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Show TAFTS CELEBRATE ' SILVER WEDDING THOUSANDS ATTEND RECEPTION AND CONGRATULATE COUPLE WEDDED QUARTER CENTURY. President and First Lady of the Land Greet Guests cn Lawn at White House, Many Standing in Line For Hours to Extend Congratulations. Washington. The silver wedding celebration of President and Mrs. Taft, the second to be held in the White house, came to an end Monday night with the reception on the White House lawn. Invitations had been sent to close to 12,000 persons, and while the official offi-cial count of those who shook hands with the president was not given out, it is estimated that at least 5,000 persons per-sons were present. Probably never in the history of the nation has such a function been held in Washington. The diplomatic corps, the United States supreme court, the senate and the house of the representatives, repre-sentatives, the departments of the government, the men who are high in political affairs of the country, the army, the navy and almost every walk of life were represented. The cards said that the reception would begin at 9 o'clock, and promptly at that hour, to the strains of the wedding march, the President and Mrs. Taft walked slowly down the staircase of the White House, preceded preced-ed by the six presidential aides and followed by the cabinet. Out through the Red room to the rear, down the broad steps to the lawn the procession proces-sion marched, where hundreds of guests already on the grounds watched watch-ed their progress. They took their stand about the center of the lawn, beneath two trees, the branches of which were joined in an electric sign flashing '1886-1911." The guests entered by the east front, passed through the corridors of the White House and out to the lawn. Down the winding walk they passed in two lines to where the president, nia face wreathed in smiles, was waiting to meet them all. The reception was just as informal as the 'president could make it. Those who could waited in line for hours to shake hands, but many slipped out ol the line and sought the shaded walks, the chairs waiting on the grass, or wandered at will through the lower floors of the mansion.. The presents, that numbered in the hundreds and whose money value ran high into the thousands, attracted many, while others oth-ers turned to the east room, where, the polished floor echoed to the tread of the dancers. Preparations had been made for 5,000 guests, and the refreshment tables ta-bles in the dining room came as near groaning as a perfectly good table can come. The president and the members mem-bers of his family, with the cabim and the aides, were served on the east terrace, but the guests found their refreshment "m the state dining room. Mrs. Taft surprised even those familiar fa-miliar with the improvement in her health which she has shown by remaining re-maining by the president's side in the receiving line all evening. She wore a gown of white satin, brocaded with silver flowers with a court train. |