Evening star. [volume], December 21, 1913, Page 3, Image 55

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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The First White
House C h i 1 d r e n?
When Christmas Wras
Not Celebrated?A Ro
mantic Yuletide and a
Snowball Battle in the
East Room?A Cin
derella in Real Life.
fn JOHN KLFRETH WATKINS.
OMEof the merriest
Christmas fro lies
of this merry land
of ours have been
enjoyed in that
stately old home
of our Presidents,
the White House.
Since more than a
long century back
its elegantly ap
pointed apart
ments. its richly
frescoed corridors have repeatedly echoed
and re-echoed the cries of delight uttered
hv tiny ti>ts thrilled by Christmas sur
prises. excited b\ Yuletide romps.
Our first President, that grand old
man. George Washington, enjoyed no
White House Christmases. for the very
good reason that he never lived in the
White House. Nor did he have any
children of his own to enjoy Christmas
day with him at the presidential man
sions in New York and Philadelphia,
where he lived while he was the chief
magistrate of the land. Yet. before
becoming 1'resident. the father of his
country had adopted his wife's grand
children. George and Nellie Custis, who
were eight and ten years old when
they were brought along with their
grandmother on her triumphal journey
from Mount Vernon in Virginia to ihe
temporary presidential "palace" in
N.-w York, which city was the capital
of the I'nion during but one Christmas
' m.i the W ashington administrations.
The other seven Yuletides occurring
<? i i e rt-jime of the immortal George
? ? ' c *-!?< ni .1: the nation's second capi
il. T'hil; d'dphia. to which Uncle Sam
iii<?,ed. bug and baggage, in 17f?0.
m
* *
Vitl.-ougl! celebrated in the President's
I ?' --e. accor ling to tlie good old Vir
-,i ia c isii'm. Christm is was then a
?<? i.er v ,n Philadelphia than in most
i; :?> other city of all Christendom. This
because the pious Quakers, op
pi's. d to all holidays, refused to ob
s? vi Christmas in particular, as then
did the P.esbyterians and other rigid
Protestants of the capital. Indeed, six
y,-ars before the President's removal to
that ouiet 'Quaker city its government
had passed an act forbidding one of
the old customs of its people?that of
ending Christmas week with fireworks
and fusillades of small arms.
In the winter of IStsn the White
House was as yet unfinished, when
Its first tenant. President John Adams,
moved in. He came along with
th?- rest of I nele Sam's moving from
Philadelphia, and brought with him a lit
t!? girl of four, Susanna the orphan of
his son Charles. It is related that a new
set of dishes which Santa Claus brought
to this little girl at the White Houjhe was
"?mashed to pieces by a playmate, who
had been overcome with envy at the
sight of such pretty toys, and that Su
sanna got her revenge by biting off the
? ad of this naughty fitt'e girl's new wax
.toll, which opened and shut its eyes,
'.lis Susanna Adams' little cousins, the
Smith children, sometimes visited her in
?he then cold and draughty White House,
whose unfirtished east room?the scene of
most of the later Christmas festivities?
was then used for drying the familv
linen. One of these cousins. Master John
Smith, used to drive his grandfather
about the White House corridors in a
-ti-enuous game of "horse." during which
the President of the United States was
unmercifully slashed with a willow
switch.
The Christmases of the next President,
rhomas Jefferson, were also made merry
? > grandchildren, for his own children,
.ke those of John Adams, were grown
when he was inaugurated. As he was a
.. idower. he chose Mrs ' Dolly" Madison,
the wife of his Secretary of State, to pre
side at all of his social entertainments,
and at one of the happiest of the early
Christmas parties in the old mansion this
- popular hostess cut the steaming mince
I ie for the six little grandchildren of the
Piesident.
* *
Indeed, v.rs. Madison was the mistress
the President s house for sixteen years
eight during the administration of
! lionuu Jefferson and eight during that
??( his successor. James Madison, her hus
I and. Hut during the last half of her
i>-igii there were no children to make
' 'hristmas merry in her official home, for
he and President Madison had no little
ones, and her own son. by a former mar
riage. was a grown youth?one whose
habits caused her far more tears than
smiit-s Although horn and bred a Phila
delphia Quaker. Mrs. Madison entered
into *;i holiday gayetles with spirit and
"ad'' many people happv by her gener
'?'js distribution of Christmas gifts.
Presidents had governed us for a gen
? a; on before we had one with children
of his oftn young enough to *-njoy ail ti.e
' hr Us of tin holiday of holiday's. This
vs.- Jan .s Mm i Mr f,rst chief execu
?iv. io present to official s?.cietv a mar
lageablv daught. r Miss Maria Hester
tin .-arliest -if the many "White
IJO ISC llcb.
-w li - tie American girls nu.l seen more
"' the *or!dI tna- i.ad this fortunate
h d. who had been born if France dur
ng her fathers mission abroad. She
*as in her very early teens when brought
to the White House and in her ume
girls W^re allowed to have love affairs
before reaching what their parents now
realize to l>e years of discretion
So Maria Monroe's third Christmas in
the White House was a ver> romantic
ohdav. She had just fallen in love
with, her first cousin. Sa.jnu.-1 Gouvernt ur
?? New ^ oi k. who for a time served as
hT father s private secretary. And al
though only "sweet sixteen when the
nuptial knot was tied, she was married
before tha: winter had passed. She was
the t'u -t child ot a President ever mar
ried in the White House.
..?iU'Vi ''1hu? ?'as not very busv in our
Presidents palace"?as it was then
called--during the reign of our next
President the stiff and dignified John
Qulscy Adams. He brought with him a
fariulv of sons, all of whom were grown
at the time of his inauguration
*
* *
But during tie years immediately fol
lowing the big house suited good St.
Nick full well, for it rang with the
laughter of a merry group of babies who
gladdened the heart of the childless and
j now widowed Andrew Jackson. These
were the children of that President's
adopted son, Andrew Jackson, jr., and of
his private .secretary. Andrew Donald
son. also hi. grandnephews and grand
nieces.
About the earliest of these grand
? hristmas frolics held in the statelv
mansion was the partv which "Old Hick
ory ?as President Jackson was called?
arranged for those lucky youngsters
V!ne Vi? happiest moments of that
jolly Presidents career was when he
saw those happy tots march into the
dining room, to the music of "The Pres
dent s March, and seat themselves at
the big tabic, there to enjov the TeasJ
"FT ?hJCh, Vlvart- th?- White House
cher. had done htmselt' proud. In the
"rtidst of the great table was a gilt game
ock. surmounting a huge pyramid of
snow,.alls, each made of starch-coated
? otto!:. At the end of the feast the Pres
ident distributed these missiles among his
..ttie guests, telling them to go into the
*
TTOIXY QAKFiEU) I
?AND JiER Ta.THE'R, \
' 7vR" /
' Bp*?l
east room and enjoy a snowball right.
And that grand old parlor was a bedlam
during the following hour. Nor was it
a quiet spot while Vice President Van
Buren. that same day. joined the youth
ful throng in their games of "blind man's
buff." "puss in corner"' and "forfeits."
or while the little girls tried to catch
him under the mistletoe bough that hung
from the biir chandelier. At the end
of that jolly Christmas party the lltt'e
quests marched past the President, each
in turn throwing him a kiss and bidding
him a "Good night, general!"
It was upon a Christmas eve during
the. same administration that two little
Jacksons and five little Donaldsons hung
up their stockings in "Uncle's room,"
where a scamp of a boy in high glee
tied one of the President's socks to the
tonsrs by the fireplace, crying, "Now. let's
see how Santa Claus will treat you, Mr.
Uncle Jackson, President of the United
States!"
That night the Vice'President left at the
White House a miniature cooking stove
for little Mary Donaldson, to whom the
French minister's wife, Mme. Serurier,
sent a big boy doll in the red jacket,
gold-striped trousers, plumed chapeau,
spurs and saber of a French soldier.
*
* *
Although Martin Van Buren had thus,
when Vice President, so heartily partici
pated in the Christmas frolics of the
Jackson household, he could not give old
I^riss Kringle much of a chance for fun
in the White House during the following
years when he was President, because
his children were all grown and dignified
when he moved in, while no grandchil
dren arrived in his family until after he
moved out.
But it was during his stay in the White
House that the young people of that
mansion and their scores of happy friends
attended one of Washington's most
famous Christmas parties. It was given
by the noted Baron Bodisco, the Russian
minister, in honor of his two nephews.
His quaint mansion on O street, George
town, war illuminated that night not only
by lights within, but by great bonfires
outside, which, according to the Russian
custom, were lighted for the comfort of
the coachmen.
The baron had arranged a perfect fairy
land inside his house. From the bal
conies were hung gay curtains, studded
with little dazzling mirrors and inclosing
mysterious spaces, one of which con
tained wonderful red and gold swings,
while another was piled high with gifts
of all kinds?toys, picture books, boxes
of kid gloves, fans, ribbons and bonbons,
which Santa Claus, in full view of the
laughing multitude, gave away with his
own hands. After a round of jolly games
the floor was cleared for dancing, and
finally a delicious collation was served
in the dining room.
This party proved to be another Cin
derella ball, and th?- real Cinderella, who
chanced to l>e his star Kuest. was Harriet
Williams, a pretty Georgetown schoolgirl,
only sixteen years old, who. upon the
eve of the f estivities, had, like Cinderella,
pined at home because the good baron
had invited all of her playmates and had
ignored her.
Perhaps it was Santa Claus. who. In
little Harriet's interest, acted the part of
the good fairy on that unhappy evening.
Perhaps he peeked into her window and,
seeing that she was sad, sensed the rea
son. At any rate, some kind soul took
th?- matter up with the baron. Distressed
beyond measure to find that, through an
oversight, his intended invitation had
not reached Harriet, he immediately
wrote to her an abject apology, as well
as a pressing Invitation that she honor
him the night of the ball.
*
* *
So pretty Harriet dried her tears
ard came down to the baron's
Christmas party, a radiant figure in
her prettiest gown. And how im
patiently that nobleman awaited her
coming, asking his guests to point her
out to him, because he had never seen
her before! It was a fateful meeting,
for he fell in love with her at first
sight, and shortly afterward they wore
married in the presence of the President
and a distinguished company of of
ficials, including the foreign ministers
in their dazzling court dress; also the
army officers in their resplendent uni
forms.
Following Mr. Van Buren there suc
ceeded to the presidency a doting grand
father. William Henry Harrison, with a
little grandson of seven, who thought
that he was cheated out of White House
Ohristmases forever when his good old
grandpa died, after having been Presi
dent for only a few weeks. But per
haps it was through the aid of Santa
Claus?who knows??that this same dis
appointed little boy?Benjamin by
name?did have four Yuletides in the
same White House, where he, years
afterward, dwelt as the second Presi
dent Harrison, whom most of us still
remember with much pleasure.
And it came to pass that upon those
four Christmases which little Benjamin
Harrison had hoped to enjoy at the
Executive Mansion there were frolics,
presided over by little Alice Tyler, who,
when she first came to live in the bis:
mansion, was a lass of twelve, de
scribed by her father. President John
Tyler, as "the fattest thing and the
sweetest and the worst you ever saw."
She had a little brother Tazewell and
a lot of grown-up brothers and sisters.
There was also a handful of merry
grandchildren in this presidential fam
ily. and to one of these, little Mary
Fairlie Tyler, the chief magistrate one
Christmas week gave a grand fancy
dress ball in the great east room, where
the tiny hostess, as Titania. queen of
the fairies, with gauzy wings and silver
scepter, sat upon a miniature throne
w"hile her Lilliputian courtiers bowed
before her.
*
? * #
After these joyous days there befell the
longest and dreariest stretch of childless
White House years that old Kris lvringle
can remember. For there had been, all
in a row. President Polk, who had only
an adopted child?a grown ? nephew:
Presidents Taylor and Fillmore, whose
children were all grown up; President
Pierce, whose only surviving child, a lad
of thirteen, had been killed in a railway
accident three months before his father's
inauguration, and James Buchanan, the
old bachelor president, who brought with
him only a grown niece.
Hut following those twenty quiet Yule
tides came the great President, Abraham
Lincoln, with two little boys, both prime
favorites of jolly St. Nick. These lads,
Willie and "Tad," were respectively ten
and eight years old when their father
moved into the official home of our chief
magistrates. Hut poor little Willie was
destined to enjoy only one Christmas In
the big house, for he died after living
there just a little over a year. Then
"Tad," after his sorrow had somewhat
healed, used to amuse his playmates in
u theater which he fitted ii|> in an un
occupied room. And this elfish "Tad" had
Xbtcqsm Eoheb.
TLtHEX* KpOSE.V?IT
And Her. HoTHfR.
^WALPQN fA^CtTt
a pet goat. which his father was once
astonished to find complacently ruminat
ing In the middle of that youngster's bed.
How this lad one Christmas Successfully
appealed to his father.to overrule the
White House cook's objection to his feast
ing a lot of ragged street urchins on
turkey and cranberry sauce In the kitchen
has long been told in Washington. Tad's
elder brother "Bob"?who later became
minister to England?was in those days
a student at Cambridge and is now the
only surviving child of the Uncolns, for
poor Tad when but eighteen joined his
father and brother Willie in the Great
Beyond.
Next after the Lincoln boys there came
to dwell in the White House the three
little" Andies of President Johnson's time
?Andy Johnson, jr.. just entering his
teens, and the President's two little
grandsons, Andy Stover and Andy Pat
terson, the last of whom had a little
sister, Belle. Indeed, one of the most
sprightly Christmas parties ever enjoyed
by children of the White House was that
of 1868, when President Johnson gave a
dance to 4<X) boys and girls, who, in the
east room, executed the waltzes, polkas
and lancers which they had learned at
the then famous and fashionable Marini's
dancing, academy. Two little girls on that
festive occasion danced a Spanish dance
and at the end of the evening the elder
White House guests tripped gayly
through a Virginia reel.
While Gen. Grant was President his
friend and brothcr-in-arms. Gen. Sher
man, made it a habit to come to the
White House each Christmas eve and
romp with the (*iildren invited to play
uith little Jesse. The President's daugh
ter Nellie finished school and married
>
while she lived in the White House, but
her brothers Ulysses and Fred were
during most of that period away at
school, the latter at West Point.
No family ever tilled the White House
with brighter Christmas spirits than that
of President Hayes, who brought with
him to that manor two youngsters?Fanny,
aged ten, and Scott, aged seven. There
were three other sens?Webb, acting as
his father's confidential secretary; Burch
ard, a practicing lawyer, and Rutherford,
who was away at school. But the whole
family united always on Christmas, when
their mother made it a rule to give forty
turkeys to the poor. These children al
ways had their Christmas tree, around
which the little tots of the cabinet fami
lies made merry. Of course, Fanny was
. the belle of the children's parties in those
foiir years, and a Washington lady
who was much hi society in those
days has shown me a pretty picture of
this little American "princess" and her
younger brother as they appeared at a
fancy dress holiday ball?she in a gown
with a long train and he in a soldier's
uniform. Indeed, those were lively holi
day times, for Mrs. Hayes was continu
ally filling her big official home with
bright young girls, and one of these?a
Cincinnati lassie of sixteen?had such a
delightful time that, 'tis said, after one
of these visits, she went home and de
clared to her mother that she intended
to marry only "a man destined to be
President." This little girl was Helen
Herron, the daughter of President Hayes'
law partner, and her ambitions were later
realized, for she married William H.
Taft, who within less than a quarter
century became the chief executive of
his nation.
St. Nicholas remembers well two little
chaps in knickerbockers ? Irvin and
A brain?who moved into the nation's Ex
ecutive Mansion with their father. Pres
ident Garfield, and who rode their veloc
ipedes over the pavements around their
new home. They had two older brothers,
who had just entered the freshman class
at Williams College ? Harry Augustus,
who lately became president of that in
stitution, and James Rudolph, who re
cently sat in the*cabinet of Theodore
Roosevelt. But the pride of the White
House in the Garfield administration was
"Mollle"? a rosy-cheeked little lass, whose
eyes were described by a chronicler of
that time as "overrunning with laugh
ter." .At the time of their father's elec
tion these children put great store 011 the
next Yuletide, when all of them expected
to be together at the White House. But
the crazy man who shot their father the
following summer deprived them of this
joy. However, Santa Claus remembered
them in their own home just as lavishly
as he would have had they remained in
the Wrhite House.
*
? * *
After the Garfields moved away Mrs.
McElroy, with her two daughters, May
and Jessie, came to preside over the White
House and take charge of her niece and
nephew, Nellie and Alan Arthur, chil
dren of the new President. Nellie was
a graceful little maid with a big, warm
heart, who busied herself in making the
Christmas holidays happy for children
less fortunate than herself. This little
girl became one of Santa Claus' favorites',
for she was the head of a Christmas
club whos?* purpose was to supply pres
ents and Christmas dinners to thousands
of poor children. And so pleased was her
father. President Arthur. with this
Christmas spirit of hers that during one
holiday he let her dress up in her best
pale blue frock and have some of her
playmates stand with her in the receiv
ing party at his big New Year reception.
Although this little girl was away most
of the time attending a French school
in *?ew York, and although her brother
Alan was sent to college, both always re
turned to the White House at Christmas,
and they sometimes brought schoolmates
with them.
During President Cleveland's first four
years In the Wtihe House there were
no little ones to make that mansion ring
with holiday merriment. When he moved
in he was. like James Buchanan, an old
bachelor, but before long he married a
pretty young lady. who. like Dolly Madi
son, was a generous Christmas giver. As
we shall later see. their Yuletides were
merrier and noisier after they returned to
the President's house for their second
stay.
It was at the next election that Kris
Kringle, by helping to make him our
President, compensated the aforemen
tioned Benjamin Harrison for the bitter
disappointment he suffered at being cheat
ed. by the Grim Reaper, out of his antici
pated White House Christmases with his
grandfather. William Henry. Benjamin
Harrison himself was now an old man
and a grandfather. This second Grand
pa Harrison and Kris Krins?le regularly
put their white heads together and ar
ranged some riproaring Christmases for
these youngsters?"Baby" McKee and his
little sist&r, Mary, whose great-grand
father, Dr. Scott, in spite of his ninety
years, also joined in these festivities, de
fying Grandpa Harrison to feel a jot
younger than he did. At one of these
Harrison Chrlstmises Santa Claus
brought little Mary McKee, with other
things, a toy piano, a doaen dolls and a
full doll housekeeping outfit.
n
jfc *
One of the prettiest Christmas incidents
in which a President ever figured oc
curred during this administration. One
day while passing through Richmond,
Intl., President Benjamin Harrison was
surprised in his car by a tiny girl of
four, who, when lie took her upon his
knee, threw her arms about his neck,
kissed him impulsively and put a new
penknife into his hand.
So when the next holiday time came
near, the President sent a letter and a
beautiful doll to that same little girl.
Here is a copy of that letter, which
she, now doubtless a mother, must treas
ure and read at Christmas times to her
own little ones:
'"My Dear Little Friend:
"When you came into my car ut Rich
mond I did not see you until >011 stood
at my feet looking up to me so sweetly
that 1 did >iot know but a little fairy had
come in through the window. But when
I picked you up and you gave me a kiss,
then I knew it was a real little girl. The
pretty knife you handed m?- 1 will keep
till you are a big girl, and when I go
back to Indiana to live you must come to
see me and I will show you that I have
not forgotten you. The little doll which
you will find in the box with this letter
is for you, and I hope you will think it
pretty. If the doll could talk she would
tell you how much I love to be loved by
the little children.
"Affectionately yours,
"BENJAMIN HARRISON."
When President Cleveland moved into
the White House for the second time he
brought with liini little Ruth, and then,
two months before the next Christmas,
had come tiny Esther. So the Yuletide
fested itself some
Special Cvm-evoiHleiN-^ ?f The Star.
PARIS, I??cemb(;r 10, 1013.
X THE 14th of July
last the famous
black contingent of
the French army
defiled before the
president and half
a million people on
the Eongchamps
race course. Their
app e a ranee was
greeted with the
same wild enthusi
asm which mani
six years ago, when
the first French military air craft hovered
and maneuvered over the assembled
troops. This was the answer of the
French nation to the recent formidable
increase of Germany's fighting force. The
French people realized that they pos
sessed another immensely valuable ad
junct for the future struggle?the "win
ning card." as they call it, in the great
game of skill which they believe is to
decide the fate of Europe.
Col. Marc-hand of Fashoda fame recent
ly said: "Every black soldier of France
is a hero; he lights with the fanatical
courage of the Mahometan, and can ??n
dure privations that would decimate white
troops. Now that skill and discipline
have been added to hie native bravery,
he is the most formidable fighting ma
chine In the world. France will not hesi
tate to use these troops in Europe when
occasion arises."
At the conclusion of his speech. Col.
Marchand paid a glowing tribute to Gen.
Mangin, who has devoted his whole ca
reer to the organization and improve
ment of the French colonial army. It
was Geo. Mangin. then a captain, who
brought black troops to I'aris for the
first time in July, 1&I0, His men have
the deepest affection for him and he la
stii* known as "le pere des tirailleurs."
Without his energy and 'pertinacity the
black army would still be what it was
then?a small contingent of very uncer
tain value.
By hammering away at the question
week in and week out for six years, the
French public was aroused from its
apathy and parliament took up the ques
tion. The result was the recent slgnitii
cant demonstration at T,ongchamps and a
coming increase of ju.ooo men in the
black army. Its founder's efforts were
recognised by the commander-in-chief of
the French army, who raised him from
the rank of colonel to that of general
and awarded the native troops the mark
of honor of which they had long been
worthy?a flag of their own to tight and
die for.
Speaking to the writer. Gen. Mangin
gave tiie following account of his work:
In 1H71, after signing the treaty 01
Frankfort. France possessed 37,000,000 in
habitants and Germany 39,500,0(10. At
the present time France lias 30,500.000
and Germany 07,000.000. The population
of France now remains stationary, where
as that of Germany increases by about
1.000.000 a year* From a military point
of view this is a deplorable situation and
can only be remedied by incorporating in
our army increasily large numbers of
black troops.
"Our colonies can give us an inexhaus
tible supply. The most noteworthy feat
of colonization and civilization in the
nineteenth century was the division of
the black continent by the three great
European nations. Thanks to the ability
and tact of our pioneers, France has ac
quired the respect and affection of the
best part, west Africa, with its popula
tion of at least 12.O00.000. I have just
returned from a long stay in that coun
try. and am certain that we could get
40.000 volunteers a year from West
Africa alone.
"The governor general of the country
has just confirmed this in a letter to the
minister of war The warlike character
of our black troops is well knowh. Th?
Senegallan rifleman is now one of the
ft
CJKX. HANtil V
C'omiuander-in-?*hief of France's black
army, which the republic will not
hesitate to use If occasion arises.
most popular types, and his bravery is
beyond comparison. He can march for
Incredible distances under a burning sun,
bear hunger and thirst without complain
ing. and tight for three days without rest.
Commanded, as they now are, by French
officers, there are no troops in Uie world
who could stand against them.
"They have often been reproached with
having no initiative, but this little story
shows that there is no foundation for this
belief. In 1911, Capt. Cazemajou and In
terpreter Olive were sent on a mission
into the district between the Niger and
the Tchad with a small escort of Senega
lian riflemen. They were ambushed by
the Sultan of Zinder and assassinated.
The native sergeant and half-a-dozen
men were also captured and put in irons.
Corp. Kouby took command of the re
maining eight men. and at once set about
fortifying his camp. He ^repulsed two
desperate attacks the next day, and
threatened to burn down the town of 10^
IXaj inhabitants if the prisoners were not
het free. He set tire to some huts the
same night, and the next day the ser
geant and his men were liberated. A suc
cessful retreat was made to the nearest
post on the Niger, 7*) miles away, in
fifty-four days. n
*
* *
"I could quote you many other cases
proving that the black soldier has just as
much initiative as the white, while he
possesses other great qualities- He, has
no nerves,'-and can sleep at the word of
command, even within sound of cannon.
Now that armies maneuver for several
days before getting into position this is
an invaluable -quality. While civilized
troops are losing their strength by the
tension of their nerves and loss of sleep,
these hardy sons of the desert are laying
up a reserve of energy for the final
charge upon which our fate and theirs
may depend."
It is easy to see why Gen. Mangin has
succeeded in his patriotic task. His en
thusiasm for his black troops amounts
almost to fanaticism, and this Is the only
sort of enthusiasm that can overcome the
Inertia of French "administration," whose
army of officials smothers any attempt to
break away from the old routine.
Questioned as to the supposed "unwrit
ten law" against employing black troops
on a European battlefield. Gen. Mangin
said it was only an invention of those
who feared their intervention.
"There" are several precedents in his
tory," he stated. "William of Orange
used black troops when he landed at Tor
bay November 2, 1688; Richelieu at the
siege of La Roche lie, and Maurice of
Saxony at Fontenoy and Lawfeld. Na
poleon quartered negro regiments all
round the French coast and they fought
on the French battleships. And our regi
ments of 'Turcos,' who fought so valiant
ly in the Crimea and Italy, contained
many black soldiers.
*
? ?
. "But even in France I have encountered
considerable opposition. Inertia is often
mistaken for prudence, and the term
'common sense' is often applied to that
species of intellectual shortsightedness
which cannot see the yawning precipice.
But France is now alive to the threat
ening danger and will no longer neglect
its splendid reserves of lighting ma
terial."
"Can you give the actual number of
black soldiers in the French army?"' was
nsked.
tien. Mangin smiled.
"You know," he said, "that our army
is known as the 'great silent one.' I
cannot fcive you the present figures, but
I will willingly give you those of Janu
ary 1. 1912.
"They are as follows: ?
1st Senegal Regiment J-*}.
2<1 Senegal Kcglnient }? j!
4lU Senegal Regime&t
Total... 5,o4S
? avalry. artillery, saijpers*
Senegal .. * 1790
vory roast 1 "ie
Mauritanic ' j'on;
Tlmhuctoo " ?
Zinder J!!! 1 1 "2k
Madagascar 00?
Equatorial Africa * 6->0il
Algeria MO
Mon?cco 450
French Guinea
Total 21.73?>
Thus we had then a total of 21.730
men, but it has since been increased; I
cannot say how much, but the aug
mentation is appreciable, and we have
been authorized to recruit 20,000 more
in the next four years. We could, how
ever, in case of need, raise lO.oOo extra
ln^J1 'n Senegal alone, in a few months."
Maurice Barres, the eminent writer,
academician and deputy, who has done
much to popularize France's colonial
army, at a recent dinner related the fol
lowing anecdotes, Illustrating, as he ex
pressed it, "the heroism and incomparable
abnegation of our black troops":
"Three years ago, at the taking of
Kami, on the Ivory coast, Lieut. Kauff
man asked for a man to reconnoiter
a stockade which appeared to be aban
doned. Trooper Baba Toure was the
tirit to volunteer, and started to ap
proach the stockade by creeping
through the brushwood. He got quite
close; there was no sign of move
ment. He crept up to the outworks
and stood erect. There was still no
sign of life. He was just about to an
nounce the good news when he suddenly
caught sight of about twenty of the
enemy concealed in a trench. Twenty
rifles were leveled at him. He might
have saved his life by keeping silence,
but that would h;ive been a coward's
part. He raised his own gun and fired,
so as to clearly indicate the position
of the enemy. Twenty shots rang out
and he fell, grievously wounded. Rais
ing his head to catch a last glimpse
of the men he had saved front slaugh
ter. he saw that his action had been
misunderstood. His companions were
advancing to certain death. Raising
himself, by a supreme effort, he of
fered himself as a target, and shouted:
"Keep back, savages here!" He fell
again, for the second and last time.
*
* * ?
"Another admirable trait in the black
soldier's character is his faithfulness
in obeying an order. One of our old
Morocco forts, Rottenbourg. contained
a powder magazine. It caught fire
through the carelessness of a smoker
and exploded. There were a number of
killed and wounded, but when the of
ficers reached the place the unwounded
were stlil standing at 'attention.' One
man In particular, a superb Bambara.
was pacing up and down, musket on
shoulder, on the edge of a yawning
chasm hollowed out by the exploding
powder. "You're not wounded?' asked
an officer. Saluting in irreproachable
fashion, the Seneg&lian replied, as he
had been taught, 'Nothing new.' It
was discovered afterward that he had
been blown into the air, had fallen
into the chasm, but had escaped in
jury in some miraculous way. He had,
therefore, continued to keep guard *a
if nothing had happened."
after that happy event found four little
stockings in a row before the Christmas
tree. and Santa Claus after tilling them,
delivered to the owners all kinds of costly
playthings. Just as though she were on*
of their little princ? sses. the rulers <>f the
great countries across the wean show
ered Baby Esther on her first Christmas
with all sorts of costly things. including
six cloaks, twenty pairs of chamois skin
shoes, twenty white silk dresses, a doSea
caps, a porpeous christening robe, no end
of knitted socks, yard upon yard of costly
dress fahrics. rich furs, cradles, cribs,
baby carriapes. wonderful dolls, all won
derfully dressed; tea sets and toys with
out number, which little Esther willingly
shared with her old?-r sister. Ruth, who
had been less fortunately endowed simp1,
because she had not been born while In r
father was President. And on the !a-?
Christmas eve that the Clevelands sp< n
in that finest old house in the land old
Santa Claus found six little stock.:.:- in
a row, for in the previous July t nj Ma
rian had been born the Prosi >ent's
home at Buzzards Bay And afte tne
Cleveland* left the White House two moro
pairs of socks?^those of ittle boys?wens
found on Christmas eves, but those of
Ruth came to be missed, for she passed
away to the ^ood pi.ice where every day
is Christmas and where her father no#
dwells with her.
The White House's next tenants, thS
McKinleys, brought with thein no chil
dren or grand h liren. large or small,
for they had Jos bt-th their babies li ng
before they <?;. :ae to live in the homo
of our Presidents However, they had
four young nits s and cousins ?h ? v??ed
to make the winter holidays merry for
them. Mrs. MeK.nlej v..is continually
knittinp socks ;nd ihinps to be placed
in Santa Claus' pack for delivery at
the homes of the ni ,ny children w iio
knew and loved her. She was one of
Santa's best friends in th .se days
The busiest White House Yuletids
?since the war was that which fell Just
after the Roosevelts moved in with
their family of four boys and two pirls,
all of them still at the toy save
the eldest two?Theodore, jr., and Miss
Alice. But although more pres? nts
were broupht down the eight b p ch m
neys of the old house th. t night than
in many years, and a th >uph m ?;??
stockings were hunp there in a row
before the fire. St. Kick was pre:ti\
disappointed because Papa R< osi v it
would not allow htm to bring a Christ
mas tree for the little ones.. This was
because the new President had the no
tion that he must discourage what he
called the wanton desfrncti* n of snt ill
evergreen trees at Christmas time; but
Mr. Tinchot, the goVt rnment's < h of
forester, sided w ith Ssnt- CI. us and
showed how judicious Chr stmas tree
< utting did the forests good In in.my
places. So durinp the second winter
the Roosevelts spent in the Wt.it.
House old Kris conspired with roguish
Archie to g.ve ;he fanr y a n 1 Chri t
mas tree. And after the presents hid
ali been distributed in tae library ac
cording to the Roosevelt custom this
young sprite took his father by the
hand and, leadinp him to an old closet
opened the door upon a little c?irist
nias* studded with miniature
electric liphts and hunp with presents
for all members of the family. After
tne President had finished laughing
e'* prank he took the children
"r>rin,'e of Wales' room," where
thej found a real electric train ranninsr
upon a miniature track, with switches.
signal lights, sidings and stations
* *
J lie grandest Christmas party given In
the White House since the civil war
was the mapnilicent ball which President
Roosevelt gave to his youngest daught. r.
u ?f debut, when
she was but seventeen. The entire suite
of state apartments was thrown open, and
and the hundreds of puests tripped up the
grand stairway into tne lobby, where
portraits of Presidents gazed across
banks of Christmas preens and rows of
hupe vases holding whole trees of
holly.
Like a fairy princess, the flaxen-haired
debutante, in her first ball gown?a love
ly creation of white satin studded with
crystals?stood beside her mother in tho
blue parlor, amid wagonloads of flowers,
sent by friends from far and near. The
Marine Band. In scarlet coats, playd
merrily at the front end of the east w
in which great apartment of so ni
Christmas memories the da^
young diplomats, in court dress.
young array and naval officers, in i.
uniform, tripped the lipht fantastic with
the debutantes of the season and a long
list of other young puests At midnight
supper was served at little tables scat
tered through the grand corridor and
dining rooms. And two nights later M .-s
Ethel was the puest of honor at .<
Christmas ball given by Mrs. Levi Letter
in the white and pold ballroom of her
million-dollar palace on Dupont Circle.
Here the 250 younp guests danced be
neath scores of gold baskets filled with
begonias and hung from pink satin rib
bons, while the preat mirrors on the
wall reflected their forms as they glid
ed across the floor to music waited
through a preat screen of smilax and
pink blossoms.
And Miss Helen Taft had uuite as nu r
ry a time during the Christmas week t'St
loying her debut in the White Hons.;.
Every nipht of that week she attended
both a dinner party and a ball at diifer
ent houses, and upon one night sh>- at
tended the theater between two such
functions.
Good-hearted little Charlie Taft prob
ably had Christmas in mind when, com
menting on his father's nomination, bo
said: "But I am awfully sorry for Quen
tin Roosevelt, for I don't want hint to
leave the White House. Yet he can vis.t
me often and we will have some fun to
gether."
* v
There was no Christmas tree in tha
White House during the Taft regime. ;;s
all of the President's children were rather
too big for that. Robert ?as a coliepo
student throughout his father's term;
Miss Helen, too. was in college until pre
sented to society, and Charlie was in his
I'nde Horace's boardinp school, tip iu
Connecticut. But that happy family al
ways had its winter reunion at the White
House during the holiday week.
President Wilson has also brougi t to
the White House a family past the toy
age. There are Miss Margaret, the mu
sician, landscape gardener and settlement
worker, whose chief interest is bringing
happiness to the children of the poor;
Miss Eleanor, the a:t student, who also
has a taste for the serious things of life,
and the former Miss Jessie, the echoes of
whose wedding bells are still ringing in,
our ears.
However, there are in the Wilson fam
iy several babies who will doubtless re
ceive Christmas sui prises from the pres
ent chief magistrate. These youngsters
are the President's grand niece* and
grandnephews, tiny Josephine Cathrau.
whose mother, by the way, was a school
mate of Esther Cleveland, the last baby
born in the White House, and the ona
who received such costly gifts from for
eign rulers; Virginia Peyton Howe, the
mother of a large doll family, who calls
herself "Tee l?ee," and Joseph Wilson
Howe, jr., namesake of the President's
father. This young gentleman had the
honor of eating the first viands served in
the White House during the Wilson ad
ministration. His crowning ambition is
to be a cowboy in the wild and woolly
west.
But by no means are the children of a
chief magistrate's family the oniy recip
ients of W hite House Christmas surprises.
A week before each Christmas day tho
White House postman commences to de
liver stacks upon stacks of gifts sent to
the President and his wife from all parts
of the world. These presents now run
into the thousands each year and they
ranp^in variety anywhere from clothe*
pins to pieces of furniture and from food
to jewelry. Only about one out of a hun
dred of these gifts comes from any one
whom the P: esident knows. Doubtless
the senders picture the chief executives
surprise and delight as he opens the
packages.' Cruel though It be to spoil the
illusion, all are really opened by a clerk.
It has long been the White House rule
to return all such gifts of larpe intrinsic
value received from other than intimate
friends and relatives of the executiv?
families. Thus a handsome brooch con
taining gems worth fully ?1,000 and sent
to Mrs. Cleveland as a Christmas gift
was returned because the sender was a
stranger.
(Copyright, 1913, \>j John Eifreth WstUss.)
I
Smy And .Scott Hax'es
at AiAMCX Hre.ss Ball