The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-26
ALLOBSERYEHOLIDAY
Yuletide Brings General SuS-
pension of Business.
QUIET DAY AT WHITE HOUSE
President and His Family Go 80 the
Home of Admiral COyyIes for the
Christmas Tree - Mr.. and Mrs.
Roosevelt VIII leave for Pine
Knot Tomorrow Morning.

There was general suspension Of pub
JIG business in Washington yesterday. in
observance of the Christmas holiday but
the Presidents secretary and several
clerks worked at the White House for
an hour or two in the morning. The
executive departments were closed, and
President Roosevelt went to his Office for
only a few minutes.
1t was strictly a family day at the
White House The President and all the
members Of his household. including
Representative and Mrs Longworth, as
sembled in the library after breakfast
and the Christmas gifts were exchanged.
There was no Christmas tree, but ac-
cording 20 the custom OF the ROOsevelts,
they went to the home Of Rear Admiral
and Mrs. William Sheffield CoWles in the
afternoon. where the children enjoyed a
Christmas tree. Mrs. CoWles is the
Presidents sister Mrs. Roosevelt and
her children returned to the White House
about O'Clock, but the President went
out for a long walk The weather was
the coolest Of the winter in Washington,
and there was a brisk wind from the
northwest that suggested icebergs and
Billiards. The President did not return
until after O'Clock.
Dinner at the white House.
The President and his family dined at
tho usual hour Of 7.45 o'clock, in the state
dining-roOm.
Mr. and Mrs Roosevelt win leave early
rr- HaF~ ~
place at Pine Knot. Va. where they viii
spend several days, returning here IN time
for the New Years Day reception at the
White House.
Like the President, the members Of the
Cabinet circle spent their Christmas Day
within the family circle. The Secretary
Of the Treasury and Mrs Shaw and their
daughters comprised the family dinner
party at their apartments ia the Airing
ton The two sons of the Secretary Of
the Navy and Mrs. Metcalf are in Cali
fornia. and they had a single house
guest. Miss Bowles. Of San Francisco. and
few personal friends TO dine with them
Informally.
The Vice President and Mrs. Fairbanks.
the Secretary Of State and Mrs Root. the
Secretary Of War and Mrs. Taft, the
Postmaster General and Mrs. C0rtelyoU,
Hitchcock. all had their families with
them. The new Attorney General and
Mrs. Bonaparte spent their day in their
Baltimore home
Secretary Wilson Alone.
Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson's
daughter is stil abroad, and there are
no other members Of his family here.
The Secretary Of Commerce and Labor
and Mrs. Straus are scarcely settled IN
their new home, and they are not ready
for entertaining Their SeH Roger is here
for the holidays.
The British. Austrian, German, Brazil
ian. French. Mexican. and italian em-
bassles. and the legations representing
Catholic countries all had Christmas trees.
All Churches Celebrate.
washington in general spent Christmas
in the time-houored style. All the
churches. no matter what thei~ denom-
nation. had made special arrangements
for the celebration OF the day. In the
Catholic churches. especially, most elab-
crate programmes were presented. That
the true meaning Of the day was not lost
in the general rejoicing was shown I'm
the way in which the various benevolent
societies. whose work was carried on with
the funds Of generous Washingt0nians,
succeeded in lifting, if only for a short
time the burden of the poor. While Mr..
Householder. clad in his newly acquired
smoking jacket was smoking his newly
acquired pipe and wondering how long il
would be before he could sit down 20 hS
Christmas dinner. members of these char
liable organizations went 10 the homes
of the needy, ministering 10 their wants
The Ladies of Charity. an organization
connected with St Patrick's Church
parish. distributed to rs families boxes
containing turkey. chicken. and all that
goes with a real Christmas dinner.
All Of the Knight Templar command
cries OF the District of Columbia cele-
brated at their headquarters at high noon.
toasts being drunk and responded to by
the members of the COMMANDERS. Greet +
ings Of the season We're afterward ex-
changed between the Sir Knights This
is the first ceremony Of its kind that has
ever taken place in the District OF Co
lumbia. All the Communicates were well
attended
Quiet at Hotels.
Christmas NJ the hotels passed quietly,
some said more quietly than on any holt
day fin several years Each Of the cara
vansaries spread special menu for its
guests, and there was the usual exchange
Of gifts among the clerks and various
employees. Regular bo3rders also entered
into the spirit OF the holidays. and re-
membered chambermaids, bellboys. eIe-
vator boys. and porters with generous and
suitable gifts.
At the Willard and the Shoreham the
day passed without incident or attempt to
specially celebrate.
At the Arlington, the night clerk stated
that the house had q greater number Of
guests than on many former Christmases. /
but the day reminded him more OF sun
day than a worlds holiday.
Similar reports were given at the
Ebbitt and the Riggs-th8t the day passed
ff, an ti7,ucrsIIy ulIior manner