Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-06-22
SILVER WEDDING
A HAPPY Event
PRESIDENT AND MRS. TAFT EN-
TERRAIN 5000 GUESTS AT
WHITE HOUSE.

Washington, D. c., June 20.-The
isilver wedding celebration of President
and Mrs. Taft, the second that has
been held in the white house, came tc
an end last night with the reception
lon the white house lawn. Invitations
had been sent to about 10000 persons
and while the official count of those
who shook hands with the president
was not given out, it was estimated
that at least 5000 persons were
Ipresent.
Never in the history of the nation
probably has such function been held
lin Washington. The diplomatic corps,
the United States supreme court, the
senate and the house of representa-
tives, the departments of the govern
ment, the men who are high in polit-
cal affairs of the country. the army
the navy and almost every walk in life
were represented.
Weather Is Perfect.
The cool, clear night that made
reception in the open air possible pre-
vented the crush that the white house
for days had been afraid of, and made
the reception not only brilliant and
unusual but delightful in every re-
spect. The guests would have filled the
white house to overlooking, but the
white house grounds are ample, and
there was no crush and no confusion.
Possibly $4,000 people crowded about
the iron fence that surrounds the
grounds and watched the gay throng
within.
The cards said that the reception
would begin at o'clock, and promptly
on the hour to the strains of the we'd
ding march, President and Mrs. Taft
came slowly down the staircase of the
white house, preceded by the six presi-
Dental aides and followed by the cab
met Out through the red room to the
rear portico Of the mansion down the
broad steps and out on to the lawn
the procession marched, while hun
dreds of guests already in the grounds
watched their progress. They took |
their stand beneath two trees just |
about the center of the lawn, whose
branches were Joined by an electric
sign flashing "1886-1911."
The guests entered from the east |
front, passed through the corridors be-
meath the white house and out to the
lawn. Down the winding walk they
passed in two lines to where the presi-
dent, his face wreathed in smiles, was
waiting to meet them all.
Reception is Informal.
The reception was just as informal
IS the president could make it. Those
who could, waited in line for hours to
shake hands, but many slipped out of
The line and sought the shaded walks,
The chairs waiting on the grass, or
wandered at will through the lower
1oors of the mansion. The presents
hat numbered in the hundreds and
whose money value ran high into the
thousands, attracted many, while
others turned to the east room whose
polished floor echoed to the tread of
he dancers.
Preparations had been made for
1000 guests, and the refreshment
able in the state dining room came as
lear grooming as, perfectly good table
AN. The president and the members
If his family, with the cabinet and
aides, were served on the east terrace,
out the guests found their refresh
nents in the state dining room.
Mrs. Taft surprised even those
familiar with the improvement in
health that she had shown by remain
ing by the presidents side in the re-
ceiving line all the evening. The wore
4 gown of white satin, brocaded with
silver flowers, with a court train.