The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-02

PED from their places with the band
and sounded another spirited fanfare
as the doors opened to the army, navy
and marine corps officers-all in their
ful-dress uniforms. Every military
officer in duty in Washington was
there. and the gold lace OF their uni
forms was but little less gorgeous
than the gilded dress Of the diplo-
mats
With the passing of the military
the spectacular features of the re-
! ception were at an end. ard the lesser
government officials in plain citizens
clothes filed in in the following or
der:
The solicitor-gen eral. assistant at
torney general. assistant secretaries OF
the departments. assistant postmas-
ters-general, the regents and secre-
tary of the Smithsonian Institute, the
civil service commissioners. the inter-
state commerce commissioners the
tariff board. the railroad securities
commissioners, the Isshmian canal
commissioners, the commissioners of
the District of Columbia. the treas
urer Of the United States. librarian
Of Congress. the public printer. the
heads of bureaus In the several de-
partments. the president Of the CO.
iumbia Institute for the Deaf and
Dumb.
Then followed the various patri-
etic societies. who are accorded spe-
cial recognition al the New Years
reception. Members of the following
/ organizations were In line: The So
ciety of the Cincinnati, the Aztec
Club Of is47, the Associated Veterans
| OF the War Of lS4s-4T. the Military
order OF the Loyal Legion Of the
United States, the Grand Army 81 the
I Republic. the Medal Of Honor Lee
gion. the Union Veteran Legion. the
Union Veterans Union. the Society Of
the Army II Santiago. the Spanish
War Veterans. the Army and Navy
Union. the Minute Men, the Sons Of
/, the American Revolution. and the
members OF the Oldest Inhabitants
Association Of the District Of Column
bia.
The last Of the official visitors had
left by ! O'Clock. Mrs. Taft. Mrs.
Sherman. and the ladies of the cahi-
net then withdrew from the reception
( line 10 the state dining room. where
resreshme nts were served. In the blue
room the President and his cabinet
squared their shoulders and prepared
to receive the long line that for hours
had been gathering along the White
House walks. The Presidents smile
/ hroadened. the gubles sounded, the
\ hand broke into lively two-step and
/ the common people" entered.
A heterogeneous thrcng
/ American-!lled IN to the lively music
of the band. qUickened TO hurry them
along. The line moved fast until II
regched the President. but there 1t
was delayed by each individual en-
dcayoring 10 obtain a distinctively
personal greeting from the host
A few feet down the line from the
President stood several welt-groomed
and wel!-huiit men, apparently loung-
! Ing careiessiy about but keeping a
careful eye on the moving line as 1t
approached the executive. They were
the secret service men. and not a
person reached the objective point OF
the line without their close scrutiny.
There were 1fa hands wrapped in
handkerchiefs, no packages were car
rted in the line and no one approach
( ed the President without keeping their
/ two hands in plain sight
The band quickened it's tune. shifted
+ from the lively two-step TO more
/ lively ragtime: the attendants were
moe persistent In keeping the line
4 came OR, fiptil tbs gray sas dusk her
! aided the ending OF the winter day
they filed through the blue room.
I Not once ala that famous Taft smile
droop. There was word for every
one. As the President shook hands
with each citizen he eSemplified the