The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-26
TOTS OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
FIRST STEPS IN LEARNING FOR
THE LITTLE CLEVELANDs.

How Ruth and Esther Say Grace.
Their Proficiency in the German
Languase-sOme Funny Anecdotes
in Connection with the Presi-
Dental Babies.
Copyright.
Washington. April 21.-Force of circum-
stances has compelled the little daughters
of the white house to take a vacation for
the past two weeks; for even these little
ladies cannot escape the malady that all
youthful flesh is heir to.
The general public has watched the
health bulletin of the Cleveland house
hold with some anxiety, and while Misses
Ruth and Esther are still the center
of interest. it may be worth while to take
a brief survey of the provisions which
have been made by the President and
Mrs. Cleveland for the mental health and
culture of their young daughters.
As everybody is aware the Presidents
family consists of three daughters, but,
as Miss Marion is as yet hardly nine
months old, her education has not pro-
crossed beyond the cutting of few teeth
and the articulation of one or two infan-
tile sylables, the Specification of which
is known only to nurses and mothers.
She will be one year old, the seventh OF
next August, at which date, it will be
remembered, she was born last year at
Gray Gables.
In comparison with her, Miss Ruth is
quite a grown up young lady. She was
born Oct, 3, 1891, at 916 Madison avenue,
Miss Esther is rapidly approaching
three years of age. She IS the one mem
Der OF the family who enjoys the d4stlnc-
ton of having been born at the white
house, an event which occurred on Sept
When the little Clevelands begin to cele,
brate their birthdays with parties and the
like those three successive months, Au-
gust, September and October, will be
busy time of year for some members OF
the family.
The little girls are naturally bright, and
the cruel stories which were circulated as
to a lack of intelligence in baby Ruth
as she used TO be called, are emphati-
cally denied by her teachers, as well as
by those who ought to know among
the friends of the family.
Perhaps the best description of the chill
dren can be gathered from a glimpse at
their kindergarten. This school is presto
ed over by Fraulein Bathman, of Boston,
who, by the by, is not over q, and ex-
tremely pretty and charming. She met
Mrs. Cleveland at Gray Gables nine years
ago, when the latter went there as a
bride. Later Fraulein Bathman left the
City of Beans to take charge of the white
house kindergarten.
The school work begins at in the
morning. Inc CABINET CnllQren ana a rev
others, such as those of Mrs. Mollie Gar
field-Brown and Chief Justice Fuller, are
admitted-ten or twelve in all.
Fraulein Bathman, it should be stated
here is a native German who came to
this country when about 10 years of age
and has grown up in kindergarten work
under her mothers teaching, so that she
is thoroughly qualified for her task. She
is assisted in the German songs and games
by the children's German nurse.
Miss Ruth, though only a little more
than hn I'D -
a child of IA. Most people think that
she is years of age. She is very lively
and never still minute. Inasmuch as
the tots have had German nurse for
four years, Miss Ruth can talk the Ian
guage of the Fatherland in a way that
would make Hoch Deutscher jump for
joy. Besides this, she can recite German
poems from memory, and knows by heart
the Twenty-third psalm in English
All the children have sweet DISPOSE
tons, but not without a saving amount
of temper. Ruth takes after her moth
er. She is the most easily managed but
quick, lively and mischievous.
Baby Marion is going to be Mrs Cleve-
land right over. She is said to be one of
the best babies ever born, and is devel-
oping into a very beautiful little girl
Here is the description furnished me by
a friend of the family: Miss Marion is
really a beauty, and is the flower of the
family. She has a lovely pink and white
complexion. and great, deep blue eyes;
she is growing every day like her NAM
ma"
The two older children have their
meals with their nurse, and both bow
their little heads and repeat together a
brief German grace. Then their heads
bob up again in the cutest way magma
BILE. presenting a most charming picture
The wife of a senator called at the white
house the other day, and this is the story
she tells me; The Cleveland children
made their courtesies but they are re-
firing with strangers. A funny thing han
pened while we were in the sitting room
Miss Ruth picked up a copy of the last
number of Puck. Then seeing the picture
Of the presidential chairs taking wings
exclaimed, as she put her four-year-old
finger on IL: oh, what a funny chairr
Then discovering the letters C. G buf
not recognizing them as standing for papa.
ON. what a funny man. The cofpanv
laughed heartily, but nothing more was
said"
About June / the Presidents family win
go 20 Gray Gables again. so far as can
be learned, there are no plans beyond this
which leads many OF their lmnediafe
friends 70 think that there rs nothing hi
Ne third term talk-at least So far Is