Though every endeavor was made to have the President's marriage private, and hence one has scarcely a right to make public any of the arrangements, some of the persevering reporters have violated the proprieties by pushing in, and "gathering for the public" what it was desired by those the most interested to keep from the public eye. In this way that has become public property to which the public had no right. We give therefore an account of the floral decorations at the marriage ceremonies, abstaining from any criticism thereon, because it seems unfair to publicly comment on what was desired to be a private matter:

" The decorations of the Executive Mansion tonight were of an elaborate character, and, in the language of one of the oldest employees, 'it never presented a handsomer appearance.' The various public gardens in the city, and many private conservatories here and in other cities, contributed their choicest plants and flowers to lend their beauty and fragrance to the scene. Of course, the Blue Room, where the ceremony was performed, occupied the principal attention of the decorators. Their work was certainly well done. It was transformed into a veritable bower of beauty. A stately group of tall exotic plants extended along almost the entire south end of the room, concealing the windows and the south doorway, and rising to within a few feet of the ceiling. The larger plants included Eugenias and Arecas, and among the smaller ones were crotons, mar-antas and aspidistras. The foliage plants were interspersed with a large variety of flowering plants, such as the medinella magnifica, begonias, hydrangeas, roses and late flowering azaleas. To the right and left of the main entrance, from the corridor, were two groups of flowering pelargoniums, fuchsias, orchids and palms. The centre plant in each group was the royal Phoenicophorum sechallarum.

On the right and left sides of the room were also two large groups of plants in full bloom consisting mostly of roses, begonias and hydrangeas. Two large kentiae balmoreamis in these groups, with their long leaves, formed an arch which stretched almost across the room. In the hearth under the east mantel was a floral arrangement representing a cheerful blazing fire. It was composed of the Begonia rubra and lan-tanas. The floor of the hearth was laid in mosaics of color made by althernantheras. On the mantel above was a solid bank of cut pansies in various bright colors, in which was written with white flowers the date of the occasion, 'June 2, 1886.' The letters were bordered with black pansies, and the edge of the mantel was formed of the golden selaginella. The west mantel sustained a solid bank of roses, in which none but the choicest were used, commencing with the delicate pink at the ends and growing darker and richer towards the centre, where was interwoven in white moss and hybrid roses the monogram ' C. F.' The space immediately under this mantel was banked with a variety of crotons, astilbe japonica and the golden selaginella. The two large mirrors above the mantels were draped and festooned with garlands of mixed roses.

The doors leading to the room were also festooned with heavy garlands of roses in different distinct colors, thin at both ends and thicker toward the centre. Over the main entrance from the corridor was a beautiful floral scroll in which the motto 'E Pluribus Unum' was interwoven in immortelles.

"The decorations of the private dining-room where the wedding collation was served were also of an elaborate character. The main table decoration was a full-rigged three-masted ship, composed of pinks, centaurea, egana, roses and pan-sies, displaying the word ' Hymen.' It rested on a mirror representing a lake, the shores of which were composed of different varieties of selaginel-las and tiny pieces of coral. The surrounding land was represented by banks of General Jacqueminot roses. The national colors hung from the main mast, and two small white flags, with the monogram 'C. F.' in golden letters, hung from the other masts. At either end of the table, resting on mirrors, were handsome vases, containing long-stemmed hybrid roses. The mirrors were festooned with asparagus tenuissimus, interspersed with loose roses. In the corners of the room and in the windows were groups of palms, crotons, caladiums and some plants in bloom. The four handsome sideboards were suitably decorated with the choicest foliage and flowering plants, and the mantel was a solid bank of roses.

" The East Room and the Red and Green Parlors were decorated in the style usual at receptions and state dinners. The East Room presented a particularly grand appearance with its groupings of tropical plants, masses of exotics and brilliant illuminations. Festoons of smilax were gracefully suspended from the large chandeliers, and beautiful garlands ornamented the four pillars, upon each of which was conspicuously displayed a large floral shield composed of choice white and red roses, violets, chrysanthemums, etc., representing the national colors. To the usual decorations of the main corridor were added four astra groups of palms and foliage and flowering plants".