Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24

mosphere of homelike hospitality which
made guests feel warmth of friendly
welcome in the days of Martha Wash
ington and the inimitable Dolly Madi-
son still pervades the great Colonial
room when the President and his lady
entertain.
At the dinner to the diplomatic
corps last Fall "a covers were set, and
it was necessary to extend" the off,
Cial board around three sides of the
room.
Let us take glimpse at the room
dressed up" for the party and waiting
proudly to be admired by the distin-
guished company soon to gather there:
Myriad lights CLEAN. reflected in SPAR
king glass, on cleaning gold and fine
porcelain; the whole multiplied and
thrown back from the mirrored surface
of a rare old gold plaque which, with
the gold service, came to the White
House during Monroe's time.
Flowers exude a delicate perfume
from every side-a trail of beauty down
the table center; in bowls on a wide
buffet, nodding from tall vases on a
slim-legged table in the corner Orchid
and pink, the color scheme this eve
ning-star-like orchid chrysanthemums,
great SNOWFALL blossoms of the same
shade-pink rosebuds raising lovely
heads to a portrait of Calvin Coolidge
hung on the west wall; maiden hair
fern mingling with the blossoms in
fresh expectancy. Palms banked in
the center of the room, the table sur
rounding them. A fairyland of beauty.
The places are set for seven courses.
Snowy linen napkins, each with the
official crest embroidered in one corner,
lie in the service plates. They're using
the Wilson plates tonight. The heavy
sterling silverware which has served
through many administrations was dip
ped in gold many years ago. So the
array of knives, forks and spoons har-
monies with the gold-bordered china
| and gold service dishes. Water goblets
stand alone, their comrades of another
| day relegated to the discard by GER
| tain Mr.. Volstead. Graceful gold bas-
| kets filled with fruit add a splash of
color to the table here and there. Gilt
chairs are drawn UP, uniform in ap-
! pearance with the exception of two
| high-backed period chairs (part of the
regular state dining room set) placed
/, on opposite sides of the table in the
, exact center for the President and Mrs.
| Coolidge
There was time when seven courses
would have been but the beginning of a
administration, we arc told, the Official
dinners usually ran about IA courses,
while during Van Burens several of the
| affairs stretched out to 81, doubtless
counting each vegetable and meat
separate course. 1t is appalling to think
| of the number of dishes that somebody
had TO handle with care in serving one
of those dinners
Even today. when such sumptuous
! winning and dining as our forefathers
| INDUCED in are things of the past and
| people feast with more moderation and.
from health standpoint, greater wis
dom, 1t requires between 600 and 900
dishes to serve the average state dinner.
while approximately 1900 were used for
| the SeVen-courSe meal set before the
diplomatic corps this past season.
1t Is one OF the duties of Miss Ellen
H. Riley at the White House to see that
all of the china is kept in order on the
pantry shelves and to keep an eye on
the supply to make sure that everything
which might be needed is on hand at
all times. When pieces of White House
china are broken it is her task to make
a note of this After her report has
been received in the Office of the direc-
tor of Public Buildings and Public Parks
steps will be taken to replace them II
they are necessary to the discharge of
the White House social duties.
X y
WHITE HOUSE entertaining and
w White House furnishings have long
been subjects for general discussion and
often unwarranted criticism, as well as
not little debate IN the houses Of Con-