The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-19
a WHITE HOUSE DINNER PARTYl
President Taft and guests In stnte dim
inG-roOm. So

w Corcoran He gave, about three.
dinner parties week during each sea-
son. and paid Nordica, Media, Jean do
Resz1ie, Ysaye, the Kneisel Quartet
and other famous stars several thou
sands OF dollars apiece to sing to hts
after-dinner guests. IS.
One OF the dinners given In Cor
coran house is said to have cost him
$4,000, which would have paid his
| senatorial salary for two years and
I'VE months. The Duke Of yeraRun
descendant of Christopher Columbus,
was one OF his dinner guests. Some
times, Nike Representative Hitt. he
seated his guests at small tables scat,
!, tered all over the house.
One OF the unique dinners of the
second Cleveland regime was that
given to the President by his Secretary
OF Agriculture. J. Sterling Morton, tho
scope OF whose department was repre-
scented IN the table decorations and
viands. notably the ices. which, In tha
form OF garden vegetables, were
we're served from u hay wagon mads
| OF spun sugar.
The dinner host par excellence dur.
| Ing the Harrison regime was Vice,
President Levi P. Morton To tho
| mansion which he purchased on Scott
Circle-and to which he Will return
by the way. this winter-he added a.
magnificent new dining-room at cost
of $4,000 He brought to washinr
ton corps OF about two dozen scr-
vant-. During the most pretentious
| OF his official dinners the Marine Band.
led by Sousa, played In the circular
room at the bottom OF the tower
| which forms one or the front corners
ar the mansion. 1t was published mt
tne time that his establishment con-
snmed' with other big items, fifty
| dozen eggs a week
| Whitney's Terrapin Bill.
NO one ever disputed william C.
| Wnitneys supremacy as dinner host
during the first Cleveland regime.
when he was the Secretary of the
| Navy. His rienage was the most costly
one maintained by an official, and It
is said that he would spend as much
as sl2b for the terrapin used at a
| single dinner. The premier Of that
| zane Cabinet. Thomas Il. Bayard, was
| another loved OF the toothsome dia-
mondback, which he used to prepare in
the White House chatting dish for
| President Cleveland
! Of all the Presidents Arthur Is aafd
to have been the most successful din
ner host and the only Chief Executives
| since the days OF Andrew jackson who
| could make his state banquet guesta
| feel as much ut ease as though thew
| mao their knees under their own mas
| noSuny Despite the fact that water
flowed like champagne" at his total
abstinence banquets. Hayes made the
reputation Of being the most lavish
| dinner host who up to his timo had
| occupied the White House. 3
The most notable dinners given all
| the NATIONAL capital in ante-belluln
days were the two state banquets
which Prcsiden: Buchanan gave to
| his house guest, the Prince of walesI
later King Edward VII. in 1860, and
the notable banquet given to Lafayette
! during Monroe's admins tration Ting
diplomatic corps was hidden to one OF
the dinners given to the prince and
the Cabinet to the other Tho Ia.
| 1ayette dinner which was followed
| by a grand ball, was attended by twri
| former Prcsidents-SIadis son and Jefs
| ferson.
President Sang at Dinner.
Tho merriest dinner host who ever'
| occupied the White House was Andrew
Jackson. who at one OF his state din
ners astonished his guests by sud-
denly bursting into the old refrain.
Aud Lang Syne."
In spite of all that has been uttered
about "Jeffersonan simplicity" 1t Is a
| fact that the Father of Democracy,
caused a considerable futter by bring
ing "A French chef to the White House.
| or his generous hospitality 1t has been
| written
~ n
o'clock in the afternoon At them was
supplied ample port and Madeira. AZ
| the state dinner in 1912 the DESSERT
was ice creams, preserves. macaroons,
! fruits. nuts and raisins. when. 1t hav.
Ing coached candlelisht time. the ladies
left the table"
| His steward is quoted having said
that the days provisions often cost
as much rs $50" One OF his desserts
| served at the White House was de-
! scribed by n Congressman guest az
| like apple pic. IN the form of half
muskmelon, the flat side down. top
| creased deep. the color q dark brown"
! Daniel Webster, who had dined with
Jefferson many times. wrote of him:
| He has a strong preference for the
wines OF the continent. OF which ha
| has many sorts of excellent quality"
Take 1t away, sir Take 1T away"
exclaimed the general. 1T shall never
! be said that my table sets such an en-
| ample of luxury and extravaganza"
Although the courtry's father dis
pensed hospitality on generous scale.
he eXacted economy in detail. One day
at dinner. when his steward set an
| exqusitely garnished shad before him.
| he exclaimed what did it cost?"
Three dollars" replied the steward.
And the crestfallen steward carried
It out, to be eaten by the servants.