Putnam patriot., 1908-12-25


 NESSEE STYLE.
 shiver, shiver, 1 have no looking glasses but dwsrfs for this house nor a twentieth part of lamps enough 10 light it''
 With the families of the presidents cabinet and a few invited guests from Georgetown Mrs. Adams celebrated the first Christmas at the White House, but her letters clearly show that she was not entirely happy in the unfinished great house In the wilder uess,' and after four months she re turned to the family estate at Quincy, Mass, and during her husbands ad- ministratiOn did not return save on visits
 Thomas Jefferson's White House Chrstmases were truly after the lief fersonian simplicity" style. MT. Jeffer- son was a widower. and when he came to Washington in 1891 70 be inaugural cd as chief executive he rode horse back from his estate at Monticello un- accompanied by even servant. He was the first president to take the oath of office in Washington, and the recep- tion at the White House that evening was the greatest affair during his ad- ministration. He had four daughters. the eldest, Martha, presiding at the White House during her fathers sec iond administration. While Christmas had not hsen celebrated to any extent during the first administration. Hiss Martha made it exceedingly interesting after she kseame the first lady. Christ mas trees and entertainments of every kind wene arranged far the children. and in these the president would take part.
 terms--1 -1SO9- 1s17--as president, he and his beautiful wife. Dolly, did not spend oil of these in the White House. but it was a joyous Christmas each year for them. Mrs. Madison would not have 1t any other way. In fact, the eight years of MadisOn's administrA- ton wene the most brilliant as well as most exciting in the history q Ameri- can society. Before the British sacked and burned the White House in Au- gust. 1874. Mrs. Madison had fer i've years shown Washington folk hew to celebrate Christmas. ii was the bril- liant woman's pleasure to entertain rather to please her friends than to gain glory for herself. and each Christ mas was indeed joyous season for every Inmate of the White House. from the humblest servant te the president Mrs. Madison always invited many Of her friends te fhese Christnas eeiebra- tions. and during the holiday week there was aiwayss Ane evening Set apart fer the entertainnsnt Of her lft- tie friends. the childrsaL After the British soldiers Interrupted the morn ing breakfast at the White House and made bonfire of tho building the pres sdent took up his residence h the not ed Octagon house. where they resided for about two years and then moved to a resideite at the corner cf Nine teenth street and Pennsylvania avenue. In these two houses Mrs. Madison con- tinued to dispense Christmas cheer, but oa smaller scale.
 French methods of cooking and serv- ing dinners at the White House were nauguTatsd by Mrs. James Monroe in islT. when her husband became enief executive. and along with the Christ mas turkey. bakej in the "Oie sirsihy style, outlandish dishes came into vogue
 Although it is a matter of history that ia 1s26. about year after Johh Quincy Adams took the oath or once as president. congress protested against a biIi for billiard tables for the White House. declaring billiard playing Species of gambling and alarming to The religious. moral and the rejecting portion of the community" President Adams was not spendthrift. and II v1s difficult matter to get him 10 agree to Christmas celebrations He believed in great simplicity, and econ oiny controlled every action of his life. e2en to wearing one hat fer ten years. Le WAS notably The sisabbiest dressed Esan that ever occupied the White