I THE WHITE HOUSE
How Presidents of Past Enjoyed
Christmas Hoiidays.
No Celebration by John Quincy Adams
Because He Regarded Religious
Festival as a Foolish
Extravagance.
A CCORDING to history the only
president of the United Stales i
who did not celebrate Christmas
(because he regarded it as a foolish
pxtravagance) was John Quincy Ad- |
ams, “the most economical man
known in public life.”
Mrs. John Adams, the wife of the |
second president of the United States,
had a most discouraging time trying
to make merry in the White House
during the Christmas holidays. (She
was the first wife of a president to
celebrate Christmas in the executive
mansion in Washington, for the presi-
dent and Mrs. Washington were al-
ways at Mount Vernon for the holi-
days.) She had no dominating sense
of economy, but it was the White
House itself that was shabby, and a
Christmas reception given to the mem-
bers of congress by the president
proved, from her point of view, to be |
a ghastly failure.
President Jefferson was a widower |
with four daughters, and during his
second administration Martha, the eld-
est, was the head of her father’s
household, and made Christmas the
happy and festive occasion it was de-
signed to be from that time when the
star stood still above the manger in |
Bethlehem.
There were trees, and decorations,
and all sorts of entertainments for the |
children of the official families, as well
as gifts for the poor of the capital.
Although the Madisons did not |
spend all of their Christmases in the
White House, on account of the little
historical interruption by the British, ;
when they occupied other quarters for |
a time, the brilliant Dolly managed a
record for holiday hospitality and |
merrymaking that has never been sur-
passed.
When Andrew Jackson came to the
White House he was bowed and bro-
ken by the death of his wife and de-
pressed by political animosities.
clination for holiday celebrations, yet
he pulled himself tegether at Christ-
mas time, and saw to it that the day
meant something happy to those in
the White House.
In the meantime the Monroe admin-
istration was marked by nothing in |
the way of holiday celebrations be-
yond what was conventionally pre-
seribed, and after President Jackson's
efforts at keeping the spirit of Christ-
mas in spite of his own personal sor- |
rows, President Harrison did not live |
to see a Christmas in the White |
House.
Mrs. Tyler lived to celebrate only
one Christmas in the White House. !
After his second marriage the Tyler
administration was noted for its bril-
liant entertainments. Whether it was
Christmas or any other time of the
year, hospitalities were dispensed in
the old Virginia style, and there was | h 3 oir s rl
no stint of merrymaking at the White | the goat in our alley? It’s his pitcher.
House.
The Polk administration reverted to |
the grim and practical idea of John
Quincy Adams. Perhaps it was not
economy that changed the Christmas
celebration at the White House; it is
difficult to define the reason why Pres-
ident Polk did not make the holidays
a festive event in the executive man-
sion; it may have been the tempera-
ment of the chief executive; perhaps
it was because Mrs. Polk did not be-
lieve in the gay and festive way of
celebrating the holidays, as, according
to intimate history, she did not.
President Zachary Taylor, brilliant
figure in military history, who had no
chance whatever in the social history
of the White House, because he died
in little more than a year after he
‘had taken his seat as president of
the United States, and spent only one
Christmas in the White House, be-
queathed his administration to the
Fillmores, people pitiably distin
guished by sorrow and in no way
adapted to the social obligations of
the great national responsibility of
sustaining the political and social ob-
ligations of the White House.
“Shortly after becoming president,”
someone writes of President Fillmore,
“his wife died, and a year later a
daughter, an only child, passed to the
great eternity.” :
A CHRISTMAS HYMN
No tramp of marching armies,
No banners flaming far;
A lamp within a stable
And in the sky a Star.
Their hymns of peace and gladness
To earth the angels brought,
Their Gloria in Excelsis
To earth the angels taught:
When in the lowly manger
The Hely Mother Maid
In tender adoration
Her Babe of heaven laid.
Born lowly in the darkness,
And none as poor as he,
The little children of the poor
His very own shall be.
No rush of hostile armies then,
But just the huddling sheep,
The angels singing of the Christ
And all the world asleep.
No flame of conquering banners,
No legions sent afar,
A lamp within a stable
And in the sky a Star!
—Margaret E. Sangster,
Weekly.
in Collier's
He
had neither heart nor the slightest in- |
The Ten Commandments
for Christmas Giving
|
\—= B, HARVEY PEAKE
i he has sent the gift.
! 2. Thou shalt remember first the very young and
the very old.
03, Thou shalt buy within thy means, remember.
i ing the spirit of the gift aad not the value.
How the Festive Season Is 0b-
OU shalt love the giver of the gift, because |
{ 4. Thou shalt not become a party to the mere |
exchange of gifts. Let thy heart go with each
- and every greeting or present thou sendest out.
5. Thou shalt make such gifts as thy skill may
warrant, inasmuch as the work of thy hands
gives added value to the offering.
: 5, Thou shalt tie up no bitter remembrances with
a gift, but only peace and good will.
. 7. Thou shalt have thy gifts ready several days
before the time of delivery, that the immediate
days before Christmas may be filled with peace
. and happiness, and not with turmoil and frenzy.
| 8, Thou shalt seek the abodes of the poor and
| friendless with such wholesome gifts as may
Te oy aE oo bods oes
hearts.
| 9. Thou shalt not gush over thy gifts. Thou shalt
| show thy gratitude in more sincere ways.
: 10. Thou shalt, at earliest opportunity, give written
or verbal thanks for such kindnesses as thy
friends may have bestowed upon thee at
Christmas.
TWO TOTS IN A TOY SHOP
Little Denny Was Almost Beyond
Hope in the Eyes of His Older
Sister, Aged Six.
She was six if she was a day; she
had a little fat back in a little black
| oat and her wisps of red hair
matched her red tam-o’shanter. In
| her firm hand she held a struggling
boy about a year younger, and they
were getting into the elevator at a
big department store and making for
‘toys.”
Children are not allowed, unaccom-
| panied by guardians, in most large
| shops, but such was her air of re-
sponsibility, of decorum, that it would
| have been a bold flcorwalker who
jared to question her.
Nor, evidently, was it her first visit.
| The boy, still held in leash, ran in
| front and made straight for the space
i levoted to Santa Claus, his reindeer
! and his sleigh, piled with toys.
There was a background of fir and
cedar and a huge Christmas tree, but
the pair sat down before the fascinat-
ing old fellow in his red robe, his
long white beard, hclding his big
whip, and from his face the small boy
iid not turn from worshiping in sol- |
smn adoration.
Across the room was a creche; also
2 wonderful and beautiful thing. "The !
infant Jesus in the manger, the moth-
ar in her blue robes, St. Joseph, with |
his staff, the three kings resplendent.
still for fifteen minutes looking at
Santa Claus, when the little girl whis-
| pered to the boy. He squirmed, strug-
, gled, but she was too much for him.
She dislodged him from his
ragged him to the creche, and with
| motherly, Irish piety, pressed him on
i his knees.
Reverently she described the holy
group, then would incite devotion
from a more human motive.
“See the cow, Denny; you mind the
cow we used to milk last summer at
the farm when we went on the fresh
air? See the geat, Denny; you mind
But Denny whined and pulled and
| pulled to be back again to his idol.
The little girl looked up. Her sigh
was that given by every woman since
the beginning, for every man for
whose soul she holds herself respon-
sible.
“Denny,” she said,
Santa Claus better than he likes God.”
{fis bime to hang your stocking high
And let yourn 12 to Santa fy J
> Jtraight up the chimney
A far away
Jo youll get your presents
’ Sr
Al 5 i
BT Ar Pe Ar A A rr Ae Ae er fe iri
May each Christmas, as it
comes, find us more and more
like him who, as at this time,
became a little child for cur
sake, more simple-minded, more
humble, more holy, more affec-
tionate, more resigned, more
happy, more full of God.—J. H.
Newman.
BRT rr Tr Rr rR WR vr Tew
PRR R RK KRKRRRRRIWW
Home Made Presents.
“I thought I'd be economical this
year and make my Christmas pres-
ents myself, instead of buying them,”
said Mrs. Harlem; ‘so I bought a
book of instructions and went ahead.”
“How did you make out?’ asked
Mrs. Bronx.
“The materials footed up to $43.58,
and I put in a month's hard sewing
and cutting.”
“How did that compare with 1ast
year?” .
“Last year I bought all I wanted for
$35.”
First Christmas Card.
In December, 1844, Mr. W. A. Dob:
son sent the first Christmas card.
“Denny likes |
The children had been perfectly |
seat, |
, see the thing through in “old navy”
| fashion, and even King Neptune, when
| he comes on board on ‘crossing the
| than usual are allowed to “sleep in,”
| and, after the tiniest minimum of
CHRISTHNS IN NAVY
served Aboard Ship.
Not Much Work Is Done—Athletic
Sports, Traditional Dinner and
Evening Entertainment Fea-
tures of Occasion.
“spirit of Christmas” entered in-
to more whole-heartedly than on
board the ships of the United States |
navy.
Observance of this chief of all na-
tional holidays varies, of course, ins:
form with the location of the fleet at
the time. :
Into each of the continental “home
ports” (headquarters of certain indi-
vidual vessels) the big gray monsters
come dropping in by twos and threes |
till, in New York and Philadelphia, |
and Norfolk and Frisco, it looks al- |
most like a naval review. According
to long established custom, they are
there to give the boys in blue a run
on the beach (“liberty,” as they call
it in the service), and every man jack
who is not actually undergoing pun-
ishment is allowed and encouraged to
take his look at the bright lights—go-
home on leave or uptown for fun or
anything else he likes as long as his
money lasts but away from the ship
in any event. This custom applies
not alone to the enlisted men, but to
the officers as well and, when Christ-
mas morning dawns in a home port,
there are not likely to be many more
persons on board any man-o’-war than
the regulations call for in the mini-
mum. , ;
The few “shipkeepers” cannot, un-
iér such circumstances, make a very
successful effort toward merriment,
Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan writes
in the National Monthly, but what
they lack in numbers they invariably
make up in other ways, one of these
ways being the complete satisfaction
of the inner man. ; |
Abroad and at sea, though, it is al-
together different. Every . soul on
IN “Siete o in all the world is the
i
A Christmas Concert on Board Ship.
board, from the usually sedate flag
officer and the more or less. unap-
proachable first lieutenant, down to
“Jimmy-legs” and the ship’s cook and
the messenger boy, voluntarily consti
tutes himself a committee of one to
line” to douse every hayseed and
landlubber, has a formidable rival in
the “spirit of Christmas.”
It matters not much whether the
ship be anchored off Vera Cruz or
plowing through the Pacific ocean,
the distance from home and friends
makes it incumbent on all to do their
level best to make at least a brave try
for “Merry Christmas.”
Routine drills are entirely suspend:
ed; and, except for cleaning ship
{cleanliness in the navy being deemed
not only akin to, but actually neck
and neck with godliness itself), not a
lick of avoidable work is allowed to
be done by anybody.
“All hands” are called, to be sure, on
scheduled time, but many more men
tidying up, preparations for the day’s
festivities are gotten under way.
There is a varied athletic program
that begins in the forenoon, and after
an hour or so off for dinner at mid-
day, continues well along toward sun-
set. Sailors are taught to be thorough.
So they go at their potato races and
pic-eating contests and tugs of war
and jumping contests with the same
fervor that they show when trying for
a 13-inch turret gun record or stamp-
ing out a Caribbean revolution. There
is no lack of interest. That can be de-
pended on. And when call is sounded
they are a tired lot.
Toward sunset the various contests
have been completed (or not unusu-
ally called off “on account of dark-
ness,” as the baseball people say),
and, after an early supper, a stage is
rigged up on the quarter-deck and the
crowning event of the entire celebra-
tion is on. Sometimes it is a minstrel
show, another time a vaudeville per-
formance, but without exception there
is plenty of music and near music, and
no such entertainment would be com-
plete without the inevitable and inim-
itable cakewalk. Some of the impro-
vised costumes are fearfully and won-
derfully made Bat they are striking
and, for the most part, very appropri-
ate, while the pirouetting and gyrating
of the cakewalkers themselves are
well worth seeing. The program is a
long one. but int2rest never lags for
a moment—fer .merican sailors are
just as thorcus$ at play as they are
while at work,
RAY-O-LIGHT OIL.
: -_—— CSR,
RAY-0-LIGHT OIL:
Gg,
- . - r 7
for Christmas
Sure, of course, you already have made
up your mind just what you're going to
give for Christmas. But what do you
think, this year, you husbands and wives
who are thinking of each other’s comfort,
of adding just one more gift to your list ?
What do you say to jotting down a Per-
fection Oil Heater? Sounds funny, eh?
Well, do you know there is no more prac-
tical, useful, comfort-bringing gift you can
buy than one of these same heaters? The
PERFECTION
Smokeless Oil Heaters
kill the early morning chill of the bedroom and put a stop to chattering teeth
while you are dressing. Just a scratch of the match and in less than five
minutes your bedroom or bathroom is made comfortable and warm no matter
how cold the weather outside may be,
The Perfection is easy to operate, easy to take care of. There is no annoy-
ance of smoke, soot, ashes or obnoxious odors. It burns kerosene, the most
economical fuel you can buy.
To get the best results you should use Atlantic Rayolight Oil, the purest
high-grade kerosene sold. Scientifically refined to prevent the charring of
wicks, to burn longer and give out the greatest heat.
Perfection Oil Heaters are sold by dealers everywhere.
you the superior merits of the Perfection.
Ask anyone to show
THE ATLANTIC REFINING COMPANY, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
[J
fod
Pe
—
% -
Vs NE NN, ©
Funeral Director.
H. N. KOCH
Funeral Director
Successor to R. M. Gordner.
STATE COLLEGE, PENNA.
- Day and Night Service.
60-21-tf. Bell and Commercial Phones.
Flour and Feed.
CURTIS Y. WAGNER,
BROCKERHOFF MILLS,
BELLEFONTE, PA.
Manufacturer, Wholesaler and Retailer of
Roller Flour
Feed
Corn Meal
and Grain
Manufactures and has on hand at all times the
following brands of high grade flour:
WHITE STAR
OUR BEST
HIGH GRADE
VICTORY PATENT
FANCY PATENT
The only place in the county where that extraor-
dinarily fine grade of spring wheat Patent Flour
SPRAY
can be secured. Also International Stock Food
and feed of all kinds.
All kinds of Grain bought at the office Flour
xchanged for wheat.
OFFICE and STORE—BISHOP STREET,
BELLEFONTE. PA.
MILL AT ROOPBSURG.
7-19
Meat Market.
Get the Best Meats.
You save nothing by buying poor, thin
or gristly meats. 1useo: e :
LARGEST AND FATTEST CATTLE
Best
Book Work
and suppl! customers with the fresh-
and est, Et oes blood and muscle mak-
. . ing Steaks and Roasts. My prices are no
J ob Printing higher than poorer meats are elsewhere.
. I alwavs have
Done Here. — DRESSED POULTRY —
Game in season, and any kinds of good
meats you want.
TRY MY SHOP.
P. L. BEEZER,
High Street. 34-34-1y. Bellefonte, Pa
The Centre County Banking Company.
“STOP, LOOK, LISTEN"
A Lawyer received $10,000 for suggesting these
words to a railroad. The sign, “Stop, Look, Lis-
ten!” saved the road many thousands of dollars
in damages. It’s a good sign. It’s worth $10,000.
Wise people are often warned by a similar sign on
the road of extravagance. They stop in time.
How about yourself? Think this over seriously.
A bank account is the Best Kind of Security at
“any time. If you haven't a bank account now,
“start one at once. Any account, however small
you are able to begin with, will be welcomed and
carefully conserved at
THE CENTRE COUNTY BANK,
56-6 BELLEFONTE FA.