davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

cor OF the great annual gathering tnall
Go any other factors. with the possible ex-
ception OF the Offering uniforms of the
diplomats and the army and navy offf-
GERS in attendance. Yet they cost the
Chief Magistrate not a penny. and since
il has never been customary to serve re-
freshments at the New Year levee 1t can
lie appreciated that Americas first citi-
zen gets off with much less expense than
would any private individual who essayed
10 give SO pretentious an entertainment at
his home.
Uncle Sam provides the flowers and
music for the big event OF the White
House social season in accordance with
that same policy whereby he provides
ushers and guards for the White House,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

he eXact-it is. of course. impracticable
to make use of those elaborate decorative
designs formed from miniatur electric
lamps which distinguish some of the state
dinners. and custom has never prescribed
the introduction of flags such as are very
appropriately displayed on the occasion of
army and navy. In short. for this occa-
sion. the holiday dress in its entirety
must be of flowers and potted plants.
The government greenhouse experts al
ways pride themselves on the floral set
ting provided for the New Year levee-
Every vantage point that offers a repoS-
tory for flowers is seized upon, but in
planning the decorative campaign it must
needs always be borne in mind that Il
throng of from 5000 to 10000 people IS
to surge through the White House in the
brief interval of two hours, and obvious
ly there must be nothing in the floral
features to interfere with its progress.
Palms are banked at suitable points. and
In the blue parlor where the President.
his wife and the ladies' of the cabinet
circle greet the callers. There are some
bouquets in vases or standards, but the
White House policy is to limit the num-
large crowd is expected. Rather is it
customary to bank the mantel OF each
open fireplace, with mass of bloom
surrounded by ferns. the effect being
that of miniature flower bed.
Floral ornamentation is always provid-
ed for the main stairway. leading from
the first to the second floor of the man
sion. Down this stairway at the APP
pointed hour comes the presidential re-
ceivng party. Indeed, 1t is the appear
ance of the President at the head of this
stairway, announced by the strains of
Hail to the Chief or bugle call. that
signals the formal opening of the great
reception. There are flowers. too, I'M
seen by the general public, in the cor
ridor on the second floor of the mansion
where the Vice President and his wife
and the members of the Presidents cabi-
net and the ladies of their household
gather before the reception. Likewise.
lost to the majority of participants in the
New Year reception are the floral
touches in the reception room on the
basement floor of the White House. Or
dinarily this apartment. which is directly
below the blue parlor, and, like it. is cir
cular in form, is one of the least used
rooms in the White House, but on New
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

and china, plate, cut glass and fine linen
for the presidential table. 1t might be
interpreted merely the governmental
method of maintaining a standard of ex-
cellence in keeping with the Importance
and dignity of the executive residence. In
order that the linen on the White House
table may be SpotleSS and otherwise per
feet, Uncle Sam has it laundered in his
own laundry at the White House, provid-
ed with all the most perfect modern APP
pliances. With something of the same
policy he insures the quality of White
House music by maintaining the famous
United States Marine Band. the first duty
of which is to play at White House func-
tons. Likewise are the floral require
ments of the presidential establishment
provided for by means of special White
House Conservatives.
It would greatly surprise the average
citizen could he gain at first hand an ap-
probation of the many and varied Uses
to which the presidential flowers are put.
The custom of providing each morning
fresh bouquets of the most beautiful flow
erS-notably roses and carnattons-for
each of the principal rooms In the man
sion and the offices of the President and
secretary. to say nothing of clusters TOR
the White House automobile. although
constituting the most regular of the floral
requisitions, are really of minor slSnln-
.ance in point of the number of blossoms
consumed. 1t is the great designs for
weddings and funerals that make n AVE
raids upon the White House posy hoard.
On Memorial days and anniversaries, TOO,
il is sometimes customary to send wreaths
or floral designs to the tombs of former
Presidents, as, for instance, the Mckn-
ley tomb at Canton, Ohio.
After all, however, the severest tax
upon the floral resources of the executive
wi
for providing decorations for the state
dinners and great evening receptions
which characterize the official social sea-
SON. at the White House-the interim be
tween the opening of the year and the be-
ginning of Lent. The inaugural event
the Presidents reception on New year
day is. in many respects, the most I'M
portant of these functions, as 1t Is the
most numerously attended. In this case
the whole responsibility for placing the
historic mansion in gala attire devolves
upon the White House florists. The re-
ception being held during the daylight
hours-from IL O'Clock until 1 O'Clock 10
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26
The Pain House

Year day it constitutes a special recep-
ton room for the foreign ambassadors
and ministers with their stats. who en-
ter by the little used south door of the
White House. From this impyovised re-
ception room the diplomats pass up
stairs, by stairway or elevator to the
red parlor. where they form in line &C
cordng to their seniority of service at
Washington.
The floral decoration of the White
House, unlike that of some other build
ings, presents problems quite aside from
the mere securance of a sufficient num-
Der of flowers and the artistic arrange
ment of the blooms. Almost equally i'm
portant is the exercise of due considera-
ton for the color schemes involved. The
very distinctive character of the regular
decorative and furnishing schemes in the
parlors of the state suite make this we'll
nigh imperative. The pronounced tintS
that prevail in the wall coverings, window
hangings and upholstery of the blue, red
and green rooms. respectively, make 1t
necessary for the florists to be alert TO
prevent ella shes of color when distributing
their petaled trophies In the famous
east room, of course, with its restful
white and gold decoration. almost any
floral color scheme may be worked out ac
ceptably, and the same is true of the main
corridor that bisects the first floor of the
mansion and the vestbule where the
members of the Marine Band. resplen-
dent in their snowy uniforms of red,
blue, black and gold, are stationed on
New Year day.
Most of the folk-officals and non-of-
ficials--who call at the White House on
New Year day to pay their respects to the
President, never give thought, under
present conditions. to the floral fountain
head whence comes this flood of beauty.
Time was however. prior to the Roose-
welt administration, when the White
House Conservatives, even though par
TALLY shorn of their blooms, constituted,
in a sense one of the attractions of the
New Year reception The Conservatives
We're then located adjoining the White
House proper, on what is now the site of
the west terrace and the presidential Office
building and 10 many persons, particular
ly out-of-town visitors, a peep into the
bower of greenery was one of the events
of White House New Year experience.
However, when the reconstruction of the
White House took place some years since
the Conservatives were removed to Uncle
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

If Mrs. Taft should ever decide to OK
tend the scope of her innovation of serv-
ing refreshments at the evening card re
ceptions to include the New Year levee
also the White House Conservatives
features for the buffet menu For be II
known the wizards of the White House
Conservatives by no means restrict their
activities to flower growing. They raise
dollhouse vegetables for the presidential
table as q side line" and something of
the magnitude of their truck gardening
de luxe may be imagined from the fact
that they have had thousands of straw
berry plants in thriving condition at one
time. The present mistress of the White
House has not manifested her predeces
sors' strong preference for the orchid, but
there is in the presidential institution
notable collection of these rarities of the
floral kingdom. Army officers in the
Philippines and American officials in Pan
anna have from time to time sent to tile
lections of orchids. and these have been
augmented by some of the well-nigh un-
attainable specimens from Brazil.
The White House florists aim to keep
their orchids and all other flowers keyed
up as much as possible to the blooming
point. for they desire to be in a position
at all times to meet any requests from
the White House for flowers of particu
lar tint to harmonic with a gown or to
carry out the color scheme of a dinner
decoration. Although the Conservatives
are now located at a distance OF fully
quarter of a mile from the presidential
mansion, there have been numerous oc-
casions during the past half dozen years
when ladies from the White House
residents and guests-have visited the
greenhouses overlooking the Potomac To
personally select specimens Of a favorite
flower.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

floral patronage that often requires from
forty to fifty dozen cut flowers a day.
even under ordinary or normal conditions.
In addition to the main building. there
are several supplementary greenhouses,
with dimensions of 10 feet by IS feet.
each such building being connected with
Il potting room and workroom - by 40
feet in size. and with a cellar in which
are boilers for supplying heat.
The most spectacular feature of this
unique propagating institution which
Uncle Sam maintains primarily for the
benefit of the White House family is
found in the marvellous display to be seen
al frequent intervals in the rosehouSes,
One great glass structure is given over
exclusively to the always pre-eminent
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

FLOWERS and Music for
i New Year Levee at
White House Are Supplied
to President Free of Cost
Uncle Sam Also Provides
Cut Glass, Plate and Fine
'Linen-Presidential Flowers
Are Put to Many Uses
Government Greenhouse Ex-
perts Pride Themselves on
Floral Setting of the Annual
Reception.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26
NEW YEAR PROPHECIES
BY MEN IN PUBLIC EYE

iETHER or not a
man be a prophet,
or the son of a
prophet. he is apt,
and especially at
this time of the
year, to try for one
brief instant to
lift the veil which
hides the future.
The very words.
New Year." inn
ply the future -
hopaS and arnhi-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

tons, or, at least, a different order of
things. And in the political field espe
cialIy is this tendency to look ahead
noticea BILE. A canvass was made of a few
of the great and the near-great OF the
Capitol for prophecies concerning the
political probabilities of 1910
Each prophecy stands for the subject
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

S the old year 1909
marches away to
Join the ranks OF
the past and 1910
approaches, Old
Father T:lne can
make no mistake
in noting the exact
minute when the
change of date
takes place, for
there are clocks
everywhere. Hun
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

HE flowers and the
music which con-
tribute so much to
the splendor of the
great New Year re-
C c ptio n at the
White House are
furnished free to
the President. 1t
is not too much to
say that these en-
bellishments a d d
more to the splen-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

Sans common under the shadow of the
Washington Monument.
x
* *
The new location of the White House floral
storehouse has permitted an extension of
facilities that was much needed. Indeed.
1t is difficult to understand how the in
stitution could have supplied the perpetual
harvest of blooms now required had 1t
remained at the old location within the
White House grounds. The main green
house in the new location is 10 feet in
length and % feet in width, and it is
from this garden under glass that there
is derived the major portion of the daily
supply of flowers for the White House.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26
PRESIDENTS l1nlTAEXAD9- CAPT BUTTAr1D CMCoa91. Ii
LATTER % IN CHARGE
Of THE MFllTEHOUSE
CONSERVATIVES

American beauty roses. Here the visitor
IAN look down a long narrow aisle, lined on
either side by close growing rose bushes
rising to height Of ten twelve feet.
There are thousands upon thousands Of
plants In this one house. AMI fifteen hun
bred bushes are to he found in an adjoin-
ing building devoted to the popular
Bridesmaid, Golden Gate and Killarney
roses. Carnations rank next TO roses in
the output of the White House con
servatories. and ii is nothing unusual
for the Presidents gardeners to have 80 o
to 1900 carnations in full bloom at one
time.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

dreds Of wears ago things were different.
The poor old man with his hoary head
and ancient scythe scarcely knew when
10 add one in his endless count of years
In those days the simple ways of doing
things extended To the measuring of the
seasons months and days by the re-
sources given by nature. There were no
clocks then. but the shepherds who
watched their fiocks could reckon time by
the moon at night and by the length OF
the shadows OF the rocks and trees on
sunny days.
When the first dial was made by
King Ahaz nearly three thousand years
ago the people thought that a great won
der had been performed, For many years
this was the only measure of time but
the sun dial was useless on cloudy
days a new timekeeper was sought. A
conIrivance was made so that sand or
water could run regularly through a
tube. thus the people could know that a
certain time had elapsed when certain
quantity of sand or water had passed
through the tube. The water clock. or
clepsydra. was later invented by the
Egyptians. 4 tank with a hole in the
bottom was rlled with water. Then a
small boat was fioated on its waters. As
the water trickled out Of the small open
ing the boat gradually sank lower and
lower. An car placed in the boat pointed
to the hours marked on the side of the
tank and Indicated the time, though
rather inaccurately on account of the
change in pressure exerted on the water
in the bottom of the tank by the water
above
The next clock invented was made by
King Arthur of England, whose efforts
were always applied to the good of his
people. His candle clocks consisted of
six WAX candles, each twelve inches long,
With divisions of inches marked plainly
the sides. These candles, which were
burned one at i time. lasted four hours
each or at tine rate OF an inch of candle
for every tWenty-four minutes. All six
lasted lust twenty-four hours. The use
the kingdom. but III the palace the can
dlt clocks were carefully watched by a
chaplain. who reported their workings to
the king. OF course. when the winds
blew the candles burned faster; so that
the Inventive king contrived to surround
tue wax tapeTs with horn fastened To
Wooden frames, making lanthorns. Thus
the foundation OF our modern lanterns
Was accidentally raid.
The first real clock with wheels was
made about the middle of the fourteenth
century by Henri de Vic. German artist.
IN his weight clock invention one large
wheel was set in motion by a we sht
gradually unwinding a cord, which moved
a heavy bar attached TO the wheel. After
this tlmepiece had been placed in the
tower of the palace by Charles X of
France similar clocks were constructed.
To that striking clock of one hand which
could only mark the hours and required
winding each day many elaborate time-
pieces soon owed their origin. The at
tsnton of many men of Europe. espe-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

Representative J. Thomas Helm of
Alabama upholds the cause of the in
surgents. and said: The republican
tariff law recently passed by Congress
is being condemned. and justly SO. by
the people all over the country. Those
people know how this oppressive meas
ure was railroaded through the Senate.
and how Speaker Cannon cared for it
in the House.
THAT law enacted by the representa-
tives of a so-called free people gave the
tariff barons of America the power to
rob and plumber our people. Unless the
courage to resent wrong and outrage
has gone out of the citizens of the United
States there will be rebuke administer
ed the republican party at the next con-
gressional election. We will carry the
House by good majority, and Champ
Clark will be elected Speaker"
Representative William Sulzer of New
York predicts at least one exciting event for
the coming year. Be 1t known, If 1t Is not
already. that the hobby. II it may be so
designated, of the gentleman from New
York is to have the wreck of the Maine
raised from Havana harbor and the bod
les of the sixty-odd men who are still
in her hulk buried in Arlington national
cemetery with naval and military nonors.
If the committee on naval affairs Of
the House Of Representatives does not
favorably report my bill in January the
people of this country are going to hear
something drop on the floor of the House
that will sound like trouble. And it will
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

Fer about one hundred and fifty years
the Dunstant clock outside of the old
church in Fleet street amused the frolick-
ing children OF London. At every quarter
hour two life-sized figures of savageS
struck two hanging bells with clubs. The
fierce automatons moving their heads at
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

of what is apparently the greatest in
terest to its giver.
1t must be confessed that if the Amer
lean people as a whole are as optimistic
about their future as are the men they
have chosen to represent them in the
government they must indeed welcome
the new year. for the forecasts are such
that If the Goddess of Prosperity does
not quickly get in a supply of cornucopias
her thorn of plenty will soon wear out.
so fat are the good things to run out
of 1t.
It is the earnest wish and prayer" of
Representative Champ Clark OF Mis-
souri, that the next House will have
democratic ma jority. for that is what he
is prophesytng.
ITO give us a majority of one in the
House 1t will mean that at the next cleo
tion we must have twenty-four new mem
bers." he said. When asked where they
We're to come from Mr.. Clark looked sur
prised and remarked, laconically:
1.-The northwest section" and then, by
way of a postscript. We ought to elect
five in Missouri next year. and North
Carolina should give us some. Or the SIX
districts in Missouri, five are really den-
ocratic. and | believe that we VIII carry
them all next year.
There was one other remark made by
the gentleman from the "show-me state"
1t was: eff we start to electing ma
iority we won't stop at twenty-four.
I'VE enacted into law what was known
as the Mckinley law only few months
before election. Immediately upon us
enactment the merchants of the country
and the commercial travellers represent
ing them marked up the prices of goods
generally, and in explanation OF the in
crease charged it to that law. 1t stirred
up the whole country into antagonism
to it, and resulted in our defeat
Almost precisely the same course has
been pursued as to our present tariff law.
To illustrate, ! saw In a newspaper that
the prices of boots and shoes had been
increased on account of our tarlf, ana
yet leather had been put on the free
list and the duty on boots and shoes had
been reduced to 10 per cent. T.'is Is
only one example of what has been going
on over the whole country. Fortunately,
though, sufficient time will be had before
any general election takes place for the
people to see the operation of the law.
which. | have no doubt, will be found to
be favorable to both the manufacturer
and the consumer In my opinion we
shall witness decade of prosperity such
as we did under the law known as the
Dingley tariff"
Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1909-12-01
PSHAW! SAYS
OIL MONARCH
Mr.. Rockefeller Not Disturb
ed by Stories Of Plot Against
His Life
SMILING AND HAPPY
HE ARRIVES IN NEW YORK

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
NEW YORK. Dec Smiling and
seemingly at peace with himself and
the world at large. despite the fact that
the pet corporation the STANDARD oil
Company, OF New Jersey, is under man
date of the law. John ID. Rockefeller
greeted friends at his town house ON
Fifth avenue today following his re-
turn from Cleveland. The richest man
in the world admitted that he was glad
to get back TO New York as ne talked
with his son. John ID. Jr.. and his
son-in-law. Harold Mccormick about
the weather, mutual friends and every
other subject than the report that he
fed from Cleveland because OF the dis
covery Of a plot 10 kill or lSidnap him.
If he really believes the existence
OF the plot he was most self possessed
in replying TO questions about II. Ask
ed II he had hurried here TO escape the
plot breaking engagements IN Cleve-
land TO do so, Rockefeller smiled and
calculated:
"Oh pshawi"
When the question was repeated halt
a dozen times he finally yawned and
said:
"Pshaw my boy, there's nothing In
that story. Nothing az all. ] came
back here for business and on account
OF my wife's health. There's nothing
in that silly story"
Asked II he had met and listened
10 Harold Sawyer Smiths story OF
the discovery OF the plot. Rockefeller
changed the subject and intimated he
had heard enough OF Il. He dec 'ared
that Mrs. Rockefeller is slowly recov-
ering her health and will soon be all
right again
Il is understood the real reason
Rockefeller returned to this city Is IN
order TO be IN touch with No. 26 Broad
way, when the attorneys for the oil
trust begin preparation OF their ap-
peal from the decision OF the circuit
court OF appeals against the Standard
oil Co. of New Jersey. Although ne
claims 20 be practically out Of busi-
ness. Rockefeller's perception Is as good
as ever and his lawyers intend TO utilize
his vast knowledge Of business condi-
tions in formulating their appeal Z,
the Supreme Court.