The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-05
A SCENE OF SPLENDOR
THE PRESIDENTS NEW YEARS
 EXCEPTION.
Brilliant Uniforms of Diplomats, Soldiers and Sailors Added to the
 Picturesque Efect-Roosevelt's Smile Worked Overtime.

Washington, Jan. 4.-(SpeciaI)- )--Niue thousand American citizens have been wondering since Wednesday when they shook President Roosevelts hand at his New Year reception. how the pudgy white fist they gripped there in the Blue Room of the White House could have smote terror into the hearts of the Span- iard at San Juan Hill or even throttled the mountain lion in his lair among the Rockies. They had read of the mighty doings of that first and they expected to grasp something like a 6at-iron, or, per- haps, a steel swedge. Then they clamped down upon a soft. delicately formed hand. in which not even sinew could be felt, and surprise was plainly written upon their faces.
 These nine thousand citizens were atl- mitted to the President after the mem- bers of the diplomatic corps, the high officials of the army and navy and other important dignitaries mad squeezed the hand In New Year greeting yet It's con dition was not ascribed to the powerful grip of the high officials, for while every one knew their handshaktug would be cordial enough, no one imagined for a momrnt that they would or could impair the strength of the Presidents strons right No one even inwardly accused Miles or Dewey, both of whom got to the President early in the reception, of grind ing down when they shook that hand. Not 10 the clasp of the gigantic Persian minister was the charge of softcning the hand laid. nor to the German minister, Count von Holleben, who IS sad to have felt somewhat aggrieved that Lady Pauncefote should precede him i'll the was too Ill to be there. No. it was gem orally accepted as a fact. though strange indeed. that President Roosevelts hand was in it's normal condition.
 This acceptation of the truth was greatly strengthened when the people looked up from the hand into tho face of the President. for then they realized where the true strength of the man was marked He was continuously smiling that great, expansive smile of his. yet there were lines of power and ind0mita- ble will in the countenance.
 !, s.5 Picturesque Personages.
 r The reception was by far tho most pio- turesoue the White House has ever known. It had none of the unique fea- lures which characterized the first White House reception. held one hundred years ago. when Elder John Leland. of Ches- ter Mass, drove into Washington with a sled on which was loaded l,600 l. pds of cheese as present for President Jefferson. But it had instead, the most interesting group of foreign diplomats, the most brilliantly arrayed receiving party and the largest number of citi- zens that ever visited the, historic man. sion on similar occasions.
 The representatives from the German government carried off the palm, as 1t were. for the most gorgeous uniforms. Count von Hollenben. the ambassador, had brand new uniform. the coat of which was entirely covered with gold braid. Count Quadt. his First Secretary, wore the red coat and white trousers of the uniform of St. George ofs Bavaria. Count von Arnhim wore the white, gold trimmed uniform of a Royal Hussar.
 The visitors who received the most in- terested glances from the President s party, were four young Indian chiefs. dressed in their own wild costume of furs, feathers and beads. They stalked boldly up to the President shook his hand calmly and marched away under the gaze of the entire assemblage.
 Then there were the Russian represen- tatives in all the glory of their new uni forms, made especially for the occasion; the minister from Mexico; the minister from France; the Danish minister; the ministers from Siam and Persia and Ko- req, all in the uniforms of their coun- tries, superbly picturesque.
 Minister Wu. from China, entered wearing a silk dress. which rustled so loudly that all the ladies who heard it grew envious pernapsy
 Members of the embassies from Pe- ru. Chile, Venezuela, Italy. Sweden, Bel gium, Turkey and Japan were there to lend color to the panorama with their costumes and uniforms. Never before in the history of the nation has there been a more gorgeously attired, assem- blaze in the corridors of the Executive Mansion. or in Washington, even.
 President Roosevelt received his callers in conventional frock coat, but he wore turn-down collar and a colored the raiment of his guests he relied upon tho ladies of his party and they sustained him nobly in this respect They were 61nked in the room and made 1t appear flowers in full blossom.
 Two bands played while the callers greeted the nations chief the Marine Band occupying the alcoVe under the States barracks sent out it's melodies from the conservatory. The bands play ed selections from "Florodora," the twice within an hour, each band playing
 Children Saw Pageant
 As the reception wore on the children of the President, who had first observed tho glittering pageant from the private stairway. made their way to the R Room, where Ethel. Kermit and Archie spent the latter half ul th. mo. ntiS. Even Quinton, the 4-year-old, had his share of the days snort, as he made frequent trips up and down the stairs with faithful nurse and devoted ter rier. The children came no further than the line which separates the official part of tho mansion from the resident. how eve, and their conduct was such that all who observed .hem immediately classed them with the rare ones who can be seen and not heard.
 PerhapS tho most pathetic feature of the whole reception was the appearance of the veterans of the Mexican war. An invitation had been sent out to. this or ganization and a time limit of several minutes had been set for them to pass by and shake hands with the young President: Some of the officials had ar- gued that they would occunv at least ten minutes of the official time. so that when only six gray and bent old war riors appeared 1t was hardly believed that they were the Mexican War Vete- ran's Associa tion but they were.
 Preslder, Roosevelt was particularly jubilant when tho Spanish War Vetc rams appe ared. His enthusiasm was ~uite overflowing when ne observed tn the ranks of this association members of his own Rough Rider" Band. To nearly every one of these old associates in war