The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-11-28

YAK 49,
diplomatic corps decided not to ap-
pear in uniform, but none the less
it was expected that the assemblage
would be brilliant one Though
men were TO wear the conventional
afternoon frock, for weeks that have
preceded gowns and toilettes have
been planned with minute care by
the feminine guests for the cere-
mony of an hour
The program had been mapped
out to the final detail, the White
House attaches fixing each-,part Of
it with the eXactness characteristic
of functions at the executive man
sion.
High officials and relatives were
to enter at the north front, but the
guests generally were to come in
at the east entrance through the
glass conservatory decorated with
ferns and palms and revealing
through big windows the south
oiouiiuo VIII tiC iouiiJotlil anu lJdit-
an pools, the hedges and shrubbery
the exquisite garening of years
From the conservatory to the main
staircase leading up to the east
room where, daily, hundreds of tour
lists are permitted to promenade,
where the busts of celebrities and
the tea chests and relics of tradi-
tional history are gathered was
staff OF ushers to assist the guests
with their wraps.
Picture of Grandeur.
The east room as it was prepared
for the wedding was q picture of
grandeur. The three crystal chan
deliers with their pseudo-candle
lights were to be but halfilluminated,
spreading a dim but suffused light
over the gold trimmed walls with
their cream colored piiastere their
huge vases and mantels of colored
marble. The walls of the east room
are covered with wood paneling, the
ornamental ceiling is done in stucco
and set in the walls are twelve low
relief panels, their subjects from
| Aesop'S fables. The window drap.
cries of heavy yellow silk damasll
were hung loose today and the
shades drawn. At the east end OF
the room facing the treasury build,
/ ing there is series of four windows,
| broken by piers. 1t was in front of
these windows on dias banked with
| flowers that the wedding ceremony
was to be performed
The windows were draped with a
large lambrequin of old gold plush
with curtains on either side Wher.
ever there was a loop or wherever
the overhanging borders of the lam
! brequin joined, there were large
ropes of smilax and punches of lilies
In front of these windows a plat
form approached by two semi-cir
cular steps had been erected The
platform itself was covered with a
rug, and Immediately above the
steps was a kneeling bench uphol
stored in white cloth, tied with white
satin~~ribbons and filled out with
bridal roses and lilies. Behind this
with just enough space for the Off
eating clergyman to stand, was q
mass of palms and smilax with g
great bunch of lilies.
Everybody Was to- Stand
Everybody was to stand on the
glistening parquette floor, for there
are no chairs in the east room ex
cept on rare occasions, at musicales
The so-called official guests, includ
ing members of the cabinet, the>vice
president and the speaker of the
house and their families, the justice:
of the supreme court and the diplo
matte corps and their ladies wer,
to be grouped in the southern hal
of the room, while the guests gen
orally were to stand in the northern
half with the immediate families o
the bride and groom in the aisl
between, surrounding the dais afte
the bridal party had reached TIL
, floral bower and improVised altar
Two ropes wound in white SAITH
marked the green carpeted aisle.
!, Looking down the main aisle from
, the dais, the green carpeting me
the red rugs of the long corrido
: which bisects the lower floor @
: the White House leading from tn
state dining room to the east room
3 and bordering the trio parlors-th
red room, the blue room and tn
s green room. The United States M;
+ rine band grouped behind palms wa
Y to occupy part of the great r,
. ceptlon hall of marble floor an
e bufftinted pilasters.
Y At exactly half past four oclocl
t the President and Mrs. Wilson wer
G to descend the main staircase frol
t the family apartments, proceedin
e to the state dining room, where I'll
i bridal procession was to be forme
e Mrs. Wilson and the members of tt
i two families were to be escorte
through the parlors to the southel
end of the east room and finally ,
e place just in front Of the din