Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-04-01
GUESTS OF PRESIDENT
MR. STlLLMAN RELATES INTERESTING
INCIDENT OF WHITE HOUSE DINNER.
hrs Senator B. Has Thrilling Experience
IN High Society At Capital. Mortality
in the Senate. The White House
Barber.

in the Senate. The White House
Barber.
Washington, d. c.. March 49,
Special Correspondence Two weeks
ago / submitted some observations
with respect to Washington society,
with couple of specific illustrations.
From the same source / have obtained
some additional information in which
Mrs. Senator B. played a leading
part.
One day coupe dashed up to the
hotel at which Mrs. B. resides mes.
senger hurried to her apartment and
delivered large envelope upon the
upper left hand corner of which was
embossed in gold the words. "White
House. Within was found an in.
vitation to Senator and Mrs. B. to be
present at dinner given by the
President of the United States and
Mrs. Roosevelt. in the state dining
room OF Cne White House.
OF coarse Mrs. B. was in a great
hurry, as was also Senator B. when
he arrived. 1t will be recalled that
Senator B. has been in Washington
only since Dec. 1. 1907, and this was
the first invitation to q White House
dinner.
OF course Mrs. B. was filled with
conflicting emotions. She was de-
lighted to be thus honored and tickled
to death at the experience in prospect,
but Mortified at the thought that she
might be guilty of some impropriety
in such august presence. 1t may be
said in passing that Senator and Mrs
B. are from the west, and while they
are cultured people, of course, it can
easily be imagined they would look
with some degree of apprehension mp.
on. the task of getting through a
White House dinner without fractur-
ling in some degree. etiquette as laid
down in high official circles.
The evening Of the dinner finally
|ssx&yed. In the meantime Mrs. B..
had consulted with some Of her ex.
perienced friends with a view to
getting hints as to what might be ex-
pected. going over the program so as
to be able to appear natsral and at
ease. Mrs. b. hoped her partner at
the table might be some gentleman
whom she had personally met.
AT the White House. Senator and
Mrs. b. were lost to each other. each
going to dressing rooms assigned.
Here Mrs. b. was presented with a
chart or diagram of rhe table showing
position OF each guest at the table.
Mrs BIS eyes fairly few over the
specifications. and, horror of hor.
rors. she was assigned at the right of
the President. Mrs. B. to use her
own words. thought she would faint
or sink to the floor or do something
awful. She event up in the air. and
it was some moments before she was
able to pull herself together. Most
women would have felt highly hon
Ored, and Mrs. b. was not unmindful
of the distinction, but she had never
even met the President, to say nothing
of being Oh such terms of acquaintance
that he could feel at ease on his right
at White House dinner
However. there was nothing to do
but brace mp and go in, which Mrs.
b. did and. to use her own words,
she had ''the time of her life.' The
President. evidently surmising the
mental situation OF Mrs. B., put him.
self out to be agreeable and to cause
his partner to feel at ease. He de.
voted himself. in fact. so assiduously
to Mrs. b.. that Speaker Cannon,
who sat across the table, complained
and demanded to know who the
charming young lady was who was
monopolizing the Chief Executive.
The President was very gracious and
presented Mrs. b. in q little speech
replete with delicate compliments.
At the conclusion Of the dinner,
which was served in seven or eight
courses. without wines Of any kind,
Mrs. b. told the President confident.
tally that she had really enjoyed her.
self greatly, notwithstanding some
misgivings at the start, and thanked
him for his kindness. The President,
OF course said the pleasure had all
been his.
After the dinner the gentlemen re.
tired to the smoking-room and Mrs.
Roosevelt led the way to the red
room. where. she entertained the
ladies. Mrs. B. remarked that none
OF the ladies smoked cigarettes and
that the President did not smoke at
all. Hereafter White House dinners
have no terrors for Mrs. B.
The Senate is really staggered by