Evening star., 1921-12-25
Tales of Well known Folk
In Social and Political Life
Charlie Taft's Famous Christmas Tree Recalled
White House Yuletide Feasts- -Viands From
United States Sent to King of England

Of the historic mansion have brought
to it families youthful enough for
such time-honored merriment. Three
years ago, President Wilson's second
daughter, Mrs Francis Bowes Sayres,
brought her children down from
Massachusetts, and some little cousins
were asked from distant parts, and
Santa Claus ran riot. dressing a huge
fir tree and still having good things
enough to overflow on the moor and
windows embrasures.
Many can recall the exploit of Char
lie Taft, now grave young pater
familias himself, who being told ne
was too old for SUCH amusement, got
q tree on his own account. decked IL
out and invited his special friends
nearly all the policemen thereabout,
several newsboys and a few firemen
who became Charles pals when he
lived up on X street when his father
was Secretary of War. This was
unique occasion and stands out in
trees.
Young Quentin Roosevelt and the
indomitable Archie had trees several
times, once out in the south grounds,
when the ponies. dogs and other iour. r.
beneficiaries. Mrs. Cleveland had =
big decorated tree the last Christmas
Of her residence in the mansion, ana
this was perhaps the most ornate and
conventional in the records.
The Grants and Hayes made great
time at Christmas and had trees and
every other sort of pleasure for their
children and the little folks OF ON
cialdom. and it is interesting to learn
that Mrs William Howard TAFT, then
Helen Heron. in her early teens, was
al n4Ftv
given by the Hayes in 1877, and
helped Mrs Hayes. whom she called
Aunt Lucy" deck the tree. There
were a number of dearly beloved chill
dren in the Benjamin Harrison ad-
ministration, the children Of the
Presidents son and daughter. Russell
Harrison and Mrs. Mckee.
1t would be exceedingly interesting
to know which President introduced
the turkey as the proper game Tor
tho Yuletide banquet. All the Chief
Executives considered roast goose
the proper fowl, while a few liked a
tender sucking pig roasted to q
golden brown and served with a RED
apple in it's mouth and stuffed with
chestnuts and savory spices: since
tho war between the states there are
records of turkeys Of monstrous size
being presented to the chief execu-
tive at Thanksgiving and at Christ
mas, but before that period the Presi-
dent evidently foraged for himself
and bought a turkey. goose or a
small pig, as he determined.
Martin Van Buren,, VINO mas lei.
such chatty record in his Diary OF
the customs, when he was Secretary
of State for Jackson and when occu-
pying the White House. tells OF tax
ing Christmas dinner with John For
syth Of Georgia, and Of the delecta-
BILE food from tho south which ne
was offered-opossum in rich sauce
and beaten sweet potatoes. roast duck
stufred with oysters. and . marvellous
game pie. AS national dishes, turkey
and mince pie had not peped above
the horizon. for everybody tnought tne
proper dessert for ceremonial occa-
sions was sueut or plum puoolnS'
with abundant conserved fruits from
the West Indies.
King George and Queen Mary and
their large family circle will partake
of Britain's traditional ViVands i0t
dinner today. but this country WIN
Contribute a much-appreciated portion
NJ the dessert. A recent item in the
shipping news announced that the
satiinr vessel Orleane. from the port
of New Bedford, Mass. had landed
her cargo at Gravesend, harbor OF
London, and that she carried a oarrel
Of Nswtown pippins. for their maJes-
ties at Windsor. Ever SINCE CnaIiss .ss
Francis Adams, then minister to the
Court Of st. James, presented queen
Victoria with a barrel Of these de.
liehtfuI apples it has been part OF
the routine Of Christmas to serve
them on the royal table with the nuts
and raisins and to distribute the re-
mainder Of the barrel among the
household retainers. These Newtown
pippins still come from the Adams
estate, and each succeeding genera
ton since the distinguished originator
of the gracious act has considered II
a duty to continue the custom. The
present head Of the family. another
of tho New York Yachting Club. and
visits London frequently. Some years
ago, while Edward VII was reigning,
he met the present king. then Prince
Of Wales. Mr.. Adams confessed that
he was Of the clan who furnished the
NsWtown pippins, whereupon the heir
Of the throne confessed t.. 70 . srsaas sa
how his august grandmother always
kept several for him and distributed
them throughout the holiday season
Those thousands Of Americans who
Fs'd: srsst to bs in,sa
the early Christmas service at st.
Martins in the Fields. For this II
the parish church Of Buckingham
Palace. and on this day their majes-
ties and the entire court attend the
break-of-day religious function and
tho congregation, on entering tho edi-
nee. It may be imagined that = seat
in q pew il q favor priced above
rubies, and not frequently conferred
on the stranger. Col. and Mrs. Har-
vey will, however. attend and hear
al 80 xHA
the best trained in London. st. Mar
tins has been the court church since
the days Of James I. and 1t was from
that church that te stern cove
nanters sent q priest to comfort
Charles before his head was chopped
off. On all other days save Christ
mas the court attends religious serv-
ices in the chapel Of the palace, but
on the great day the parish church
receives the ruler OF the nation and
all his family with ceremonies which
date back nearly a thousand years.
Natives Of te keystone state find the
Church Of All Hallow in Barking an
appropriate spot for the Christmas
piety. for In this venerable structure
the founder Of their commonwealth,
William Penn, was baptized. and the
tablet which announces that fact has
further information which makes ex-
cellent reading on the feast, for it
the brotherhood Of peace, a law-giver
and q lover Of humanity, and his
motto was IT shall not usurp the
right of any nor oppress his person"
The Marquis Giovanni visconti-
venosta. secretary general Of the
Italian delegation to the international
conference. is a member of one Of the
great historic houses Of Lombardy
and ono Of the most entertaining Of
the foreigners now In Washington.
He was among the heroes OF the bat
ties fought in the high mountains
which separate Italy from Austria.