The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-26

the President to which to look forward. Despite the fact that the President cam not take active part in the Christmas fes- tivities, all employees of the White House and the executive offices will gather, as usual, in the latter quarters and receive their presents. And the Sayre children. grandchildren of the President, will be at the White House. but will miss the usual Christmas frolic with MT Wilson. ! In other days, he was wont to cast off official dignity and natural formaiity to the extent of getting on the floor in the midst of the children and rolling with | them. There was keen rivalry on the part of the grandchildren as to who should take first turn in riding the horse into which the President had transformed himself.
 There is one beautiful custom in Wash ington which will be adhered to. The old
 horses, broken down in long serviNe. will be given a feast All animals in need
 Of food win be admitted to a certain large inclosure. Therein, they will find
 hay, corn, oats, fodder, and all other delicacies on which the ancient dobbin is lIroverbially wont to feed. Each season sees as many as several hundred horses and mules gathered together for sE en- | tire day, gathered together and doing nothing other than feeding the inner horse. Washington has always regarded ' it as strange that all other American cities did not adopt this custom.
 | The Presidents illness has made the children of Virginia who reside near the hedges just across the river, near the course on which the President formerly played golf. very unhappy. For since the | first Christmas that MT. Wilson occupied ( the White House, he has made there children a Christmas visit. He has all ways carried them presents. It is a
 rather unique story but one grown old in
 the retelling.
 The first Christmas Day that Mir. Will son speat in the White House he played
 golf on the Virginia side. En route. his I automobile sustained an injury. The chil- dred gathered around in a kind of awe, l for they were instantly aware thet the man in their presence was Woodrow Wilson of whom the world was just be- 1 ginning to talk. The President at that | time was not as familiar with small | children as he is now. And in the pres ence of the children, he, too, was a tritle embarrassed So for a moment nothSg was said. And than a ragged little
 urchin with round face and smiirg face broke the ice. The eye of the President. roaming among the children finally rested on the eye of little Johnny l Hayes, then 6 years old. And lftele lJohnny Hayes, having caught the Presi- dents eye did not drop his own. On
 
 reared back for a moment. for he was overcome by surprise. And then, recov- l ering himself immediately, he winked back. There was laughter on both sides and the children, assured of their wei come, trooped about the Presidents car. Friendships were formed and friendships l still endure to this day. Thereafter whenever the President passed the chil- dren he waved to them, and smiled upon them, and whenever opportunity ofYered spoke words with them. And every lChristmas he carried them presents, caf> Tried them and delivered them himself.
 Whiie the President will be unable te
 rixit these children this Christmas there
 lis no question but that the butler of the
 White House will go out to the Virginia
 side we'll laden with gifts for the Presl'
 dent's little friends.
 But as rule. Washington is lackins
 in the Christmas spirit which prevails lin other sections of the country, Ths is probably due to the fact that Congress well supplied with mileage, has taken it'
 departure, and with it taken much of thai (which contributes to the amusement ol the nation