Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-12-25

"-lHE Christmas life OF the
IH9 It'll national capital centers
NM around the white house!
IIE9AsN-j and the legations.
INHVSllt The executive mansion,
If&SGE1I in the past, has witnesseds
NT$I notable celebrations OF the
~ annual festival, held I'M
- III der the auspices Of many
presidents and their families.
Last year, however, the first Christ
mas passed by President Roosevelt IN
the white house, signalized the return.
after some years Of absence, or one o.
the most essential features Of any true
Christmas celebration-the presence or
children.
From the end of President Cleve-
lands second term, up to the first 26th
Of December which found Roosevek
president, the white house had been
destitute of children. Mr.. and Mrs. Me
KinIey had no family, and for that rea-
son their Christmas-keeping lacked
some Of the peculiarly characteristic
features of the seasons merry-making.
OF course there could be no tree, NJ
Juvenile games or joyous ebullitions.
! Last Christmas all this was changed.
with the advent of the Roosevelt's.
What was done then is fair forecast
Of how the president and his family
provided that our energetic president
may not possibly take it into his head.
! at the last moment, to go for Christmas
to his private home at Oyster Bay, L.
I. It is quite probable, though, that
the Roosevelts will consider Christ
mas at Washington this year to be the
most desirable thing, not only because
Of tradition, but on account OF the com-
fort and novelty they will be able -
| ivn hniv
proved and remodeled edition or tho
historic mansion.
While last Christmas was a real one
at the white house, with the indispen-
sable adjuncts Of juvenility and jollity,
one great thing was, nevertheless, lack
ing-the Christmas tree. This may
seem very much like playing Hamlet
with the title role omitted, but there
was q reason for it which will not
exist this year. There was no room
then for the tree, but now that tho
mansion has been converted into
dwelling-house exclusively, and the or
fetal staff accommodated in other quar-
ters. the Christmas tree can dominate
and dazzle without feeling in the least
crowded.
Last year the Roosevelt children had
their tree, but it was held at the near
by home of their relative. Commander
Cowles.
! It is amusing to recall that younger
Roosevelt children-Kermit, Archie,
J EtoheI and Quentin, got up conspiracy
with their fathers messenger, Pinck-
ney, to pilot them out to the country
md help them to bring home a tree.
Finally the Cowles arrangement salts
fed all concerned.
The first Roosevelt Christmas at the
white house cannot very easily have
differed much in its program from that
to be carried out this year.
Before breakfast the president and
HIS family met in the library. Over
j night it had been agreed that every one
in the house-including servants
, !, should hang up a stocking, and next
morning. when lie stockings were ex-
amined, no one was disappointed. On
Christmas eve, at Commander Cowlee'
house, the president astounded the fam
, lily gathering there by appearing a.
. Santa Claus in rough riders uniform.
, But he had the genuine white beard.
and the legendary fiecks OF frost and
snow on him, and 1t subsequently de-
veloped that he had also The presents.
;, The morning meeting in the white
!. house library was followed by the in
I spection of the contents of the stock
g ings, which hung in the sitting room.
Then came breakfast and after that
= church. Miss Alice Roosevelt received
her girl friends on the landing Of the
8 broad staircase at the west end OF the
5 building, where, in an fmprovised re-
: ception room, she gave them tea. One
of the funny incidents which enlivened
the proceedings of the earlier day was
2 the discovery that Archie, the irrepres-
Z sible, had anticipated the surprise OF
y the stockings by a strategic recon
8 noitering movement over night.
! The Christmas tree at the Cowles
residence was set in a real lake with
: messy banks, upon the waters of whicI
played the reflections of a marvellous
arrangement of electric lights repre-.
I senting variety Of brilliant devices
/ including firef1ies, ETC., these being
strung together by master mechanical.
: hand, and having been originally con.
structed for former Roosevelt tree.
|. At noon on Christmas day business
: had been suspended in the official cir
5 cles of the white house.
q Outside of the celebration of Christ
mas at the executive mansion, there arr
always seasonable festivities at the va
, rious legations in Washington. Ever
: the Chinese, japanese and Corean EN-
bassies have in recent years entered in
r to the spirit Of the joyful time. A
e the British embassy is always the idea
II observance Of Christmastide.
THOMAS DONNELLY.