The Washington times., 1902-01-12

The American maids and matrons, col
lectively and individually. were obliv
ious even to their own gowns as they
watched on the outer side of the Golden
Gate or at the Blue Room door while
the diplomats went bowing and smiling
down the line.
The Iooker-on who views the success
sion of White House pageants from the
Golden Gate feels surer at each recep-
tion that what some American men and
women need. and need very badly, is a
course at a school Of social diplomacy,
where they would learn how to greet the
President and ladies' on the line.
There being. unfortunately, no seminary
of that sort. the next best thing would be
to watch the members of the Diplomatic
Corps and try to initiate their sallantry
and grace.
Each foreign disnitary and the ladies
Of his household. after they have shaken
hands with the President, make a deep
bow to Mrs. Roosevelt and each of the
ladies in line.
This gracious observance is followed
pretty generally by our men and women
of official and social prominence, but at
every reception, not even excepting the
stately function of last Tuesday, there
are people in the rank and file of local
society who plunge into the Blue Room
rs if their only idea on earth was to get
out again.
They begin comfortably enough, thanks
TO Colonel Bingham's gracious introduc-
tion and the Presidents hearty response.
When they come to Mrs. Roosevelt they
know perfectly well that they are expect
ed to bow and pass on. but something
prompts them to extend a hand When
1t is ignored with a cordial smile they get
red and Mustered, and step on the train
of the woman ahead. After that they
fairly bolt by the line of Cabinet ladies
without a glance, much less a bow; and
as one very rich out-of-town woman put
it the other night after she had reached
the East Room, she would rather take
whipping than go through it again.
Naturally, one wonders why nervous
people should subject themselves to such
distressing ordeals-for the suffering that
comes from shyness is very real thing
but, as the out-of-town woman would
very likely have explained. she did it SO
that she could say she had been to
White House reception.
The guests who were at the White
HOUSE ou nlgnI nave
been saying all sorts of nice things about
the President because OF his thoughtful
ness in Transforming the East Room into
a banqueting hall instead of having the
table placed in the corridor as heretofore
There is no fault to be found with that
corridor; it is long and wide-for a hall
and its snowwhite walls and crimson vel
vet carpet make cheerful background
for the palms that form its usual decora-
ton. Considered as a dining room, how
ever, it has its faults; it is narrow. The
East Room IS so impressively large that
it shows OF the elaborate and alwayE ar
tistic decorations of the florist.
1t was an interesting sight for those
fortunate ones who could watch the ar
rival OF the diplomats and other distin-
guished guests.
As soon as they entered the portal the
ladies' were directed to a cloak room TO
the right, and the gentlemen were relieved
of their coats and hats in the vestibule
by alert attendants.
At one time the German French. and
Russian Ambassadors. and Mr.. Pioda. the