Evening star., 1902-01-01

choicest benedictions in the way of sun
shine and weather for President Roose-
velts first New Year reception. Its charm
was conta gious and every face smiled in
enjoyment of conditions on which physical
and mental comforts depended. The cleo
trio lights paled before the entry of King
Sol, and few of the hundreds who passed
over the threshold knew whether they Were
lighted or not. The White House was brave
in it's New Year dress. and the most in
teresting spot in the United States, while
the chief executive, his wife and official
family received the hearty congratulations
and good wishes of officials and residents.
Brilliant Scene.
The scene within the historic mansion
was one of extraordinary beauty and bril-
liancy, and there was an added touch of
interest in the occasion this year from the
fact that this was the first official function
of magnitude with Mr.. Roosevelt and his
Interesting family as the central figures.
Early in the day an army of decorators
and florists took possession of the mansion
and transformed the stately corridors and
parlors into bowers of palms, potted plants
and sweet-smeling flowers.
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
mantels and draped from chandeliers and
walls. The floral decorations reached their
height of effectiveness in the east room.
Here the great crystal chandeliers We're
Icoped with sIniIaX, while the recesses of
the chamber We're banked with poinsetta
blossoms, begoniaS and tall ferns. In the
red and blue parlors there was the same
effective disposition of flowers and plants,
the flaming red of the pOinsetta being most
apparent everywhere.
In the outer corridor, just within the en-
trance, the band of the Engineer Corps,
u. S. A, sixty strong, in their brilliant uni
forms, were arranged in tiers, while fur
ther 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 merry time through the cor
rdors, and one of them could be heard
playing the Kangaroo March in the pri-
vate apartments of the presidential family.
The reception was just a minute or two
late in beginning. Those on whom the bur-
den of it's smooth arrangement devoived
Secretary Cortelyou and Col Bingham were
on hand early-close to 10 O'CLOCK. every
approach to the mansion and every threS-
hold within it, was manned by either the
attaches of the household, it's servants or
a policeman. Precautions were doubly Sc
cure and every detail looking to the con-
verience and comfort of those especially
invited or of the public had been carefully
worked out. The results We're splendid
and amply justified the attention given
them.
First Arrivals.
The official program of the day fixed IL
o'clock as the time for opening the re-
ception with the calls of the members of
the cabinet and the foreign representatives,
but some time before that hour the ap-
proacbes leading up to the marble portico
were filed with carriages, while long lines
of people took position at the outer gates
in order to have points of vantage when
the public reception began.
Shortly before II o'clock the throngs of
distinguished callers began to assemble
First came the members of the diplomatic
corps in their rich court uniforms, resplen-
dent in medals and decorations. 1t was
most cosmopolitan throng, with the orien-
tai silks of the Chinese minister and his
suite, the red fez of the Turkish minister
and the more modern but equally gorgeous
attire of the Japanese and Coreans con-
spicuous amid the groups of diplomatists.
The diplomatic corps and the ladies of
the receiving party came in by the south
entrance. Maids waited upon them in the
state dining room, where wraps were laid
aside. At 10:45 o'clock a scene of unusual
splendor to American eyes was In progress
in the red parlor, where the diplomatic
corps awaited the signal to enter the blue
room. The absence of Lord Pauncefote
kept at home by indisposition, put woman
at the head of that august body for the
first time probably in our nations history
Lady Pauncefote had the honor of being
the first to present New Year greetings to
the President and to express her husbands
regrets at not being able to be present.
Assisted In Receiving.
The official list of the ladies invited to
assist was as follows:
Mrs. Hay. Mrs. Root Mrs Knox. Mrs.
Smith, Mrs. Long, Mrs. Hitchcock, Miss
Wilson.
The Misses Hay Miss Root, Miss Knox,
the Misses Hitchcock, Mrs. George B. Cor
teiyou, Miss Kinds, Mrs. William Loeb, jr,
Mrs. T. A. Bingham, Mrs. David J. Hill,
Darling, Mrs. Fufier, the Misses Fuller Mrs
Harlan. the Misses Harlan, Miss Child.
Mrs. Gray. Mrs. Brewer, Miss Brewer. Miss
Goodwin. Mrs. shiras, Mrs. White, Mrs.
kenna, Mrs. William B. Bate, Miss Mastin
Mrs. J. c. Burrows, Mrs. Shelby NJ Cul-
lom. Mrs. Fisher, Miss Paulding, Mrs
Stephen B. Elkins, Miss Elkins, Mrs. Chas.
W. Fairbanks, Mrs. Joseph B. Foraker
Miss Foraker. Mrs. Eugene Hale. Mrs NJ A.
Hanna, the Misses Hanna, Miss Phelps Mrs
| Rhodes, Mrs. ]. K. Jones. Mrs. Kean, the
Misses Kean, Mrs. Henry Cabot Lodge Mrs
James Mcmillan. Miss Mcmillan the Misses
Morgan, Mrs. o. H. Platt, Mrs. Redfeld
Proctor, Miss Proctor. Mrs. Henry NJ. Teller
Mrs. John Dalzell, Mrs. Charles H. Gros-
Payne Miss Richardson, Mrs. ]. c. Sibley
Mrs. George w. Steele Mrs. Frederic
storm. Mrs. Miles, Mrs. COrbin, Mrs. John
M. Wilson, Miss Waller, Mrs. George NJ
| Sternberg, Mrs. Dewey, Mrs. P. NJ. Rixey
Mrs. English, Miss Taunt, Mrs. w. K Van
/ Reypen, Miss Van Reypen, Mrs. II. B. f.
| Macfarland, the Misses Ross, Mrs. Tenney
| Ross. Mrs. John r. Proctor, Mrs. U. 8.
| Grant. Mr. Sartoris, the Misses Sartoris,
Mrs. Harriet Lane Johnston, Miss Ken
nedy, Mrs. Philip Sheridan, the Misses
1 Sheridan, Mrs. James G.. Blaine, Mrs. H.
| S. B.>Beale. Mrs. George Fabyan, Mrs
Walsh. Mrs. Letter, the Misses Letter. Mrs
| Hobson. Miss Lena Morton, Miss Lay. Mrs
| w. S. Cowles. Mrs Douglas Robinson, jr.,
| Miss Corinne Douglas Robinson, Mrs Ar
| mold Hague, Mrs. James Lowndes, Miss
/ Tuckerman. Mrs. Clifford Richardson, Mrs.
| w. Emlen Roosevelt. Miss Christine Roose-
! welt. Mrs Hilborne Roosevelt, Miss Doro-
| thy Roosevelt, Miss Rhett, Mrs. j, West
| Roosevelt. Mrs. John z. Roosevelt Miss
| Pansy Roosevelt. Mrs. Douglas Robinson,
Miss Whitmore Mrs. Brooks Adams. Mrs.
/ George l.. Gillespie, Mrs. Wayne Mac
veagh, Mrs. Charles Francis Adams, Mrs.
| Edward Fl. Wales. Miss Gage, Miss Lo-
max. Mrs. Ridgely. Mrs. James q. Blaine.
, Mrs. Gresham.
The Receiving Party.
The receiving party invited to assist be-
/ hind the line in the blue parlor had al
assembled there before II o'clock. Wher