The Washington times., 1918-01-28
PRESIDENTS
FAMIL Y PASSES
EVENING ATHOME

An interesting pen picture OF the
White House on a quiet evening Is
given by Stockton Arson in the New
York Herald. He writes in part as
follows:
THE outward physical aspect OF
the White House in the evening is In
calm contrast TO the rattle and roar
and glare OF the neighboring streets.
The house Is remote from the high
way, encompassed with a park sur
rounded by an iron-fence. the many
gates closed, at each gate a policeman
Within, a soldier sentinel without.
From the post lights OF the front
gates to the huge lantern OF the
portecochere the graveled driveways
sweep In long crescent curves through
q space unlighted except when moon
beams are filtering through the retic-
ulated branches OF the elm trees,
oaks and syCamores. In that same
soft, silent moonlight the house takes
an added quiet dignity, for it's archI-
lecture has an affinity for moonlight,
as has a Greek temple.
OF Early Architecture.
Fortunately, the house was built
before America forgot what their
colonial ancestors knew about come
~ architecture, knowledge which
strangely lapsed in the middle period
OF our nationality, but, happily. was
recollected again in the last few de-
cades. The proportions OF the White
House. the long, simple lines. the
white walls. white porticos and white
columns, are always rewarding
sight to the lover OF beauty. but new
er more so than when the friendly
moon Is working its unobtrusive
magic. High power electric lamps
light the front entrance with brill
liancy befittinE public building,
BIZ the windows OF the second story
p. with a mellow inner light, a
C. .nestic light.
The household life within Is very
domestic. II H. ) o'clock OF an even
Ing. The family has dIned and gone
upstairs TO the oval ROOM large,
with massive furniture upholstered In
rose color, but the cal living room
OF the family, and LIAde costly livable |
by a hundred intimate touches, of
books and family pictures, and friend.
~ oil lamps on the tables, and
CHEEKY wood fre cracking on the
hearth, and, above all, by the human
occupants in the simplicity OF a life
as domestic as any in America.
Perhaps, and most likely, the |
President himself has had to leave |
the circle for awhile and 20 into his |
adjoining private office (hIs public I
office is outside. in the Executive |
Building) to read and sign some
papers (such momentous papersD or
to talk with a Cabinet officer over q |
private telephone, or (thIs more rare
ly) to hold a personal interview with |
some member of his official family, |
an interview made necessary by some |
sudden turn OF critical affairs.
But so soon as he can no will |
rejOin the family in the oval room, |
to chat with them or to read aloud |
from some book, perhaps a new book |
whose wisdom and pcrtInency have |
appealed TO him, or perhaps an old |
book, some favorite OF earlier days |
when life ran more evenly through |
the sheltered streets OF Princeton, be. |
fore events transplanted him, and |
before the world burst in tempest |
about his ears.
Needles Steadily Click.
whether he Is reading or con-
versing, the women OF the family |
are busy with their incessant knit !
modic intervals, stolen moments from |
other duties. they have |
but the evening Is solely |
dedicated to knitting. In the evening |
Is the business anything |
else an interruption BusIly the |
amber needles click and cross and |
whip the gray yarn into form and |
soldier comfort, into sweaters, he'll |
NETS, wristlets and socks. II there |
il any pause in the knitting IT is to
discuss in technical language some |
Intricate problem OF stitch or fit.
The Presidents head has been |
used more than once for a model OF
of an Abstruse helmet |
problem. The Presidents hands are |
utilized for holding yarn |
which must be wound into balls, fem
mime hands being too much occupied |
for such secondary servica.
"Other women less informed than |
Mrs. Wilson may have been temper