The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-13
v Years Reception
at the G)hite House.

Denver me from a White house re-
eeption! Never again Let that be one
OF the New Years resolutions
Brilliant? Certainly. Spectacular?
Quite. Fine music? Gorgeous gowns?
INTERESTING people? Not a doubt of it.
See the president? OF course. And shake
his hand? We have had the honor; and
ne even said he was very glad to see
us; but as he had said that already 1 ass
times, we were a bit skepticaI Anyway.
we didn't think his warmth justified an
immediate request for a job in the dip
tomato service. We saw the president
ana Mrs President, and the haggard row
OF martyrs lined up at her right. Poor
creatures! They had stcod there already
Two mortal hours, just watching that
endless single file Of strangers. Many
OF them should have been home knitting
stockings or stun ebring the sleep of the
matronly or middle-aged.
But 1t is not only the receiving party
that suffers. Imagine standing in line.
outdoors, under the inhospitable heavens
Oh clustering January night, clad as
for ball room, for a long. shiverina .,
hour. Hatless, with bare arms low neci5
corsage, light lace skirts, with perhaps
a pretty but comfortless wrap about You.
waiting and croWding, the cold creenine.
INTO your very bones and the chiIIs rat
Ting your teeth! And what's the use of
having carriage and two footmen? You
get no quicker action. You just sit and
sit, and ask Jeems if the line is net
gong to- move pretty soon and inquire
whether the president will stop receiy-
ing at 1880, or wait until all have gone
by.
Ihe man with the fog horn voice bawIs
out numbers, and a few people escape.
Inc line moves one notch, and then the
waiting continues. After a while the
carriage crowd gets tired, leaves the We
hcIes and joins the throng on the side
walk Old ladies lose their tempers and
Jab you with their elbows, husbands be-
gin fuSsing at their wives, the young
people grow solemn and disappointed, and
there is very bad atmosphere all down
the line.
But even a glacier will arrive. 1t is
only question of time. And by the
time you have met the enemy in the
narrow doorway some of the cold is
gone, and with it, perhaps, a yard or
TWO OF old point lace, q family heirloom,
or some of the gold braid off your uni
FORM But you ara in. You are sure of
It, You are at the junction of two
streams Of humanity, trying to flow
across one another at grade. One stream
is heading for the wrap racks, Just i'll
sight; the other is three deep, going at
right angles, or trying to enter room
which proves to be one Of a long sue
cession of rooms leading to the one
where the president and that pitiful party
of receiving ladies is standing.
Back to the lines! Just in front is
Senator W. A. Clark, of Montana. It is
really a comfort to know that copper
kings have to take this medicine. The
senator and his married daughter. the
latter good to look at, aside from the
Paris creation by which her charms were
enhanced. A little ahead is Congress
man Frank Eddy, from the Scandinavian
wheat belt OF Minnesota. What would
his constituents think to see him now
in dress suit-him whom they know
in long cowhide boots, a SLOUGH hat.
check shirt, no collar, no tie, smoking a
corncob pipe, riding and tramping
through the country talking to them in
their own patois: Lord Meester Aaiddy.
how they would stare! And here is a
gentleman from the navy who has been
out OF his uniform so long that it hurts.
He has two daughters with him, and
they are trying to straighten out the
tangle Of his gold braid. A little ahead