| Show WasbingtQU Sew < I II I I 1 Correspondence Tribune Washington D C Dec 26The past week has been one of almost absolute rest at the White House and Christmas Christ-mas day was celebrated as a family holiday Tho Roosevelt children went to the Christmas eve service at St Johns with their mother and Miss Qarew Mrs Roosevelts sister who has Just come home from abroad Stockings were hung In the library before be-fore the big fireplace and on Christmas Christ-mas morning the usual ceremony of finding their overflowing contents was hugely enjoyed by the Juniors No unusual un-usual ostentation marked the Incident at the White House however as the homo lifo of thc President and his family Is simple and unpretentious In every respect I Tho President went to church on Christmas day but Mrs Roosevelt did I not attend service A family party Including Commander and Mrs Cowles I and Miss Carew gathered at the I Christmas dinner which was as nearly an oldfashioned Knickerbocker feast as circumstances and modern culinary I would permit The President carved his own turkey as he always does and there were mince and pumpkin pies nuts and raisins etc etc following In the afternoon the Roosevelt family fam-Ily repaired to the home of Mrs Cowles sister of the Prsldent where the children partook of the merriment planned for the only child of the I I Cowles family A beautiful tree had been decked out In gorgeous array of lights and tinsel and toys and presents pres-ents were exchanged all round a second sec-ond time Mra Roosevelt Is exceedingly interested Inter-ested in Porto RIcan women and has received samples of their embroidery and drawnwork She was especially pleased with specimens of the former as it is not usually understood that the Spanish American women can embroider embroid-er although their skill In drawnwork is well known Mrs Roosevelt has ordered a new supply of linen for the White House I including tray clothes napkins dollies and other smaller articles of table ac coutrement and has had them embroiderer em-broiderer by the women of the Islands The IOU S is beautifully done and in future Mrs Roosevelt will order all her household linen from the Porto Ricans No mistress of the White House has heretofore been able to secure se-cure suitable clothes for the somewhat Irregularly shaped side tables In the stato and family diningrooms of the White House but these new covers among the others were used for the first time on Christmas day and it Is significant that they should be the product of our new possessions and the handiwork of the humble Porto Ricans I Mrs Roosevelt Is also Interested In other Industries for the Porto Ricans and one of her predict evening gowns Is of pink plna cloth a native fabric Although the wife of the President has never visited the Islands some of the other distinguished women in Washington Wash-ington boar witness to the skill of the Porto RIcan women In constructing summer gowns Thuo It I would seem that the women and men of our new possessions commence com-mence under their new regime with equal opportunities for making of themselves thrifty and independent citizens J Christmas at the British embassy Is always celebrated In true English fashion with plum pudding and holland > holl-and presents galore The entire suite was invited to dine at the embassy and general merrymaking lasted throughout the day Notwithstanding the fact that a new ruler occupies the English throne the Queens picture btlll holds Us place of honor at the head of the wide double stairway at the British embassy The Germans have a splendid Christ I i fer mas tree With genuine Teutonic vor they dressed it and lighted It and prepared for each other beautiful surprises sur-prises with the enthusiasm of children chil-dren Not only at the embassy but in some of the bachelor apartments of the suite trees were Installed and their decoration made the occasion of much merriment The general gathering among the Germans was at supper on Christmas eve The Russians keep the old calendar festivals and accordingly celebrate their Christmas twelve days later No especial observances occurred at the Russian embassy therefore except that nx a special feature tlwr members of the suite were asked to dine The Mexicans also had a supper on Christmas eve at which was served a Mexican salad the recipe for which In known only to the patrician no chef of the bourgeoise Is permitted to possess this secret and Madam Perez the accomplished ac-complished young widowed daughter of the embassy spent ail the afternoon of the gala evening in Its preparation The salad consists of every vegetable obtainable In tho markets blended with claret and sugar A native cake was also served on this OLC telon which had the consistency of a waffle but was very large and sweet No celebration occurred at the French embassy since the Embassador Is upon the spas Almost all the South American families fam-ilies have Christmas trees as all the children of the diplomatic corps appear ap-pear to belong to the South Americans The members of the Cabinet celebrated cele-brated l the day at their respective homes by family gatherings a There Is a general suspension of social so-cial doings Just now In anticipation of tho grand outburst on the 1st of January Jan-uary It Is the lull before the storm the pause before the blast of trumpets and when the new year is ushered In and the season fully opened there will be no rest for tired feet and weary eyes It is no longer the custom for Senators Sena-tors Representatives and other dignitaries digni-taries to receive cards covering the entire en-tire seasons Invitations to state functions func-tions but separate cards will be issued for each occasion This departure from old traditions was made during the McKinley administration and will be adhered to under tho new regime In former years the 111advlscd system sys-tem of Invitation was responsible forman for-man uninvited guests and every state function was the scene of an almost disgraceful melee the result being that j many prominent people did not attend during the entire season Persons frequently fre-quently stood In line for two hours waiting to be admitted and upon their exit ladles were often compelled to walk in slippers and evening gowns through the grounds to the entrance gates In order to securo their carriages With the coming of Col Bingham and the late John Addison Porter ns attaches at the White House the new I system was InauguraL Mr Porter brought lo the position = of secretary to the President much personal prestige and dignified the office to such an extent ex-tent ns to bring its rank in close proximity prox-imity with that of a Cabinet oflicer Hoe demanded that cards should be shown at the door to restrict the uninvited unin-vited and redistricted so to speak the Presidents list inviting the company com-pany desirable for each occasion and making an Invltn lon from the President Presi-dent and his wife a compliment no matter for what date Issued In marked contrast to the old order of things at state icccptions are the now dignified and stately functions when the first host and hostess of the land receive formally the distinguished officials who with the President represent rep-resent the Government of the American Ameri-can peopl2 The small and early dance given ut Rauschers last night was the opening open-ing rally of the younger set and the first Important dance of the season There will be three pthers before Lent These are subscription dances under tho auspices of the mothers of debutantes debu-tantes ahd their social sisters who have not been out more than two years Among the patronesses are Mrs Arch Hopkins Mrs Wadsworth of New York Mrs Cowles and Mrs Francis Newlands of Nevada The affair af-fair is not a cotillion but as the name I implies a small dance In marked contrast I con-trast to the more stately functions of the kind given by the grownup contingent con-tingent of society The light character of the refreshments served on + these occasions has given rise to the sobriquet sobri-quet the Cheap and Hungry emanating ema-nating no doubt froni the direction of those mothers who have no daughters or from those whose daughters are too old to attend There is however no age limit for the men Invited and consequently everybody of masculine gender Is asked from the freshman home for the holidays to the Persian Minister Such wholesome young people as Miss Alice Roosevelt arc members of this coterie ARABELLA GUSHINGTON 0 |
