Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-28

side as the visitors arrived and were
presented
When the clock in the hall was heard
striking 9 she advanced and with a COM
placent smile said. THE general always
retires at nine and I usually precede
him upon which all the guests arose.
made their parting salutations and with
drew.
x ::
The President was much pleased with
his first New Year in New York and asked
II such observances were customary. He
was told that it was usual in continental
Europe to make visits of felicitation on
the first day of the year and that this Gus
tom. brought to New York by the Hugue-
nots and Dutch, had always been observed
there Whereupon the President said.
THE highly favored situation of New
York will. in process of years. attract
numerous emigrants, who will gradually
change its ancient customs and manners,
but. whatever changes take place. never
forget the cordial and cheerful observ-
ance of New Year day
Madison, who was present at this Tecep-
ton. was so charmed with it that when
he became President he Immediately in
augurated the custom. The first New
Year reception took place in the White
House in 1910. and there has been one on
the first day of every year since that
date. No matter what the condition of
the country, whether war and pestilence
prevailed all was fair throughout the
land, the latchstring of the White House
has always been out on New Year day
and the President has stood ready to
greet his fellow-citizens and the foreign
ENJOYS resident at his capital.
The rpcpntiou nf 1911 iaII. hr;T
liant Washington Irving, then at the ze-
NTH OF his fame, was among the callers
He wrote to a friend in New York apro-
pos of this experience that the President S
lady was "a fine. portly. buxom dame.
who has a smile and pleasant word for
everybody. Her sisters, Mrs. Cults and
Mrs Washington are like the two merry
wives of Windsor: but as to Jenny ali,
poor JENNY He is but withered little
apple-John."
Lord Francis Jeffrey. the famous
Scotchman. the father OF newspaper edi-
tors. who came over to America to marry
an American girl declared that the Presi-
dent looked like "a schoo master dress
ed up for funeral" No matter how
ne looked. the withered little apple-Joh
and his Dollie were graciously hospit-
able and left many pleasant memories
behind them. After the White House
was burned by the British. the Madisons
still persisted in receiving on New Year
Octagon House. the home of John Tayloe,
who offered it to them as an asylum;
and another in a house on III street, OPP
posite Lafayette Square, now occupied
by the Cosmos Club.
= !.
The Monroes were punctlious III fol
lowing the customs established by the
Madisons and like them received on New
Year day. At that time only the chief
officials of tine government. the dipo
matte corps. personal friends and men
and women distinguished in literature
or the arts We're expected.
1t was not until 1924 that the doors
We're thrown open to the general public
and the reception took on the character
it has since borne. The Marine Band
began playing at these receptions in 1922
and from that time no White House re-
ception has been considered complete
without their famous uniforms. The
winter of 1925 surpassed all that pre-
coded it in brilliancy- Stratford Canning
was the British minister, while France
was represented by Baron de Melville.
The Marquis de Ia Fayette was a guest
of the nation and the election for the