Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-30
PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS
or Presidential Reception by Our
 Regular Correspondent.

the feminine contingent of the family when the mail caIrier delivered a large square envelope bearing the words, in gold : embossed letters. White House" Inclosed was another envelope bearing the inscription "Mr and Mrs de Tompkins- Smith, and Ill it was a white card ornamented with tiny gold eagle and engraved as fol- lows: The president and Mrs Roosevelt request the pleasure of the company of MT and Mrs de Tompkins-Smith at d reception to be held at the White house Thursday evening, January 25, 1892, from 9 to 10:30 o'clock. There were also inclosed two door cards bear ing the inscription Present this at the door"
 Of course your correspondent is too blase to experience any extra heart beats at the receipt of such an invi- tation although-franknes compels the admission that there was certain qualification at being remembered by 1 the president quite aside from ones ! Journalistic capacity, and subsequent events proved that the attendance at White house reception solely on pleas ure bent is far different from attend ing asa newspaper correspondent.
 The traditions of a newspaper office would require an account of dashing equipages and prancing steeds, but, as q matter of fact, ones first impression was eof the funereal pace at which the long line of carriages approached the porte cochere of the White house. As we entered the house huge policeman ! took up the door cards, which are happy innovation adopted by Mir Roosevelt Heretofore. the recipient of an invitation too often felt at liberty to bring with him an unlimited num- Der of friends, the result being a 'scrush' which robbed the reception of all enjoyment. I remember meeting gentleman at one of Mir McKinley's re- captions who told me had with him E uninvited friends.
 On entering the lobby, the scene was one of indescribable confusion. A number of cloak racks had been erect ed and men and women were com pelled to divest themselves of hats and wraps and primp and plume amid ] throng of colored maids, new arrivals, and guests struggling for checks.
 Having secured the check which represented our wraps, we were shown AI almost wrote it ''shoved''-into a small ante-room, and from this apart 1nent passed into the private dining room which had been divided by DOT tieres, and there took our places sin | line" Back of the portieres was stacked up" the dining room furni- ture in order to make possible this conversion of one-half of the room into semi-public corridor.
 Precisely as the marble clock on the mantel struck nine a fanfare of trum- pets announced the approach of the receiving party and the president and Mrs Roosevelt, preceded by General Bingham and Commander Cowles, and i followed by Miss Roosevelt and the remainder of tic party, descended the staircase and took their places in the blue room Miss Alice. who followed her parents, walking alone, appeared quite unconscious of the fact that she was the exposure of all eyes. She is a slight uniformed girl, scarcely look ing her age, with a pleasant, interest ] ing, but not pretty, face and an abun- dance of brown hair. Her gown, I while handsome, was simply made and quite appropriate to her youth. The physiognomy of the president is too 1 well known to need description. Evening dress is becoming to him and, as he greeted his guests, he singled out face here and there, lowing and saving ssGood evening"" his manner being in pleasing contrast to the con- tinuous, very general lowing which was the custom of some of his prede- cessors.
 The line of guests moved slowly acrass the red corridor through the red room and dropped into single file at | the word of LiNutenant Gilman, who I stood just outside the blue room. Ma 1 for McCauley of the Marine Corps asked, in a whisper, the name of each guest and announced it to the receiv- ing party. Passing General Bingham, we were greeted by MT Roosevelt, who shook hands, not with the per | functory gesture which implies ''pass on.'' but with a cordial grasp which seemed to say ''I am glad to see you words which he often uttered as 8 | particular. acquaintance passed him. From nine o'clock until quarter be i fore eleven the president greeted his guests, sixteen hundred in all, never betraying the slightest fatigue or re- l taxation of cordiality.
 l Mrs Roosevelt, who stood at her
 
 husbands right and was further at tended by Commander Cowles, wei comed each guest with a very pleas ant smile, but refrained from shaking hands with all but the white haired speaker of the house. Mrs Roosevelt 1 is not handsome woman. but she has an attractive face, the lines of which bear every indication of refinement and gentle motherliness.
 1 Some of the ladies receiving smiled, others bowed and some greeted those whom they did not know with that stony stare which women unaccus- toned to good society are prone to re- gard d proof that they are of the haute monde. Behind the lined formed by the receiving party stood Miss Roosevelt and some young friends and q number of specially invited guests. as well as some who were not invited and had no right to be there.
 Passing through the green room the 1 line broke at the entrance of the large east room and the guests promenaded at will through that apartment. the long corridor and the conservatory, where was stationed the famous Ma rine band In the east room Minister Wu. always affable, was surrounded with acquaintances. The Japanese