The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-01-03

Washington, Jan. 1.-PreSident
Roosevelt's first public reception was
attended more largely than any New
Years reception in a number of years.
In all 8,100 people filed through the
white house and shook hands with the
president. Mrs. Roosevelt, on being
apprised that the crowd in line out
side the white house was unusually
large gave orders that the gates
should not be closed until the last per-
son desiring to do so had an oppor-
tunity to pay his respects. The re-
ception began promptly at II o'clock
and it a 2:30 o'clock before the
last person in line had been present
ed to the president and a quarter of an
hour later before the reception came
to an end.
The weather was delightful, being
clear and crisp, SO that no. hardship
was suffered by the throng that wait
ed for hours for admission to the
Willie 11OuoC. .... ....
The reception was in every way sue
c%essful, the attendance not only being
large, but the decorations really
beautiful, the arrangements perfect
and the president in excellent spirits.
To each person he extended a cordial,
Happy New Year, and Mrs. Roosevelt
uyoc actually r10ociro t0 oooh nf fhnco
who filed past the line in the Blue
parlor, where the reception party
stood. Miss Alice Roosevelt was con
s%picuous among those assisting at the
reception. A party of her young girl
friends by invitation also participant
ed in the function.
Mrs. Roosevelt looked exceedingly
pretty and youthful in a white dress.
The material was a very heavy white
silk, corded about an inch apart. A
square of Irish lace, with revers of
lace, trimmed the bodice, and the
high collar, also Of lace, was finished
at the back with a rosette Of white
'tulle. A few jewels were worn in
the corsage and diamond topped
combs held back the smoothly dressed
hair. An ornament of white leaves,
from which the diamond dew drops
glistened, was also worn in the hair.
Mrs. Roosevelt's right glove, which
was snowy white at the start, was far
from that color an hour later, but the
tired little hand within it gave no evil
dence that it's owner felt any fatigue.
The boquet she carried was of pink
and purple orchids.
The interior of the mansion was
aglow with a myriad of electric lights
and to this was added the beauty of a
profusion of flowers, plants and vines,
banked about the nantes and draped
from the chandeliers and walls. The
floral decorations reached their height
of effectiveness in the East room.
Here the great crystal chandeliers
were looped with smilax while the
recesses of the chamber were banked
with poinsetta blossoms, begonias and
tall frens. In the Red and Blue par
lors there was the same effective dis
position of flowers and plants, the
flaming red of the %poinsetta being
most apparent everywhere. In the
outer corridors just within the en-
trance the band of the engineer corps,
U. S. A, 60 strong, in their brilliant
uniforms, were ranged in tiers, while
further along in the conservatory was
the full membership of the Marine
band, in bright red uniforms. While
the musicians were taking their places
the Roosevelt children were having a
merry time through the corridors and
one of them could be heard playing
| the kangaroo March" in the private
| apartment of the presidents family.
Shortly before II o'clock the throngs
of distinguished callers began to as
semble in the main corridor. First
came the members of the, diplomatic
corps in their rich court uniforms,
Respondent in medals and decora-
lions. 1t was a most cosmopolitan
throng with the Oriental silks of the
Chinese minister, the red fez of the
Turkish minister and the more mod,
ern but equally gorgeous attire of the
Japanese and Coreans conspicuous
amid the groups of diplomats.
President Roosevelt's manner of re,
ceiving his callers was exceedingly
gracious and happy. AS each guest
was announced by Colonel Bingham,
the president grasped the hand of the
visitor and wished him a Happy New
Year, often accompanying this with
some felicitious expression to anyone