The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-10
BY
GRACE
PORTER
HOPKINS
fsnec,al 10 The Times. Dispatch,

WASHlNtlON, -. S.' ~ IN u l''t''1'4
merry song and dance the holidays have
passed With right good cheer the OLD
year was spcd on Its way Into the SOCIAL
history Of The Capital. while tho New
Year was welco:ned with tho roar Of
cannon-"tie sounding brass and linking
cymbal'' OF twelye-month, which " Is
prophcsied Is to open up much that NO"
seems the impossible, the too-good1t To- pc
true. as 1t were. "A
The flist day OF the year was ushered
In with sunshine and spring-llke zcphyrs.
perfect overhead and underfoot. leaving
nothing to be desired by the multitude OF
old and young who each season help TO
revive old-tlme hospitality and give tho
ytamp OF permannncy to New Year visit
ing as social institution Of washington
IL The White House reception Of the morn
ing was brilliant affair though at
tendcd by a smaller company of promiTt
4 ,ent people than ever before and men
were consp icuous by their absence IN the
public reception that followed the lorna
taeeting OF the diplomats. Members
OF tho judicial and Legislative branches
{ OF the government were. OF course, SAND A
!. WICKED In between the two. and It was
n conspicuous fact that Senator Cockrcll.
OF Missouri was the only Southern pres
cnt, others not having returned from their
holiday visit TO their homes a.,
i,
cinl social calendar when Columbia hoAds
court. and tho occasion Is naturally gala
4 event, the charm Of which Is intensi.eL
when the weather Is fine and. the circle
or Cabinet hostcsses unbfoken. len
dave beforehand cards are Issued 10 such
3 ns the Chef Executive may wish 70 IN
wife .behind tho line" IN the Hlue room.
where he ana his wife and the lad,e Or
the Cablnlt receive the nations guests
nnd "a those who IRE invited merely 10
the White House. In both cases Invita-
tlons are ca gerly sought and happy IS the
person who. being SO favored. witnesses
X The pageant for the first time. y. Having
secured one OF these bits OF magic pas,e
hoard. the wise "first-timer" goes early
n witness the assem- bling OF the guess
OF honor, the diplomats OF the world
dressed in gorgeous court costumes on
which the gold embroidery and lace, vies
with the elaborate gowns OF their wives
and daughters
Her efforts arc rewarded In due season.
for the diplomatic corps considers Luhct-
+ uality a cardinal virtue. to be espec any
observed In foreign lands; when Ia ggard
loses his place In the regular line ehL
though he may be an amoassador-the
personal representative OF his soyerelsn-3
must for the time reluctantly pring up
the rear.
orr acfflcial representa- 'ves are no less,
-
eleven o'clock A. NJ the Marine bAnu
struck Up '.Thc Star spangled tanner
and continued playing It, while the fre esi
dent. escorting Mrs. Roosevelt a IS 50 !.
lowed By the members OF Ills Cab net WILD
their ladies, descended the srai.u q. Z,
case, crossed the colonial nal! ana enter 'l,. =
n. thc Rlue Room where the feminine con-
s tineent quickly formed into line at the
RICH, Of the President. the military and
naval aides at his left and sc reception
e began.
Count Cass,nl. the Russian Arnbassa-
DIR, master or the Imperial court. ana
dean Of the diplomatic corps al Washlns-
ton. led the procession. This honor
comes to comparatively few In the dip.o-
matte service and receives new dignity
In the person of the representative OF the
Gear.
Following the Count and his staff came
the ambassadors from Italy. germany
Austri, Hungary, France Mexico ana
England. with their wives and ofcla
staff in the order of their coming to
Z Washington
Sir Mortimer Durand. British ambass'-
dor. and Lady Durand being very recent
arrivals. com pletcd the list Of ambassa-
dorial suitrs and were followed by min
listers plenipotentiary, secretaries and at
1aches, each with a clanking sword and
adlstinctly foreign8air
The British Ambassador, who appeared
for the first time at White House re-
ceptIon, Is a tall, distinguished looking
Enclishman, with numerous medals ard
decorations OF honor, covering the front
or his deliberately embroidered court cos
tune Lady Durand, in Quaker gray
sill, with white lace shawl drapery, was
picturesque contrast
ATha Chinese Legation, which Is always
feature OF Washington reception, was
headed by Minister Wu's successor, SIT
Lang Chentung. and had one Of tie
largest suites present, six secretaries
7 iii In native dress like their cniet. AID
the Americanized interpreter, Mr. iuhs
Kwai, with his New England VIE.
The koreans and Japanese. have adopt
ed European dress, leaving the Chire'e
i the only wearers OF Oriental attire now
In the Diplomatic Corps.
Madame j.. j.. G. Jusserand, wlfo OF the
French Ambassador, and Baroness Won
Sternberg the two American women Wnp
bear the title OF Ambassadors q, as we're va AZ
the line, as We're also Baroness Won
GIskra-nee the beautiful Miss Gordon,
Of C;eorgia. but now the wife OF the
Counsellor of the Observation-Disclosures
Embassy-Boroness Moncheus-nec Miss
Powell, OF Arkansas. wife of the belgian
Minister-and Mrs, Yung KWai: the Mass
achusetts member OF the Sil'hese Le-
cation. ,.,4a,
When the diplomats and the United
States Government officials had been re-.
ceiyed the 1 ne of people waiting OUTSIDE
attended three deep for six BLOCKS pt1
all had shaken hands with Mr.. Roosevelt
BY $50 In the afternoon, when the doors
closed.
Mrs. Roosevelt wore white broadcloth.l
trimmed with old luce Inserted MIS-
Root wore black net and carried v'olets;
= Mrs, Knox, reputed the best-dressed
7 woman in the Cabinet, came next in blu.
ish-gray Grape, with angels sleeves ana
elaborate irridescent trimming N:s.
Payne wore jetted lace over wnile, ma.
Ing a pretty contrast to the soft gray
gown OF Mrs. Hitchcock. wife, 81 t.e
Secretary OF the Interior, and white fur-
trimmed frotk of Miss Wilson, the only
unmarried Cabinet lady ta
Mrs. Cortelyou, who as wife Of the new
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor, TOOK
her place In the receiving line for ne
first time, wore q white lace and net