The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1910-01-20


itself felt through the District of Co
lumbia, through Maryland and well In
to Pennsylvania. Here 1t is still the
Christmas of the candlelight and OF
the blazing log, the Christmas of the
distinctive old England cheer.
II is probable that there has been
a Christmas tree in the White House
ministration excepting that of Theo-
dore Roosevelt. Old residents of
Washington say that even the bach
elor and the widower presidents had
Christmas trees to remind them Of
their own childhood, or to be used as
an attraction for specially invited chill
dren 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
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
Mawr. Like all other college students
who can make the journey home, the
presidents older children are with
their parents.
Christmas in the White House Is
very much like the Christmas in the
homes of all American families. When
there are children in the great colon.
tal 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 a home
day for the president and mis- 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 off 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 partaking with 1t undisturbed
of the Christmas cheer
1t has been said that there was no
Christmas tree at the White House In
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 strong advocate of the
preservation OF the forests, thought
that 1t was little less than a sin to
cut down trees and of necessity kill
them. in order to use them for merely
decorative purposes.
1t 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
he might as well keep IL, he put IL i'm
the closet off his room and there sur.
reptiously trimmed It, 1t is also said
that his father discovered the tree.
but the historians of the household
know. or at. any rate do not say. wb
pened then, and so the end of one ST
former Christmas tree celebration in
ecutive mansion must forever remain u
In this Potomac river section where
time Virginia Christmas spirit still dive
Is an openness about the holiday tina
the openness OF the Virginia home. p
but here the ready doubter probably "
pose objection-it is the transmitted
the old days still indwelling In the |
the inhabitants-the spirit of the cava
generally made too free with his mea
ward cheer, but with whose vices" cl
ways kept pace.
The war did not kill Christmas In
II survived battle and poverty and II Il
by and lusty today as it was in the
when the slaves brought the oak log
firing. II is the great feast of the s.
of the northern country which lies ad
the Mason and Dixon line.
Washington is on the dividing line
most things northern and southern,
Washington Christmas Is wholly of Il
The markets of the city are fat and
The marketmen sell and sell, and yet {
of Christmas things seemingly never
1T is the season OF game Washington
! day markets give the qusil and the car
the places of honor. while the chicken
turkey stay in the shadow.
1t may be. and probably is true. that
ducks no longer darken the water Of
Potomac with the close-fying flocks
mer years; 1t may be that the quail,
ginia partridge. numbers its kind by
where once 1t numbered 1t by thous
may be that the Virginia deer, the de
woods of eastern North America. Is {
ing; but no evidence of an approach
accomplished scarcity is to be foun
markets of the southern cities or in Il
of southerners who keep Christmas
forefathers kept 1t.
The Christmas of that part of Virgin
lies close TO Washington is still the {
of other days, but warning has CON
change. Northern capital and norther
lists are entering the state and the car
and tho hlazinp logs are giving Way 4,