The Washington herald., 1911-12-23
SHOPS
ANIDBUSY CROWD;
BUYS MANY GIFTS
Joins Shoppers and Gazes in
Store Windows.
SEEMS TO ENJOY 1T, TOO

With the candor and enthusiasm of
schoolboy, the President of the United
States, on his second shopping tour,
yesterday afternoon gazed into the bril-
liantly decorated windows of the shop
ping district, strolled slowly in the
kaleidoscope holiday crowd. and re-
turned to the Executive Mansion at
dusk filled with the spirit of Christmas
cheer and carrying an armful OF pres
ents for relatives and friends.
MAI. BUTT As GUIDE.
Accompanying President Taft was Maj.
Butt. who, blase shopper that he is,
guided the Executive footsteps, picking
the best places wherein to buy, leading
the way to the most beautifully deco
rated windows, and otherwise indicating
| his knowledge of the downtown district.
The big White House automobile, spat-
tered by the cold December rain that
was falling. glided swiftly down to
Twelfth and streets northwest, where
the President and his aid-the former
clad in a heavy fur coat and the latter
|
ped out and started through the shop
| ping district
President Tafts first stopping place was
| a leather goods store. where he pur-
chased novelties to be received by a per-
| son or persons unknown at the present
| time. They were ideally lovely Christ
| mas presents. shining with FURNISHED
silver. and undoubtedly of the greatest
value to the happy possessor who knows
what TO do with them. After the Pres-
| dent had purchased these trnkets, Mai.
| Butt led the way to a book store, where
| the President asked to see various new
works. Among those that were
shown him was Col. ROCseVelts story OF
| his African hunt. President Taft pur-
chased a Copy-whether for Brother
| Charles or not was not asCertained.
Several other books, mostly volumes of
poetry. We're pure hased before the Presi-
dent and his aid sought the crowded
! street again. This time the President
began his leisurely inspection of the shop
! windows.
| His two trips for Christmas presents
have been the Presidents first venture
! into the shopping district for months.
! When last he walked in F street. It was
/ during the hot days of almost denuded
windows and tired looking civilians. When
! he walked in street last evening even
! his robust physique hardly saved him
| from being swept along in the eddying
current of Chattering, laughing, happy
| humanity.
Greeted by shoppers.
The President confidentially remarked
to his aid-though. of course. he can't be
quoted on the subject-that his excur-
sion down town was one of the hap
| piest incidents of his life in Washington
| in several months.
Wherever he went a score or more of
| shoppers lifted their hats with the CHEEKY:
Merry Christmas Mr.. President"
| And the President replied in his jovial
! Santa Claus way. No one attempted to
hold him up" and indulge in a button
| hole conversation on tariff or Tripoli.
He was accorded the respect due a
! President. but he was. after all. but one
| of the merry Yuletide throng that was
going a hundred different ways and do
| ing a hundred different things.
! The President, with his purchases, ar
rived at the White House door not long
after I o'clock and sighed regretfully as
! the thought came that the holiday trip
was over. He may fare forth again to-
| day. He has not said yet whether he will
| or not.
Quiet Family Celebration.
President and Mrs. Taft will give
Christmas turkey TO each of the 100 or
more married employees OF the White
House. The distribution will take place
at noon to-day, which is a government
half holiday.
The White House Christmas will be a
quiet family celebration. In the morning
he President and Mrs. Taft will attend
church services. The President will do
as little work as possible, and there may
be an automobile ride in the afternoon.
The Christmas dinner will take place at
the White House at 7:3O o'clock in the
evening. There will be no outside guests
Charlie Taft has returned from school
in Connecticut, and Robert Taft, who is
student at the Harvard Law School,
will reach Washington to-day. There
will be no Christmas tree at the White
House. but both the President and Mrs
Taft have heen doing a good deal of
shopping. and there will be the usual ex-
change of gifts.