Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25
President, in Blue Bath Robe,
Raises Window to Hear Sing
inu of Christmas Waits.
LANTERNS LIGHT PLAYERS
OF TROMBONE AND CORNET
Streets Crowded With Belated Shop.
pers and Revelers.
TURKEY CARRIERS RESPECTED
Bachelors Make Merry in Their
Clubs-Plans of Administra-
tion Officers

christmas waits-the real old English
waits. carrying lanterns and trombones
and hymn books in the true fashion OF
the Noel OF the older days-marched Sc
cretly upon the White House just little
before midnight las. night. The sound of
their carol. -'Adeste Fideles." awoke
PRESIDENT Taft. who came to a darkened
upper window in a blue bathrobe and
shouted out his Christmas greetings.
The waits were all boys and musicians
from the choir of st. Paurs Catholic
church. All tod. there were a dozen or
to Tie President with as much sweetness
and igor and unconcern as if they were
practicng under the watchful eye and
ear of their leader E I. Winchester.
All in a Quiet Hour.
Ii was some time after the theaters had
closed tier doors for the night and the
!heator parties had all turned for home
- for gay restaurants, where the spirit
o. Christmas was imprisoned in menu
form, when the waits started for the
White House. The President himself
lad been TO the theater and had returned
home about 1o:3O O'Clock.
The stores had all closed and tired
salesgirls had struggled on toward their
own little Christmases. The streets were
getting cold and emrty.
1t was just that hour when folks are
take Christmas by the hand and give 1t a
jolly welcome WREN these little choir
boys started across Lafayette Park from
the north side
Every one Of them had lantern. Every
lantern was lighted. The trombone play
srs and cOrnetists carried their instru-
ments under their coats--in the true FASH
ion OF the old English wait.
The procession with swinging lights
struggled across the park and not a soul
Pennsylvania avenue. On the south side
two or three struggling. belated shoppers.
with arms full Of packages, fell in behind.
The rear Of the procession was brought
up by an old colOred man with a. Dig
sprig of unsold mistletoe. He wanted to
see the fun.
The cornetists and trombone players
unswung their instruments at the west
.ate of the White House grounds. There
was a shuffiing in the leaves of music
books and then the cold and crisp air Of
Christmas eve-almcst Christmas morning
was laden with the martial sound Of
that gold Old Christmas song. "Oh. Come
All Ye Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant -
They were marching in irregular fash
ion right up the curving drive. y police
man on duty In front Of the house rushed
uron the waits with q Mortified express
sion.
His arms were raised in the air. He
was shouting. Go back: You can't do
that hero!'
but somehow even a policeman can't
spoil the Christmas carols of really en-
Z Si9c G
l,.re awed for a bar or two. The cOrnet
lost bit Of its tenor for second.
Some one whispered to che Mortified pO
hceman. He grinned, fell in behind the
procession and walked on.
Taft, in Bathrobe, at Window.
The waits lined up under the porch and
rang at the foot Of the White House
steps. In the middle OF their very first
G,ce God Save You All. Tis Christ
mas there was noise OF an opening
window.
Sure enough. from the dark recesses
a.; tie room right above the front door
there appeared the blue-bathrobed figure
Of tie President of the United States.
lie waved TO The boys. and shouted
something that was lost In the sound of
their Christmas song. Then the wind
hegan to blow, the lace curtains bent
inward. and the window was closed for
the space of two more Christmas glees.
hut the President stayed right there all
the time, smiling.
The last glee. 20. Holy Angels" was
30 beautifully sung that the President
raised the window again. When the
boys were through with it the President
waved his hand, as he leaned in his bath
robe far out the window.
Merry Christmas. boys" he shouted
Thank you very much"
tho h.;
lanterns and moving of to the road
wav. aKa'n shouted:
Merry Christ mas, Mr.. President
Christmas Eve Crowd.
christmas eve descended on the
streets of the city as night fell with
all its unmistakable signs of approach
ing holiday making. The signs of
Christmas eve are errylooking folks
carrying big bundles along the streets.
going in pairs and threes and fours. and
even larger groups.
Their faces last night showed that
,ley had the Christmas spirit- Even
dad, who pays the bills. and who, ac-
cording to Jokesmiths and cartoonists,
OF year-even he had his Christmas eve
smile.
There were thousand. Of people on
T street last night. That thoroughfare
IS generally quiet after nightfan, but
IT was the busy little mart of trade
last night.
1t was made a pretty scene with the
many ladies in their furs. who came
downtown and went back uptown again
laden with packages. bundles, fiowers.
holly. mistletoe and wreaths Every one
of these ladies carried a Christmas eve
smile.
Everybody Gives and Takes.
In . long walk down street Won
could have seen lots Of jostlinK and
treading on other peoples rishts-and
lcfts, too. But no one seemed to get
cross or hurt. II was Christmas eve