Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07

we take the course at our right hands.
New East Room White.
The great east room is entered at the
top of the fight after we have turned to
the eastward This great apartment, ex-
tending across the entire east. side of the
old house, suggests many memories. In 1t
the elder Harrison, Zachary Taylor. Mrs.
Tyler and the two martyrs, Lincoln ard
Mckinley, lay in state while President
Cleveland selected it as the scene Of his
marriage. century ago Mrs. John Adams
was utilizing 1t as a space wherein to dry
her clothes.
The white room,'' this great parlor
might now be appropriately termed. Its
ceiling, floor and walls ara immaculate.
The only relief from its utter wilderness are
its four granite mantels. It's old gold win
dow draperies It's wall seats upholstered in
the same coloring and the two blue royal
Sevres vases presented to President Nc
Kinley by the President OF France IN com
memoration of the laying Of the French
American cable. These are placed On
either side of the great east window. Not a
single picture now adorns the walls, whose
plainness is relieved by holdings and tab
lets in relief The new inlaid floor Is pro-
tected from the boots of the public by an
expanse of white crash which would car
pet every room in an ordinary house. The
four large mirrors still stand above the
mantels upon each Of which is pair OF
urns supporting candelabra and central
basket of ferns. The three great crystal
chandeliers still hang from the ceiling, but
yet the east room-the only upstairs apart
ment to which the public will hereafter be
admitted, is by far the plainest and least
interesting apartment in the whole man
sion. The visitor who sees 1t since
its rejuvenation will depart with the
delusion that the home Of the first
&c ha ND
less sort of place. But unlike the
great Library of Congress the greater
White House reserves all OF It's beauties
for the elect who penetrate behind it's
closed doors. Yet in this great parlor the
President entertains his larger gatherings
of private nature. For the first time in
its history piano is now permanently in
stalled in the east room 1t is OF the
grand" type and Is used weekly at the
series of musicales with which the Roose-
velts are delighting their friends.
Here end the sights of the greater White
House unless We be honored guests and
receive a special permit from the Presi-
dents secretary, Mr.. Cortelyou. l received
such a passport a day or two ago and was
permitted to take a camera into the inner
apartments. Before my pass was signed I
had to aftix my signature to an instrument,
drawn up by the secretary, by which /
agreed to submit to him proofs Of all pho
tographs made, before any was circulated,
and the day Of the publication Of this ar
any pictures of the finished mansion might
be published.
The new green room, entered by the
| southwestern door of the east room, Is an
apartment Of rare beauty. 1t is the first of
| the suite of three parlors respectively fur
| nished and decorated according to distinct
| color schemes. wherefrom the names of
these rooms have been derived since gen.
| erations past These three rooms have
been carefully decorated and refurnished
| in the style of the first French empire
| They are the show rooms Of the presi-
! Dental abode.
| The walls of the green room are covered
| with broad eXpanses of heavy velvet of a
| rich green. The low wainscot is in white
| enamel. with a narrow footboard OF gran
| lite beneath. The white skins of two i'm.
mense polar bears partly cover the inlaid
I floors OF polished wood The furniture is
| of white framework, upholstered in mag.
| nifcent tapestry, in which the prevailing
| color Of the room is conspicuous. Some OF
| these are part wicker, which forms the
| back of a broad sofa against the west wall
| Standing in the center of the room and fac.
| ing eastward, our eyes feast first upon g
| white marble manteipiece, removed from
| the old state dining room.- Before the oper
! fireplace reposes an exquisite screen of old
| gobelin tapestry in a framework Of gold
| surmounted by spread eagle. This, Re.
| moved from the old red room, was giver
| to the White House by Mrs. Grant, Il
| whom 1t was originally presented bv the
Emperor of Austria On either side Of The
! mantel rest two immense Japanese vases
purchased by President Arthur during hill
| regime.
| The central figure on the mantel Is a sil,
clock. bought for the White House by Mrs
Grant while she was In Paris. On eithe,
! side are two vases purchased by her at fix
same time. Above and to the right ani
left Of the mantel are pair Of new electric
| candeiabra wall lamps. duplicated on tn.
| opposite side Of the room From the cen
ter OF the ceiling bangs q ma gntdcent crye