The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-07
IAN / AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
mn PRESIDENTS USUAL NEW
YEARS RECEPTION.

,,1.s Who Attracted Attention.
s,e of the Conspicuous Gowns.
o+ber Matters of General Interest.
Washington, Jan. 6.-Since New Year
-..onfions in the White House have been
many times described, and their gen.
,r,l routine is always the same, 1 shall
write YOU of only the few new features
,bot characterized the inauguration of
.4,etaen hundred. Though official ETH
,,ette compels the President to give a
ao,tain number of splendid receptions
every winter, the dear public" are very
rarely admitted, and, therefore, whenever
onnortunity offers, the tribes go up en-
naese. This year the unusual cold
snan which is most severely felt in this
,nild-weather latitude, prevented excessive
crording. The double lines of waiting
men and women, which have often
stretched from the White House door
down the semi-circular driveway to the
gate. and thence several blocks along the
street. were this time Conspicuous by
their absence" The average citizen of
n. c.. who has seen it all before and
knows the whole thing by heart natural
Nv preferred to hug his own fire, rather
than brave the icy blast with the
thermometer sulking away down in the
neishborhood of zero. Therefore, the
stranger within the gates, to his great
enjoyment, had plenty of room, and it
happens that an unusual number of
strangers are here just now, the usual
crowd of brides and grooms school teach
81 hnin tod hNr
Cooks tour party of 800, from New York
Chicago and other cities. Everybody got
in when his turn came, without much
waiting in the snow-a delightful innova-
ton from some previous presidential re-
ceptions, when people have stood outside
two or three hours and then failed TO get
in. because time was up and the receiv-
ing party could endure no more. Time
has been, again and again, when Presi-
dent and his wife have been disabled for
DAYS in their rbght arm, after those
members have been continuously used as
pump-handles by an over-zeaious popu-
lace. and on more than one occasion a
too-popular first lady, has been obliged
10 have the glove cut from her swollen
hand after the ordeal was over. Mrs.
Cleveland suffered particularly in this re-
spect, and so did the ladies of the Grant
household.
This year the old mansion was not il
Illuminated with electricity, as on most
previous occasions, but the winter sun,
dazzngly reflected from the snow,
streamed in a t every window. There were
fewer floral decorations than usual, the
design being to show off the redecorated
parors to the best advantage without dis
tracing attention from their new glories
In white and gold and satin upholstering.
The Blue Parlor was especially lovely,
with no flowers but tall boquet of white
hyacinths and pink carnations in the hold
err on top of the central dvan, and an
other bunch of pink orchids on the man.
tel In the Red Parlor garlands of smiaX
hung from the chandeliers and draped the
mirrors, palms and poinsetta blooms fill
inc the deep windows.
The Green Parlor was frightened with
pink primroses, ranged in rows on the
mantepieces; and the great East Room
was hedged in the corners with rubber
plants and azalias. At the last minute
magnificent basket, filled with growing
American Beauty roses and white lilacs
was brought down stairs. It was New
Years gift to Mrs. Mckinley, from the
wife of Senator Mcmillan, and it was
given a prominent place in the Blue
Room
For three and half hours tides of hu
manity flowed through the corridors ana
eddied about the rooms of the historic
mansion. Everybody said, Il wish you
a happy New Year" People uttered that
sentence so often that it seemed to come
mechanically from their lips and tongues
and TO mean very little. 1t frequently
happened that two persons remarked the
same thing al the same time, so that
neither heard what the other said-but
that mattered not. Men in public life,
whose personal relations are known to be
far from harmonious, and social rivals
who slared at each others clothes WITH
anything but love in their eyes, repeated
automatically the polite phrase. Il wish
You a happy New Year." in voices cold
as the north winds that were scattering
snow about the White lot. But as in
most things. there was another side and
many CHEEKY voices gave the customary
salutation with evident heart-action. Con-
Uary 10 dismal predictions, Mrs. Mchlh-
ley, though Trailer than ever this winter,
was able 10 be present Promptly at Il
o'clock, the corps of buglers stationed IN
the corridor sounded a salute to the COM
mander-n-Chief of the army, and the
brilliant procession swept down the grand
staircase, the President almost carrying
his wife on his arm, while she leaned on
her cane on the other side, followed by
the members of the Cabinet their wives
and daughters. Mrs. Mckinley was SUI
perby gownedl in pale mauve brocade OF
silver gray tint, the bodice scintillating
with spangles. the front of the skirt open
to disclose a petticoat formed of deep
LOUNGES of rare point lace. She wore her
celebrated diamond necklace and beau
utul diamond ornament in her hair. In the
Blue Room she was seated, as usual, in
me big blue and gold chair beside her nus
hand, the ladies of the cabinet standing
ID line at her right. with Mrs. Hay, wife
OF the Secretary OF State, occupying the
post of honor at her side; while back or
me receiving party were the young la
oies of the cabinet and many other promi-
"ht persons.
Inose who attended the Presidents re-
cePuon twelve months ago noted with pain
now many then happy faces were missing
rom the line. First, the much-loved Vice
resident, always genial and smiling; Mrs.
hobart spendidly gowned and jeweled
'asl year, radiantly good humored and so
,dctlul that her always cordially extended
nand saved Mrs. Mckinley all trouble ana
embarrassment. Hers was the most i'm
posing figure in the social world of Wash
luston such a little while ago; and many
sympathetic thoughts sought the lonely
widow in the desoate home Mrs. AL