The Jackson herald., 1909-12-23

son of the south makes
tself felt through the District of Co
nmbia, through Maryland and well in
Pennsylvania. Here II is still the
Christmas of the candlelight and OF
he blazing log, the Christmas of the
distinctive old England cheer.
II Is probable that there has been
1 Christmas tree In the White House
u every holiday season in every ad.
ninistration excepting that of Theo'
lore Roosevelt. Old residents of
Washington say that even the bach.
,lor and the widower presidents had
christmas trees to remind them Of
heir own childhood. or to be used as
an attraction for specially invited chill
fren guests.
President Taft's youngest child.
Charlie" is OF Christmas tree age
and inclination. Both the president
and his wife are young in heart. and
The Christmas tree has always had a
place in their holiday merrymaking.
The presidents two older children,
Robert and Helen. are in college, the
one at Yale and the other at Bryn
"it"As LINZ dll bAltI Nbutbt EAhuthNo
~ho can make the journey home. the
presidents older children are with
their parents.
Christmas in the white House ia
very much like the Christmas In the
homes OF all American families. When
there are children In the great colon.
tai mansion stockings are hung up.
and the expectation and excitement OF
Christmas eve are just as great as
they are in any of the humber homes
In the land. Christmas Is home
day for the president and his family
All business is given over. and the
White House clerks and employees. to
say nothing OF the cabinet officers and
the senators and representatives who
make daily journeys to the presidents
Office. know that on Christmas day OF
all the days in the year the president
wishes to throw of the cares OF state
and to have the same privilege that
any other American citizen may have
the privilege OF enjoying his family
and OF pqrtaking with It undisturbed
of the Christmas cheer.
II has been said that there was no
Christmas tree at the White House 10
the holiday seasons when Theodore
Roosevelt was president. There were
SIX children In the Roosevelt family,
all OF them of Christmas tree age
when the colonel OF Rough Riders be.
came president. There were always
happy times at Christmas in the
Roosevelt household, but the Christ.
mas tree was barred because the pres.
ident being n strong advocate of the
preservation OF the forests, thought
that II was little less than n sin 10
cut down trees and of necessity kin
them, in order to use them for merely
decorative purposes.
II is said that on one occasion tbs
youngest boy OF the household had a
tree give nhim, and thinking that in.
asmuch as 1t was already cut down
ne might as well keep it, he put It in
the closet of his room and there sur.
reptiously trimmed 1t. II Is also said
that his father discovered the tree.
but the historians of the household
know, or at any rate do not say. VIII
pened then, and so the end of one ste
former Christmas tree celebration in
eCutive mansion must forever remain M
In this Potomac river section where
time Virginia Christmas spirit still dwell
is an openness about the holiday that
the openness of the Virginia home. Pc
but here the ready doubter probably W
pose objection-it is the transmitted 4,
the old days still indwelling in the h
the inhabitants-thes spirit of the cayal
generally made too free with his NEAR
ward cheer, but with whose vices" ch
ways kept pace.
The war did not kill Christmas in
1t survived battle and poverty and 1t is
py and lusty today as it was in the
when the slaves brought the oak logs
Gring, II is the great feast OF the so
of the northern country which lies adj
Che Mason and Dixon line.
Washington is on the dividing line
most things northern and southern,
Washington Christmas Is wholly of tn
The markets of the city are fat and d
The marketmen sell and sell, and yet tn
of Christmas things seemingly never
1t is the season of game. Washington
the rule of New York and Chicago
day markets give the quail and the cam
she places of honor. while the chicken
turkey stay in the shadow.
II may be, and probably is true. that
ducks no longer darken the water of th
Potomac with the close-nying flocks
mer years; 1t may be that the quail.
ginia partridge, numbers its kind by h
where once 1t numbered 1t by thousa
may be that the Virginia deer. the dee
woods OF eastern North America. is fa
ing but no evidence of an approachin
accomplished scarcity is to be found
markets of the southern cities or in the
of southerners who keep Christmas 6
forefathers kept IT,
The Christmas of that part of Virgins
lies close to Washington Is still the Oh