Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-31
WHITE HOUSE FRoLlc
President Played With Si1
 Hundred Little Xmas Guests.
RoMPED WITH THEM FOR AN H0U1

ROMPED WITH THEM FOR AN H0UT
 Played "Crack the Whip" at . Chi1s
 dren's Party = Archie Roosevelt
 Danced an old Fashioned Break.
 down on Historic Dining Table--t
 Boys' Concert . Feature of ths
 Function.
 "Nursie, rub my tunmier, walled
 five-year-old who had eaten everythins
 from ice cream Santa Clauses and
 steamed oysters to red holly berries al
 the recent White House Christmas par
 ty, says Washington dispatch to ths
 New York World.
 Six hundred children, sons and dAugh
 ters of government officials, army and
 navy officers and friends of Presddeni
 Roosevelts family, were fhere Thf
 invitations read, From o'clock rnf1
 6:30." None was late. Some came irI
 carriages, accompanied by nurses and
 maids. Mrs. Roosevelt had mails ts
 straighten out girls curls and rear
 range girls clothing. while Stewart
 Pinckney performed similar service
 for the boys. s..
 Some of the children shyly wandsrs6
 about until spied by the Roosevelt chsI
 dren, who quickly made them feel az
 home. Archie Roosevelt soSetst s.zs old
 friends among the boys and aaid ta
 them, s'Now, you fellers must help u1s
 entertain" The shy and nervous quick.
 ly were put at their ease and taken zrs
 stairs, where the Marine band wss
 playing. The music stimulated the cnils
 dren, and soon all were playing ana
 romping about.
 Everywhere were lights, ChrisSmas
 greens, flowers and music Mrs. RooSe. velt greeted her little guests in thu green roona. wishing them all A merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Mrs. Roosevelt was surrounded by thu
 wives of cabinet officers Major Mc< l. United States marine corps, introdueed each of the little guests.
 After meeting Mrs. Roosevelt thks children went to the historic est room and at the door were givep a souvenirs a bit of cerise ribbon with J white button ins,cribedS "A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. z, Tn the east room the youngsters for an hour listened to music by a boys concert company from Chicago. Thera were, eleven numbers, and some Of fh5 younger children began to show signs of impatience. Refreshments will be served in the state dining roon1,D an usher annoutic- ed, but few of the children knew where | the state dining room was. Led hv Archie Roosevelt and his chums. how
 ever, they quickly found their way The big mahogany table, at which have been dined famous personages for. a hundred years, was decorated witl1'
 candelabra, holly and ferns In silver dishes were bonbons, fancy cakes and other good things to eat Four biz l Santa Clauses stood guard at each cor ner of the table, and at the end of tf8 room was the Christmas tree, which l had been dressed and kept as a sur | prise by Archie Roosevelt.
 The children were soon enioyine themselves, eating of everything of 1 fered. After the table had been clear- ed Archie Roosevelt hoped up on ths l table and danced an old fashioned
 breakdown, while his boon compau ! ions looked on and cheered- After Ieav< l ing the dining room the children forIn l ed little parties and scattered all oyer the mansion. Youngsters with candy gummed fingers made imy fessions on the walls, but nobody cared. Mrs. Roosevelt had medicines at hand. and whenever cry of pain was heard the youngster was taken in hand by Sur l geon General Rixey. who administered | to the overworked stomach.
 The older children began dancing in the east room while the younger ones
 had romp, playing games and 4e< ! ploring.' At the height Of the fun | President Roosevelt joined the young sters at play and romped with them l for an hour. sWhy, he's just like any other man. ] ain't hey' said one delighted child when the president was playing sscrack the whip'' with them.
 During the dancing in the east room many of the children fell because Of ! the exceeding slipperiness of the floor. l President Roosevelt tried to pick them up as fast as they fell, but they fell too fast. He had to call for aid. and l Major McCauley, with his clauk1ns sword, and many of the ushers assietz | ed him. Absolutely no restraint was put on the children. They had thor oughIy enjoyable afternoon.
 This was the first chlldren's party Qf any magnitude since the days Of F'res ,fd,snt Tyler. Fathers and grandfathers| | of many of the children present fcdav attended the fancy dress ball given in hcnor of President Tyler's granddal1gh | ter, Mary .Fairlie Tyler. Little AIiss | Tyler was dressed as Tftania, and So0 children were her guests. Mrs. CIeve land gave children's parties, but the guests included only the children of intimate friends Mrs. Roosevelt has given two previous children's parties. but the guests on neither occasion. | numbered more than thirty or forty.