Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25
tie House Through Years Has Reflected Nations Christmas


memorable occa sion. because the en-
gagement of Alice and Mick" Rad
recently been announced. and every.
body was enjoying their evident hap
pircss.
Some delightful tales are told on
Zig Fill Taft" and his Christmas ad-
ventures when his turn came az head
Of the Nation. On the morning Of
Christmas eve. 1910. Mr.. Taft vas
busy In the extcr:.ys oTices with i'm
portant callers. His secretary came
in and whispered something in his ear.
and the President smiled his famous
smile.
Bring them in" he instructed, and
got up from his desk. The secretary
did as he was instructed. and ushersd
in three scrubbed and shining netvs.
boys who had come To wish Mr.. Taft
merry Christmas. They were the
boys who served the White House
with its local papers. The President
returned their good wiehoe and one
Of the boys. Drawer than the others,
told him they were COED boxerz. AMI
sometime they would come in TO box
for him if he liked.
That will he fine" said the rre.i.
dent. good-humnredly. What do you
Eb%rE or DITn USfEP
/ "Either.' said the boyg and vert
out with satisfaction written all over
/ their frectiee
| That same day Taft gave 1o2 fine
| turkeys To the married members Of
| :ie White House staff, and 10 the
/ single men who had no hungry
/ mouths 70 feed other suitable gifts.
/ Bnt the best moment 81 the day
| came when Christmas had Just turned
/ the corner. AT the stroke Of midnight
little band ~ singers debouched on
/ inc White House grounds, with trorr.
! bones and hymn books in true wait"
/ fashion. and began the march I'D The
curving walk 10 the north porticc.
4 startled policeman ran hastily OUT
I" turn them. hack. hut. seeing who
they were and what ihe% were abou.
To do. cha nged his mind, and Joined
them instead.
| Lifting their voices in the lovely
chant Of "Adeste Fideles," they PRO-
crossed musicalv tn The porch and
| there stationed themselves for 2 full
| service. In few moments window
above their heads was raised. and the
President, aitired broadly in q blue
! itathrobe. aned out and shouted
| Merry Christmas" The wirdo.r
didn't stay up long because a cod
wind was blowing. hut the object Of
the serenade stayed behind il through
the entire program. and raised -
again at the end long enough 20 cal
Merry Christmas to you, boys. ard
thank you very much
Merry Christmas. Mr. President"
the singers called hack az trsv
gathered up their possessions and
went away into the darkness.
{THE Wilson ChriStmases were. so
many Of them. war-shadowed. or
very quiet because of the long Hines.
that ended them. But when IL was
possible intimate friends were enter
tanned az house guests The custom
Of giving turkeys IN the staff was
! continued. hut the war made other
gestures. except to the fighting men.
OF small moment. Perhaps. although
! 1t was not said at the White House
IL would not he aniss to recall .he
words Of the President In the ,roopz
IN France on Christmas day. 1915: Il
feel comradeship With YOU TO-DAY
which is delightful az / look abo,;,
these undisturbed fields and think OF
. the terrible scenes through which you
have gone and realize row that the
quiet peace. the tranquility at settled
nope. mas descended upon US all. and
while il Is hard 10 be so far away from,
home. confidently "a hid YOU a Merry
Christmas. | can. | think. confidently
promise you a Happy New Year. and I
":in FROM the l"ttofn Of my heart say,
c"'i bless you.'
ll;ar,ii,iss greetings TO that other
; ! group that came home tn their long
Years in the hospitals comes. in 1929
: aS a complementary note II h0ye
+ the season may he marked with every
opportunity Of happiness and salts
faction which may ccuIs Ia them. ard
ny multiplied testimonies Of the COT.
'inuinG gratitude Of the Nation that
: they have served so we'll"
Which makes the circle complete
The gracious acts Of the present Frs,
. Lady are too we'll known 70 need rene
tittou. One has only IN see her cffiCi-
a;inS at The mission festivities. with
, the starved faces nj neglected chill
dren locking up 20 her. to realize how
ably she is carrying on the best OF the
White House traditions
And III all these traditions the kew.
/ note seems 20 he that Christmas -
here. as in the hurahleSt house in all
/ America, a festival Of the horne-she
one occasion of the wear when Presi.
dent and citizens alike draw close %
the family hearth and share its int
macy only with those most near ard
| dear.
tConycirht fas-N