The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-21
-. '''' 1N.'1T.N TINI<NINDN.
Gifts from Kings mud Queens.

| "Affectionately yours.
''I3E.NJAAlIN HARRISON"
Gifts from Kings mud Queens
When President Cleveland moved
into the White House for TN. seconJ
| time he brought with him little Ruth
ana thcn. two months before the next
! Christmas. had come tiny Esther SO
| the huletide after that happy event
iouhh TOUR little stockings in row be-
/ iorc the Christmas tree. and Santa
| Claus. after filling them. delivered to
/ the owners all kinds of costly play
| things. Just as though she were one
! OF their lit;le princesscs. the rulers of
tho great countries across the ocean
! showcred BABY Esther on her frs,
! Christmas with all sorts of costly
/ things. including six cloaks twenty
pairs OF chamois skin shoes twenty
WHITE dresses. dozen caps. n gorgeous
| christening robe. no end of knitted
socks. yard upon ward Of costly dress
| fabrics. rich furs, cradles. cribs baby
carriages. wonderful dolls all wonder
| iulIE dressed, tea sets ana TOYS with
! out number, which little Esther will
! inEly shared with her older sister
| Ruth, who mad been less fortunatclv
endowed simply because she had not
! heen born while her father WAS Presi-
| dent.
And on the last Christmas Eve that
the Clevelands spent In that finest old
! house in the land. old Santa Claus
Tor in the previous July tiny Marian
had been born at the Presidents home
al lIuzzard's Bay. And after tho Clcvc-
Lands left The White House two more
pairs OF soclIs-thosc of little boys
We're found on Christmas Eyes but
those Of Ruth came to be missed for
she passed away It. ;nc good place
who're every day is Christmas and
where hcr father now dwcls with her
Good Friend of Snntn Claus
the White Houses next tenants. the
MckinlcyS, brought with them no chill
dren or grandchildren, large or small
for they had lost both their babes long
before they came to live in the home
OF our Presidents However they had
tour young nicccS and cousins who used
TO make the winter holidays merry for
them. Mrs. Mckinley was continually
Knitting socks and things To he placed
IN santa Claus's pack for delivery AT
the homes of the many children who
knew and loved her She was one OF
Santa'S best friends in those days.
ihdnt Approve Of Nmn~ Trees.
The busiest White House Yuietide
since the war was that which fell lust
after the RooscVelts moved in with
their family of four boys and two girls.
All OF them still at the TOY age. save,
the eldest two-Theodore. Jr.. and Miss
Alice. Hut although more presents
We're brought down the eight big chim-
neys OF the old house that night than
in many years. and although ,,mra
stockings We're hung there In !, row
before the lire. St Nick Was Ire,tl,
disappointed because paua Honsevclt
would not allow him 10 bring a christ.
mas tree for The little ones This v,s
because the new President had IN, no.
ton that he must discourage yha1 h,
called the wanton destruction Of small
evergreen trees at Christmas time. nm
Mr. linchot the eovcrlinent's CHIEF
forester sided with Santa Claus and
showed how iudicious Christmas tree
cutting did the forests good In many
places so during the second winter
the Kooscvelts spent i'm Inc White
House old Kris conspired with roguish
Archie to give The family a real christ
mas tree And after the presents had
all hcen distributed I'm the library ac-
cordins TO tho Roosevelt custom this
Young spritc took his father by the
hand and. leading him to an old closet
opened IN" door upon little Christ
ii!''S tree al studded with miniature
electric lights and hung with presents
Tor an members OF the family After
ne PRESIDENT had finished laughing (
~ Afchie's prank. lie took tho children /
'"to IN" ifIncc or Wales room I
where 'h"Y found real electric train !