The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-24

NSAE1A@ eN6~Ne@~S~ ONrOAA-
But politics Is far from his
mind. He is seated In the White
House, surrounded by his children
and their children, and he Is
maintaining an old Christmas
tradition In the Roosevelt house,
hold Of reading "A Christmas
Carol"
Most Of the group have heard
the Dickens story many times.
Son James can recite whole pas
sages Of 1t by heart. Only FL
lofts two-year old daughter Ruth
Is hearing 1t for the first time.
(Elliott's youngest, six months
old Elliott, Jr., has been tucked
In bed.)
The Roosevelt children haey
been brought up on "A Christ
mas Carol" as the President was
brought up on IL before them.
For the famed Yuletlde story
was . perennial In the home Of
James Roosevelt, Sr. Thus the
one who knows the story best Of
all n Mrs. Sara DelanO R0ose-
welt, the Presidents mother, who
has heard Il read In the house
hold for fifty years.
The ritual Is no trifling mat
ter In the Presidents household.
It cannot be rushed through while
the chauffeur waits TO take young
members Of the family out to a
party. The President will not
permit that. 1t Is true he does
omit some Of the slow-moving
passages, but the whole story is
read through slowly and leisurely.
Yuletide Ritual
The family gathers In the West
Hall Of the White House, second
floor, on the second evening be-
fore Christmas, December %.
This Is Jimmy's birthday. The
President has done his homework
In advance by reading through
the story and marking passages
which he will omit.
He reads about half the story
at one sitting. The last half Is
read the next evening, Christ
mas eve. r
The President rings the changes
Of emotion In the story, from hui
NOR TO pathos and back to humor
again. An effective actor, he
does 1t was great verve. Any lee
ture bureau would gladly book
him to give Christmas readings
as a professional entertainer.
At Christmas time two years
ago, the President was not
feeling equal to putting on his
show. He suggested 10 Mrs
Roosevelt that she pinch hit for
him. But the children would
have no understudy. They want
ed the star or no performance
at all. 50 under doctors or
ders the reading was omitted
that year.
The passages the President reads
with most effectiveness are the
scenes where Scrooge scolds his
nephews for his generosity and
calls Christmas "humbug", the
Christmas eve dance at old Fizz-
wigs warehouse, and the Christ
mas dinner with goose - at
Bob Cratchit's house.
The most touching scene of all,
as the President reads It, Is the
final one at the Cratchit house,
at the death-bed of Tiny Tim,
the cripple. But the President,
with the material aid Of Dickens
and his immaterial ghost, revives
spirits to holiday gaiety before
the end, and concludes merrily
with the hearty phrase:
AND 30. AS TINY TIM OBJ
SERVED, GOD BLESS YOU
EVERY ONEp
Merry Round Tree
Do you have a patented merry
go-round Christmas tree In your
home?
A patent has been issued OH
such a devise by the Patent Of
flee, described as ~ tree mounted
ON clock work base that spins II
round and round"
Another patent covers a "por-
table Christmas tree" which has
an artificial trunk and the desir-
able number Of detachable arti-
fetal branches. This tree Is
designed to save frantic Christ
mas shopping. Instead Of buying
a new tree every year, you get
this one out OF storage, stand 1t
up. and stick the branches In
again.
Still another invention goes
step further. 1t has limbs made Of
numbered units, and thus "the
tree partakes Of the nature Of
puzzle and may be employed as
SUCH"
Most elaborate Christmas tree
recognized by the Patent Office
Is combination tree and Ferris
wheel. 1t Is equipped to pick up
an ecstatic youngster. carry him
to the tree-top for q full view Of
all the presents below. and then
twing him down and deposit him
again.
Christmas Wine
The u. q. Is on the way to be-
coming a wine drinking nation.
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