130 WITH MR. CHAMBERLAIN IN THE 



the Diplomatic Corps. The event was most bril- 

 liant. The White House was in gala dress for the 

 occasion. The Blue Room had its mantels covered 

 with floral mosaics, and the window-ledges were 

 banked with blooming plants, poinsettas and azaleas. 

 The company gathered downstairs fully a half hour 

 before the hour for the reception to begin. When 

 the receiving party entered the Blue Parlour, they 

 passed through a double lineof well-dressedhumanity, 

 which filled the vestibule and overflowed into the 

 East Room. The diplomats were having a general 

 convocation in the Red Parlour, admiring the 

 splendid court dress of Mr. Preston, who wore 

 gold embroidery to no end, and the Chinese 

 Minister and suite, who, in addition to their 

 usual attire, wore elaborate gold-embroidered pic- 

 ture pieces in the middle of the back of their 

 outer tunic. 



In the Blue Parlour quite another scene was tran- 

 spiring before the entrance of the receiving party. 

 There were there grouped Mrs. John M. Wilson, 

 Miss Waller, Mr. and Mrs. Westcott and Miss 

 Gardner, of Boston ; Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Vilas and 

 Miss Vilas ; Mrs. Sloane, of New York, daughter of 

 the late W. H. Vanderbilt ; Miss Johnson, another 



