Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23

~lIHq> Gu1,-,rsS 1stfauons, there are
HIiHH PHnW children in the house.
WI SlW hold, there is rather
H1 more of an event
made of the holiday
there than at a home
where there is not such a restraint upon
Its members. This will be Baby Ruth's
first Christmas in the White House. and
her first within the range of understanding.
Last year she was too little TO appreciate
why her world was so full of goodies and
this season her eyes are opening to the vast
resources Of Santa Claus and his treasure
bag. OF course there Is a venerable saint
on duty in the white mansion behind the
great fence on Pennsylvania avenue, and
he has large contract to fill the stock
ings there. Presents have been purchased
both in Washington and New York by
various members Of the household with a
suppressed eagerness that shows that the
Cleveland family intend to make this first
Christmas Of the administration a day long
| to be remembered.
The presence of the little baby will lend
an additional charm to the festivities. She,
of course. is not within the range that her
elder sister has secured in her aim of life
and will. this year. be somewhat of an un.
conscious factor in the proceedings. But
she Will not be forgotten, for it is under
stood that a tiny baby sock has been Sc
lected to be hung at the foot of little Es-
Tiers cradle, where she will find, with the
aid OF her grown friends, the next morn
ing, some pretty little gifts that she will
know in future years as those of her "nrst
Tismus'
When the Cleveiands We're in the White
House before, and there were no little ones
on the domestic horizon, they celebrated
,lx- a
exchange Of presents, which we beautiful
and costly. But now all is changed. ana
this year there have been mysterious whis-
pertngs when the babies We're around ana
solemn conferences when they were out of
sight and sound. and one of the rooms In
the upper part of the house has been guard
ed from Ruth's prying eyes as jealousy as
Blue Beard once protected his CORY cham
Der. The odor Of fresh pine boughs ana
the glitter of tinsel have been observed by
those favored guests who have been adj
United to these more sacred precincts of
the house, and there has been much TO re-
mind one of Christmas in the average
american home. But all these doings have
NOT peen spoken about for the President
u Mrs. cleveland do not like to have the
AFFAIRS OF their family printed at length
ana SO the fact that there is to be a glori-
GUS tree on the day of days has been known
only 70 few. Dolls that would make a
smut their eyes. dolls that talk In that ne
cuiiar patois that dolls have dolls thar
VIII 40 Tor any day, and dolls that must be
Sd sa'su Tor state occasions-ah, such dolls
as nave been struggled into the house be-
tween Ruth's winks, And sweetmeats by
the pound, and other goodies In profusion
ana toys upon toys. until the stores seem
ures.
Happy Day.
IL VIII De a glorious day, long to be re-
membered by the quaint little miss who
enjoys such jolly romps in the lawn back
OF the mansion. and with whose face the
good folks of Washington are beginning 70
be familiar as she is driven about with her
maid FOR the elders IL will be much such
Jay as they used to spend I'm the White
House before. There have been some very
handsome presents purchased by Mrs
cleveland herself. and she has sent away
,Sr o,ners oy good friends who have had
tne chance TO visit New York during the
month of December. Mrs. Lamont carried
a number of commissions when she went
over the last time. The President too. has
mad several costly gifts purchased for his
wife. but as he never goes out of the White
Rouse except upon state occasions or TO
pass 10 the train or to his country seat
ne mas mad no opportunity to do any per-
sonal shopping. This could hardly be ex
pected of the Chief MAGISTRATE who has
been one OF the busiest men of the country
throughout the autumn with the eravest
chasing by proxy, and there are some pretty
surprises tucked away here and there in his
own hiding places.
The White House Christmas shopping las
always TO be done with the greatest care
and circumspection, for Washington is f,,,I
or gossiping people whose ears are primed
10 eaten the first Whit of intelligence from
the Executive Mansion. Mrs. Cleveland
does not venture out in her victoria alone
very often, but usually has some one win
ner as she goes to the shops. During the
former administration, when she was the
mistress OF the White House. she was ac-
companied by her mother, but NOWADAYS
she has not been favored by that iady's
company. Mrs. Lamont. for whom She nas
great fondness, is often with her.
She shops fn New York.
Yet even so accompanied, there is always
crowd whenever she appears, for she is
well known by the Washingtonians. ana IL
Is with difficulty that she avoids becoming
the center Of throng. This is the reason,
largely, for the fact that most of the shop
ping is done in New York. There, owing
to the vast crowds that assemble in the
shops at Christmas time, Mrs. Cleveland
can pass almost unnoticed, and she far pre-
fers this to being stared at and followed by
women eager to see the cut of her gown or
to notice the style of her bonnet. or by men
who are glad of the chance to tell some one
else what a splendid woman she is
This year, on account Of the arrival of Es-
ther, Mrs. Cleveland has been unable to get
away from the city. Her purchases, as has
been mentioned, were made through friends
In Washington the White House goods form
the basis of much chat in even the high
social circles and often the fact OF what
Mr.. Cleveland or Mr.. Harrison has bought
for his wffe's present is known abroad be-
fore the President himself has realized what
has been done.
There is no 1ordly magnifcence about
these White House gifts for Christmas. The
CieVeiands are not wealthy, and their ex-
penses are made to accord TO their means
The President invests his savings from his
salary and has an eye out for that inevitable
day when there will be nothing in the po-
litical future for his acceptance So there
Is nothing assumed in this family that is
not really a fact, and the Christmas pres
ents are just what would be bought and
given were Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland not the
official occupants of the mansion. Some of
the presents that were given by Gen. Harri.
son to his wife were Of the most domestic
character, such as dainty bric-a-brac, hand.
some furniture, beautiful gowns and small
articles of a thousand and one sorts that
are sure to be given at every Christmas