniforms OF the army and
navy, a study In blue and gold accentuatcd
by the yellow plumes of the cavalry ana the
scarlet !acngs OF the artillery. AS a back
ground for this display was set the dead
black of the evening dress OF the South
American diplomats, worn in accordance with
their own social law in such matters, and
the sober morning costumes OF the civil OIL
cials.
The center of the picture was Mrs Cleve-
land the most simply gOwned OF the receiv-
Ing party Her dress OF pale mauve had
high rouching OF smoke gray lace at the
= st-s.- fNfTtt uyttn n
butterfly bows OF the same on the shoulders
and on the plain, smooth hanging skirt. Her
hair was coiled high at The back and brought
In full waves from her forehead over her
temples. She was just slightly flushed by
the rapid exercise OF hanlshaliing, but smiled
as cheerfully and shook hands as vigorously
with the last of her 600 callers as she had
with the first.
DAY WAS RAW AND COLD.
New Years day broke raw and cloudy over
the national capital, but the weather was
not allowed to mar the success OF the great
annual reception given by the chief magistrate
at the executive mansion TO official and unof-.
fetal Washington. The white house reception
inaugurates the social festivities of the win
ter, and is in many respects the most i'm
pottant social function Of the year 1t Is an
occasion when the president, his cabinet and
their families formally exchange greetings
and joyous good words with the high dign-
tares of the government the diplomatic rep
resentatives of all the nations of the world,
the officers OF the army and of the navy.
The reception this year was a brilliant sue
cess. For three hours, from IL o'clock until
O'Clock in the afternoon, the reception con-
tinued. Long lines of carriages moved
slowly through the spacious grounds to the
portecochere where their occupants alighted
and made their way through the brilliant and
beautifully decorated paIloH to where the
receiving party stood in the blue parlor. In
the ante-room the full Marine band played
the following selections:
Overture--"Jubllee" .................. Weber
IntGrnational Congress .::..........:: .sousa
Columbia National Potpourrl.. Coates
Selection-'"Wizard of the Nile" Herbert
tuiiantIsl :, :''''''''''''''''' WaIdteu1el
March-"Centennial .Fanculli
The official program was carried out with
strict formality The diplomatic corps. the
judges of the supreme court, the senators and
representatives and the other digntarfes of
the government arrived in regular order, and
after passing through the parlors exchanged
New Years greetings with the receiving
party gathered in the east room. Here ap-
peared the full brilliancy of the occasion.
The elegantly gowned women. the members
of the diplomatic corps In full court cos
tune and the officers of the army and navy
In uniform moving through the throng made
a kaleidoscope picture OF color. The gen
eral public stood in line for hours outside
the white house gates until the officials had
all been received. Then for over an hour
they streamed In.
DECORATED WITH FLOWERS.
The decorations of the interior of the
white house were altogether floral. Indeed
little else than flowers could be added TO
the simple yet elegant, permanent adorn-
ments OF the receiving suite without sensi-
bly, detractlng from the effect of the whole.
These, however, were used In profuson and
at the same time with such fine taste and
20 correct an estimate Of the color values
OF the different apartments as to add vastly
to the appearance of the noble suite The
first of the apartments to be entered by the
callers upon passing through the lobby, the
red room, so called from the prevailing tone
OF the hangings and upholstery, was least
lavishly bedecked with flowers probably be-
cause II was intended only for waiting
room, but just adjoining 1t. the blue paror
famous in the history of receptions, was dec
GRATED with exquisite taste. Tall palms in
terspersed with azaleas foliage plants and
gigantic ferris hid from view the closely
drawn curtains which shut out the light OF
day from the rooms, solid banks OF the rar-
est flowers covered the mantels and beau
tiful and unique runner of ivy crept along
the frieze, along the cornlce and around the
doorways. Over all streamed the soft light