The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-02
CLEVELAND PLAYS THE HOST.
Usual NEW YEARS RECEPTION
HELD AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

fuseIy Decorated With Flowers.
The President and the Receiving
Party Appear at II O'Clock 10 the
strains of Hail TO the Chief-The
Diplomatic corps and All the Other
Public FuuctiOnaries Present in
Full Force.
Washington. Jan. 1.-The annual New
Years reception at the white house took
place to-day according 10 a long estao-
lished custom. 1t constitutes the yearly
ordeal of the President and the mistress
of the white house, for they must shake
hands with several thousand OF their fell
low citizens and large number Of dis
tinguished foreigners. They bore their
part heroically. however, and looked as
fresh at the ending as they did at the be-
ginning.
AS on last New Years day, the crowd
that participated in and witnessed the re-
ception was very large. It was the last
function of its sort in which Mr.. and Mrs
Cleveland will figure as the principal
characters and this may have been respon-
sible in part for the throng that paraded
the corridors and apartments during the
time set apart for the reception. The in-
terror of the mansion had been laFlshly
decorated for the occasion.
A suggestion of the tropics was given by
a survey of the decorative arrangements.
In the dainty oval-shaped blue room the
official chamber of the white house, with
its deHcately tapestried walls, the arts
tic effect was well carried out IL was
in this apartment that the President. Nrs.
Cleveland and the receiving party stood.
Soft-hued globes tempered the CLEANS Of
electric light that filled the room. The
TWO mantels were banked in solid masses
of cut fiowers-roses of many varieties,
and the rarest OF other blooms that the
Conservatives OF the mansion could give.
Both mirrors were draped in smiaX, while
the scintillatng pendants of the central
chandelier were pTofusely entwined with
the delicate creepcr. In each Of the three
windows was a stately palm-one an ereca,
and the others of the Seaforthia variety
while smaller palms were banked around
them. together with azaleas and ferns. In
the hreplaces were ferns galore and the
decorati ton was completed by fringes Of
ivy leaves around the doors and cornices.
The red room held protusion
OF tall rubber plants and palms.
Jardinleres of greenish tinge holding grow
ing plants comported well with the perma-
nent hangings Of the green room. In the
broad corridor leading from the east room
past the reception chambers to the private
staircase at the western end few rubber
trees and palms sufficed for decorative
purposes as all the space that could be OBJ
tanned there was necessary TO accommo-
date the constantly moving throng.
Those who paid their respects to the
President and Mrs. Cleveland passed out
of the receiving chamber into the green
room and thence into the spacious east
room. the scene of 50 many historical oc-
currences. Six hundred people is the ordi-
nary capacity of this compartment To-
day Il was filled TO an uncomfortable de-
gree with foreign ENJOYS. officers of the
army and navy. high judicial function
aries. senators, representatives, and many
civilians. with a large number Of ladies'
They were not so crowded, however, as to
be unable to see and appreciate the floral
beauty displayed.
As in every other part Of the interior the
east room had its chandeliers and cor
nices twined with smilax. Trailing aspara-
gus also formed a graceful drapery. The
white jardinieres on all the mantels held
Chinese primroses. rubber plants and Gin
erias. Date and cOcoanut palms spread their
foliage high over the heads of the
promenading guests. The broad and high
east window was a mass of pomsetta
palms, and grouped about the bottom Of
these were ferns a plenty. The mirrors,
the embrasu res and the fire places were
all suitably arranged
Eleven o'clock was the hour set for the
beginning Of the reception. Before that
time members Of the diplomatic corps, am
bassadOrs. ministers, attaches and their
wives and daughters, had begun to arrive
and were ushered into the red room, where
they awaited the signal to pass along the
line Out in the public lobby the United
States marine band, under the leadership
of Prof. Fanciulli, awaited the signal TO
play. Suddenly Prof. Fanciuli waved his
baton and the various instruments burst
forth into the well-known air of Hail to
the Chief"
Down the private staircase came the
President, Mrs. Cleveland. the members of
the cabinet and their ladies' led by Col.
John NJ. Wilson. L. $. A, superintendent
of public buildings and grounds, and mas
ter of ceremonies.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland, Vice President
and Mrs. Stevenson, Secretary and Mrs.
Olney, Secretary and Mrs Carlisle, Attor-
ney General and Mrs. Harmon. Postmas-
ter General and Mrs. Wilson, Secretary
and Miss Herbert, Secretary and Mrs. La
mont, Secretary and Miss Morton and
Secretary and Mrs. Francis, an imposing
procession, passed along the corridor 10
the blue room and took their places, the
President and Mrs. Cleveland at one end,
with Secretary Olney and Col. Wilson at
their right, and the ladies forming a line
across the apartment. The cabinet Off
GERS modestly dropped to the rear and en-
tered into conversation with the ladies
designated behind the line"
The ladies behind the line WERE Mrs.
Elkins, wife of Senator Elkins; Mrs.
Gear, wife of Senator Gear; Mrs. Gordon,
wife of Senator Gordon; Mrs. Hale, wife
of Senator Hale; Mrs Lodge wife of Sem
ator Lodge; Mrs. Reed. wife of Speaker
Reed; Mrs. Franklin Bartlett, of New
York Mrs. Cowen, Mrs Draper, Mrs. Har-
rison, Mrs. Mccormick, Miss Simspklns,
Miss Turner, Mrs. Wadsworth Mrs.
Washington Mrs. Claude NJ. johnson,
Mrs Thurber. wife of Private Secretary
Thurber; Mrs. Dunlap the Misses Ham
lin. Mrs Conrad, wife of the solicitor gen.
eral; Mrs. Dickinson, Mrs. Eckels wife
of the controller of the currency; Mrs
Harriet Lale Johnston a former lady Of
the white house; Mrs. Fuller, wife of
Chief Justice Fuller; Mrs. Rufus w. Peck
ham, Jr., Mrs. Craig, Miss Harmon, AirN
Jinot Mrs a. A. Wilson, Mrs. Ralph
Cross Johnson, Miss Mcmillan, Miss Wat
Ter, Miss Brce, Miss Gray, Mrs. Mott
wife of the chief justice of the court or
claims: Miss Mary L. Kennedy,
Mrs Clarence Cary Mrs. Baldwin,
Miss Elizabeth Curtis, Mrs. Doe. Mrs.