Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-20

| "~"~~
~ hrxrN pictures and figures cut
| ont of the comic and
other illustrated papers.
| When Baby Mckee and
Mary were in Indianapolis recently the
| chief executive, acting not in an official
but in q grandparential capacity, forwarded
for their delectation several patches of such
thrilling tales On Christmas day, however,
the batch Of bear stories now in readiness will
be related orally to q small listener on each
knee.
1t is proposed by the President to give up
the day altogether to the amusement of Baby
Mckee and his sister. On the night before the
biggest Christmas tree that can be found and
purchased by the steward of the Executive
Mansion will be set up in the library of the
White House, which now is used bv Mrs, Har-
rlson and Mrs. Mckee for sitting room. Mr.
Arthur, when he was President devoted this
room to official purposes exclusively, receiving
tnere the Senators and Representatives. When
Mr.. Clevelend came in he continued to so util-
lze the apartment, even after his marriage But
Mrs. Harrison having a considerable family
and very little space to crowd it into. immedi-
ately took possession Of the library for the pur-
pose mentioned, which is the same that IL
served during the Garfield administration and
before. 1t is very handsome ROOM indeed, sur
rounded on all sides with shelves full of books.
and the ladies as well as the babies find it a
most comfortable place to spend the mornings
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Here the tree will be. 1t is unfortunate that
no Christmas tree that ever grew could posi-
bly, sustain upon its loaded branches more than
small portion of the toys and other things
which Baby Mckee and Mary will receive as
gifts There will be presents sent to them from
all parts OF the country, so that the playthings
they get will be enough in number to supply
| literally small town full of children. But
many OF the gifts Of the smaller sort as the
tree will hold will be attached to the boughs
| by Mrs Harrison, Mrs. NICK 20 and the Presi-
| dent, all OF whom will participate in this i'm
portant ceremony. There will be candles, as
| ments, OF which Mrs. Harrison has large sup
ply LETT over from former years. Some candy
| toys Will likewise have part in the festooning.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
Mrs. Mckee is going to buy a copy of that
famous old poem, "The Night Before Christ
mas" to read to the children before they go to
bed on Christmas eve. They have been taught
to believe firmly in Santa Claus, though they
too little as yet to be very much excited abont
the approaching festival. There seems to be a
notion in the public mind that they are de-
| cidedly older and bigger than is in truth the
! case Benjamin Harrison McKee-known to
| fame as baby McKee"-is barely three years
oiu, "uuc LIS SISTER MARY Is only TWO years OF
age. Benjamin is a sweet little fellow. blonde,
with very light yellow hair. Usually he wears
white killed skirts of simple muslin, with shirt
waists to which the skirt is buttoned on He
says very cunning things sometimes. The
other day he was shown by Mrs. Harrison n
picture of himself printed in a magazine and
taken from a photograph that was made about
| year ago. He looked at it attentively for a
few minutes and then remarked, with much
gravity:
That's me, grandma, when was Baby
Evidently he considers that he is quite grown
up now and regards the epithet as no longer
| applicable.
Mrs. Mckee does not believe much in CANDY
for babies, and the children will not be allowed
much more than gumdrop or two and maybe
| very few marshmallows, which little Mary
Lodge Mckee thinks are her own appropriate
sugar plums. She always calls them marsh
marys."
| WHAT SANTA WILL BRING.
Some things the children have been already
promised by Santa Claus, in response to their
own particular requests. Mrs. Harrison ia 60
| ing to give little Benjamin tricycle.. The
child is remarkably fond of machinery and de-
| lights in nothing else so much as going to ma
chine shops and being shown around Another
| present for Benjamin from his grandmother
VIII be some building blocks Of new kind
| His sister Mary il to have several dolls, es-
pecially rag doll. with which she can bang
| her brother playfully over the head il she likes
without injury to BENJAMIN. Also, she will get
pretty doll dressed like milkmaid, as well as
| tin COW that mods with its head.
| Both Benjamin and Mary will hang up their
stockings for Santa Claus to fill. The rest of
| the family will not go through the formalitv of
hanging their stockings up. but those of the
two children will be suspended alongside the
west corner room Of the White House on the
| second floor. President Arthur used this room
| for dressing room. When Mr.. Cleveland
married it was transformed into a boudoir for
his bride. Now the babies have it. They are
| cared for there by German nurse maid. and
incidentally they are learning to talk the Ger
| man language.
| THE WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS PARTY.
The President and his family will take break
| fast at about $50 o'clock on Christmas morn
| ing. The Christmas party will consist of Mr..
and Mrs. Harrison. Mrs. Mckee, little Benia-
min. little Mary. Private Secretary Halford and
the Presidents father-in-law, DR.. Scott After
breakfast the President will devote himself to
| a romp with his grandchildren. He will assist
with the building blocks, have some imaginary
dainties cooked for him in the toy kitchen, ad-
mire the dolls and assist in dismantling the
tree. When these resources for anu sement
have been temporarily exhausted he will relate
some of his new bear stories. The family will
not go to church and Mr.. Harrison will give mn
the day entirely to fun.
At o'clock lunch will be served and after
that it is likely that the sports will take the
form OF pillow fights between the President and
the children, this being favorite form of di-
version at the White House. incidentally, Mrs
Mckee will probably read some small seIec-
tions from James Whitcomb Riley's poems, of
which Benjamin and Mary are extravagantly
fond.-particularly one entitled ''The Ragetty
Man"
Before dinner. weather permitting, the fam
lily will take drive or a sleigh ride. Dinner
will be at o'clock and will be quite en- famille,
| although invitations may be extended to q very
| few old friends who are staying in town. For
dinner, Mrs Harrison says, they will have
turkey. with vegetables, and plum pudding and
pie for dessert, with some fruit. That may be
| regarded as an example Of republican SIM
plicity, since the President will dine Christmas
day on what every one else in the country has
| to eat After dinner the tired babies viii be
taken in charge by the German nurse maid
and the rest Of the family will be likely to 90
to bed rather early also, inasmuch as they, too,
will presumably be somewhat fatigued with
play.