grand buffet table, in the middle of which is a magnificent floral centerpiece of orange tulips. On each end in large silver bowls are imposing topiaries, each five feet tall, made of alternating layers of lemon leaves and tangerines.

Draping the famous portrait of Abraham Lincoln and the marble fireplace is a boxwood garland intertwined with amber crystals, amber glass balls, and white and gold lights. On the mantel are vermeil containers, echoing the vermeil sconces and chandelier, filled with orange French tulips. Carved into the marble below the mantel are the inspiring words written by John Adams to his wife and designated by Franklin Roosevelt as the White House Prayer:

"I pray Heaven to bestow the best blessings on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."

 

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