The Washington herald., 1912-12-26
CHRISTMAS DAY
ISOBSERVEDBY
RICH And POOR


the White House but little yesterday
The afternoon they spent making calls
and returned in the evening only for din,
ner and a few moments at the tree
party, being invited to the dance Hiver
by Mr.. and Mrs. John z. Reyburn al
their residence, in N Street Northwest
The tree was set up in the Blue Room.
Dinner over, the lights on it were flashed
on. disclosing beautiful evergreen that
reached nearly to the ceiling. 1t was
illuminated with many tiny electric bulbs
and was decorated with the usual tinsel,
glass ornaments, and candy canes -'he
presents were not hung on the tree, but
We're placed on a table at its side, and
from there were distributed to the de-
lighted children.
Secretary of the Treasury Franklin
MacVeagh was acting President in the
absence of President Taft.
Other members OF the Cabinet who
were in the city dined at their homes
with their families. Secretary of State
and Mrs. Knox We're at their summer
residence at Valley Forge, Pa, with their
children and grandchildren; Secretary
of the Navy Meyer was hunting
in North Carolina, and Postmaster Cen
erai Hitchcock, following his custom, has
gone to visit relatives in Boston. Secre-
taries Stimson, Fisher, Nagel, and Will
son, and Attorney General Wickersham
spent the holiday season here.
Except for mail clerks, carriers in the
city post-Ofice, employees engaged in
emergency work at the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing, and a few mem
bers Of the stan Of the Library OF Con-
gress, Uncle Sans shops were deserted
yesterday. The governments business
came TO a halt at noon Tuesday, not to
be resumed until this morning.
Sights in Streets.
Avenue sights were splendidly Christ
masian. Some Of them, indeed. were, per
sonal if not popular spectacles, and they
were Of high philosophic value in the
speculative school, at least, as showing
that little John Albert, in his red top
boots. which even Santa Claus could not
crowd in his stocking. but had to lay
upon the floor was matched by Pepper
or Rubber in his new rnings.
Upon the bouleyards-any pathway Is a
boulevard on such a holiday as yesterday
and in the street cars and in resplend-
ent automobiles even, themselves claimant
ly new, there were enough new things 10
have satisfied the Athenians. who are
related to have much affected what they
had never tried out. Palpably new tires
which fairly spat color; discomforting
new gloves which warped unwilling I'm
gers into a kind of fish-hook stiffness,
awkwardly new walking canes which mis-
chievously tripped their unwonted owners
or poked innocent bystanders in their
Christmas dinners; di 'couraglngly new
shoes - disconcertingly new things OF
every sort and description were worn
bravely forth by woefully harassed per-
sonsc inclined after all to hold their chins
in smiling thoughtfulness and wonder II
there might not be something in this santa
Clausian theory.
And whether this blazonry of newness
had a philosophic value or not, II was
mighty interesting. 1t was one Of the
most human incidentals Of Christmas
Day, and it was apparent everywhere
Just as the people were everywhere o.
tn, streets, where the snow, save wheIs
II was ground and trampled into dirty
blackuess; in the parks and circles, which
lay white and resplendent; in the the
alters, the cafes, the hotels, and, II one
might have had a peep, in the homes
where the real sacred fire of Christmas
burned with steadiest, sacredest flames.
1t is not to be wondered that Mr.. and
Mrs John Dough and their neighbors,
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Rough. forgetting
chance animosities of the past, required
and acquired new holiday raiments for
themselves and the little Doughs and
Roughs and hied them in and out of their
hCusetrees and smiled and bobbed at
each other the whole livelong day.
In Police Courts.
Even the courts of law, into which the
police turn their gatherings Of offensive
Indebtedness, were somewhat enlivened
by the spirit of Christmas, and their
honors, from the bench, were pleased, II
was remarked by those whose business
or diversion it was to see the shadows
man has cast upon the years brightest
day. to address to defendant appropri-
ately cheerful words regarded as COM
porting well with a holiday leniency o
sentiment.
Both the District and the United States
branches of the Police Court convened at
earlier hours than is usual. and shortly
after 10 O'Clock they adjourned. In the
time they were IN session, the reaction
from Yuletide enthusiasm was noted i
considerable number of cases on both
made upon charges of drunkenness, dis
orderliness, and petty thefts. Some of
the defendants to the charge of drunk
enness were let free on their personal
recOgnizance, and upon all there was a
tendency to be easy
Besides the pCSt-office only three gov
eminent buildings were open Yesterday
the Library of Congress, the Nationa. |