The San Francisco call., 1904-03-13
PARTIES GIVEN
IN OLDEN TIMES
Remarkable One Which Was
Given at the White House
Some Thirt. Five Years Ago
CHILDREN WERE GUESTS
President Andrew Johnson's
Grandchildren Played the
Host With Great Success


So far as can be recolected there
have been only three entertainments
given at the White House of an en-
tirely Juvenile mark. These were the
fancy dress ball for children during
the administration of John Tyler. the
party given by the grandchildren of
President Johnson on Tuesday, the
2Sth day of December, that being the
siXtieth anniversary of the birth of
Mr.. Johnson, and the recent chill
dren's festival given by President
Roosevelt. This is, of course, fresh in
every ones memory, the other two
being far away in inches of the past.
On day of last week a represent
ative Of the Star was talking with that
venerable attache of the White House
staff, Doorkeeper Pendel. who has
been on duty at the inner portals al
most from that time when the MEM
ory of man runneth not to the con-
trary," about the Johnson grandchil-
dren's festival. There were not' so
many children present at that soiree."
said the old official, "as at the recent
SAAtNA ScNAlAlAASlll SlNSH ny NIL IbOOSC-
velt, but think the crowd of boys and
girls numbered at least 400, and they
had the finest fun ever had before in
all their lives. OF course, they have
all grown up to be men and women
now, for that delightful event hap
pened thirty-five years ago. The re-
membrance of it l will venture to say
fingers in the mind of every child who
was present and who is still on earth.
Alas!" he said, several of them have
in the long lapse of time since then
passed into another world, and nearly
all of the elder folk who were present
are dead"
Mr.. Pendels two children, Frank and
Ida, were among the guests at this fes-
tival, and the Star reporter was shown
the souvenirs they, in common with all
the children, were given before the par
ty ended. They were beautiful little
designs imported from France, and
each contained a bonbon Of some de-
scription. One Of them was a miniature
sailors hat of the style worn by young
ladies in that period, while the other
was a pretty rosette. They had been
carefully inclosed in a box and were in
d Ol pIeScINd
Danced in East Room.
The carpet in the great East room
had been covered with some sort of
linen crash for the children to dance
on, and this they did to their hearts
content. The dancing arrangements
were under the management Of Pro-
fessors Marini and Bates, who prepared
r1so
quadrille, polka, lancers and gallop.
Then followed an intermission, after
which the young masters and misses,
refreshed and reinvigorated by the de-
lights of the repast that characterized
the intermission, happily and hastily
lined up to again trip the light fam
tastic toe" as directed in the second
part Of the dancing card. This began
with a waltz and was followed in the
order named by the basket, esmerald,
'varsovienne, lancers, polka-redowa and
galop.
"The promenade" said Mr.. Pendel,
was really a beautiful scene, and the
quadrille which followed it was abso
lutely grand. All the children present
Joined in it, and the elder folks, a great
many of whom were present, looked on
with rapture at the eYolutions Of the
little ones"
The Grand COLLATION..
There was a. grand collation. served
in the State dining-room, which was
prepared by the old-time confectioner,
Joseph H Shaffield, and this, said Mr..
Pendel attracted much more attention
from the grown folks than it did from
the little ones, whose heads and hearts
were turned with dancing and merry
making generally. There were a num-
ber of newspaper men present" con-
tinued the old gentleman, "and they
were taken in charge by those two
magnificent men, the late Colonel Will
liam G. Moore and the late w. w.
Worden, both Of the Presidents staff
of secretaries. They took the reporters
down In the basement somewhere. 1
don't know how they treated them
when they got them off by them
selves" he continued, "but they kept
them dc wn below for a long time"
At this long-gone-by festival, which
was called Andy Johnson's" party,
because it was given by his grandchil-
dren in honor of his birthday, one fea-
ture attracted much attention. That
was the appearance of Mrs. Johnson,
the wife of the President, who was an
invalid. and this was her third appear
ance at a public reception during the
entire term of her husbands rather
stormy administration of the Presi-
dents office. The affair was also dig
nified by the presence OF many foreign
ministers, the members of the Cabinet,
Senators and members of Congress and
numerous private citizens.-Washing
ton Star.
A Queen as a Shopper.