Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-01


blue chiffon fell from the lace elbow sleeves.
White suede gloves wrinkled over her
wrists, and she carried pretty cluster OF
white rosebuds and maidenhair fern. A
pretty little ornament was worn In the
hair. and her whole appearance was as
smiling and as pretty as a girl of twenty.
Mrs Hay wore very rich toilet of gray
silk popln that had the seams put together
with open stitches, showing lining OF
lighter shade. A black tulle hair ornament
was worn and but few jewels.
Mrs. Shaw wore black lace over pale blue
silk and diamond ornaments in her hair
and diamond brooch.
Mrs. Knox wore white liberty satin, with
a great deal of fine tucking and needlework
in both skirt and bodice. A single large
diamond cleaned in the lace-trimmed collar
band.
Mrs. Payne was in black lace with silver
and jet spangles and made over pale blue
satin.
Miss Wilson wore a French dress of pink
liberty satin the skirt stripped with in
sertions of cream-tinted lace, and on the
bodice shirred chiffon with touches Of
black velvet.
Miss Alice Roosevelt wore a cream tinted
lace with touch Of black velvet. Her
pearls enhanced the becomingness of 1t.
Miss Christine Roosevelt and Miss Elfreda
Roosevelt were also in girlish white
dresses.
The Misses Hitchcock wore tucked
dresses of white liberty silk, Miss Louise
Jones was in gray crepe, Miss Fuller, cream
vet; Mrs Proctor, gray crepe over black;
Mrs. James K. Jones. black lace over pur-
pie; Miss Kean, gray crepe; Mrs Leonard
Wood. light fowered silk; Mrs. Rixey,
white silk; Mrs. Bingham, white cloth; Mrs.
Cortelyou, white silk and lace; Mrs. Cowles.
black spangled net over white silk and Mrs.
Thomas F. Walsh Russian lace over white,
with touches of pale green velvet; wreath
of green leaves in hair.
Inspecting the Attractions.
The diplomats, after passing down the
line, had the liberty of the blue parlor or
anywhere else they chose to go. Their
stay being short for the most part and the
company there having many fascinations,
only few got beyond that room till they
left the house altogether. The President
was in his usual cordial mood, and nus
handclasp was as hearty as ever. His
chatty conversations with the majority of
the visitors turned formal occasion into
one of genuine good cheer. Mrs roosevelt,
who is no less happy in her greetings, had
a pleasant word with each person.
The young members Of the Presidents 8
family the boys and Miss Ethel, who was
bow of fowered white ribbon tying her
fair hair, lost none Of the interesting scenes
that were transpiring in the different rooms.
The exit for all guests. both lofty and low
ly was by the new east terrace. The
guests, after passing through the corridor,
the red room, past the receiving party to
the green room, had the privilege, If they
cared to use it, Of lingering a while In the
east room before walking it's length to the
head Of the east staircase and down and
out by the basement gallery to the terrace
Nobody hurried through when to hundreds.
even Of the official callers, they were en-
toying for the first time the sight Of the
improvements and changes and the new
glories generally.
Presidential Portraits.
The pictures Of the Presidents have been
hung, the largest, like those Of Presidents
Arthur and Garfield, on the corridor walls
and the others in smaller frames on the
walls of the red and green rooms, where
they look very much at home. The por-
traits came in for many commendatory re-
marks today in their new environment
The fair faces of former mistresses OF
the White House are the CHIEF adornment
of the bas ,ent gallery. Ihat OF Mrs.
Tyler is the first the eyes rest upon on the
south wall Of the gallery, and seems to
have put on a new coquetry with a serious
ness that tells something of the ups and
downs Of life as exemplfied in its new
position. The portrait of Mrs Hayes
nearly covers niche in the wall opposite.
These are all in good company. for Char
trans picture of Mrs. Roosevelt is up at
the other end of the gallery.
The portraits that share the honors OF the
main corridor with Presidents Garfield and
Arthur are two other New Workers, Grover
Cleveland and Mllard Fillmore. The place
given Mr. Cleveland at the right of the east
staircase. facing the green room, Is a splen-
did one. President Lincoln, one Of the larg-
est canvases, hangs in the green room
where Mrs. Hayes picture was formerly.
Mrs Roosevelt very wisely considered
that any new choice of place for the por-
traits of Presidents wives could not be
considered relating to Mrs. Washington.
The two portraits of the first President
and his wife, so long in the east room.
I'm 10
Washington having the comma nding place
over the mantel and his wife on the north
wall. President Jefferson, another large
canvas is on the other side of the doorway,
and that of General Grant is over the north
entrance to the blue room.
The Blue Room.
The newly decorated blue room was
shown for the first time today. 1t is total
ly changed. The walls are covered with
blue silk, the colonial blue. 1t has panels
formed by straight bands of dull gold
braid. The floor is inlaid and highly pol
ished. like the other parlors. The furniture
has duh gilt frames and is upholstered in
dark blue satin with fleur-de-lis pattern
in dull giit The curtains have gold stars
and the national emblem appears in the
gold cornice across the top. The empire
nantels are in marble and the side-light
bra ckets in dull brass have the caScaded
effects in crystal.
The Sun shone Brightly.
No electric lights were turned on today
in any part Of the house save in the base
ment picture gallery, where the portraits
could not have been properly seen without
their aid.
Back Of where the President and his wife
stood. the sunshine OF perfect winter day
came through the uncurtained windows. In
the red room. which is by far the favorite
for all new and old comers to the White
House. the sunshine at noon was its chief
glory. A carpet covered the east room floor.
and the red rug Of the corridor was
moved.
Flowers in the old-time quantities were
conspicuous by their absence-only vases
filled with poinsetta blooms stood on the
mantels and near the windows. Several
gorgeous baskets of flowers sent to Mrs.
Roosevelt by friends were in the parlors.
The opportunity to see this picture was
greatly enjoyed, especially by the public.
The Diplomatic Corps.
The German ambassador. Herr Won Holle-
ben, now the dean of the diplomatic corps,
was at the head Of that body today for
the first time since this new distinction
came to him by the death Of the late Brit