Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-22

thousands of poor children got their Christ
mas dinners. She organized a Christina,
cup, TO which the richest children of Wash
inston belonged, and Joined with her in max.
ing presents and in giving dinners to the
poor. i wonder If there will net be such G
tnlng this ysar. Frances Cleveland, Mollie
Villas and Pauline Whitney, with other girls
dined 1000 little children in this way on
Christmas eight years ago.
But that was eight years ago. How time
does n.y. said Santa Claus, as he threw his
great fat leg across his knee. "Now Frances
Cleveland is a mother and has children of her
own. Little Pauline Whitney has grown IN
and married, and her own good mother, who
made S. many others happy, has passed on
to that land where life is one long Christmas
day"
WITH GRANT AND HAYES.
Here Santa Claus dropped off into a doe.
His head fell slowly back until it struck
the pack which he had hung upon The chair.
He jerked 1t forward with a start, and as
his eyes flew open they caught those CT Mrs.
Hayes, which were kindly looking down from
out of a gold frame on the wall. Old Santa
blew a kiss up at the picture and went en-
talking to himself.
There is a woman who knew what Christ
mas was. She made this house merry
every year that she was in it, and she glad
dened the homes of others. Every Christmas
she bought forty turkeys and gave them to
the poor. She had her Christmas treas, and
the day was made merry with fun and games
fer the children from daylight to dark. /
liked the Hayes boys, too" Santa Claus
unused on. They were healthy fellows, and
they did not put en- airs. 1t was the same
with those Grant children. Fred and Buck
and little Nellie. What a crowd they were
and how they did make the old white house
ring. General Sherman used to come here
Christmas night, and Grant and Sherman
Joined with the childrei in their games, the
grizzly Sherman always watching the mistle- |
toe. and claiming a kiss from every pretty |
girl who CHANGED to come beneath 1t. /
liked Sherman. He loved Christmas. |
His heart was always young. He laughed
and cried when he was the nation's hero as
easily as he did when ! first filled the blue
knit socks which he hung up for me 50
many years ago in his Ohio home"
My" said the Brownie. what a lot you
have seen, Santa. When did you first come
hsre?"
oh" answered Santa Claus, II do not
Ike to say. 1t makes me feel so old! 1t was
when a red-haired, freckled-faced, blue-eyed
nan named Jefferson was president, now al
most 100 years ago. He had no little chill
iren, but his married daughters often came
o see him and brought their babies with
hem. l remember one bright Christmas day
when there were six young children here.
DOLLY Madison, whose husband was then In
he cabinet, presided at the Christmas dinner
nd the babies. who had less collie then than
INV, SluHeu tHelT StOHldcnS WIN CRANBERRY
arts, roast turkey, mince pies and molasses
andy.
Dolly Madison was also a staunch friend
I mine" Santa Claus went on. "She gave
0 much on Christmas that she was almost
Santa Claus herself. For sixteen years s
he was the mistress here, for she managed
he white house during the days of Jefferson, r
S well as when her husband was the presi-
.nt. She was, ! think, the ~prettiest and .
ne kindest mistress that this white house :
yer had. Her hair was black as let. her =
yes cerulean blue and her cheeks were as =
'sy as those OF that china shepherdess which =
there on the tree for little Esther.
he wore a gray silk turban, though she was {
Quaker girl, and her parents dressed In b
alb" II
WASHINGTON'S CHRISTMAS. II
How about Madam Washington? p" said
% Brownie, 'and little George. who never o
Id a lie?" b
Little George grew big long before this l
'use was built" was Santa Claus reply. e
md George and Martha never lived a night u
thin 1t. Their Christmases, when George In
As president, were spent in Philadelphia. h
ew York or at Mount Vernon, and the
were all made to the Custis babies. OF
: General Washington had, you know, no a
ildren of his own. 1t was on Christmas
y in 1873 that Washington came home.
Ter the English were defeated and peace m
On that day he took of his mill III
y clothes anu put on the garb OF a private 81
zen. The uniform he kept. The coat Ri
d breeches you may see in the National M
scum, ana the very stockings are preserved do