CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1365, 16 February 1912, Page 6

CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA.

BABY MILLIONAIRE'S PARTY. Americans, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, enter into the joyous land of luletide very much in the same fashion as (heir Knglish forebears, with happy family reunions and plenty of Christmas turkey and plum pudding"(said Ihe. Xew lork correspondent of the "Dailv Telegraph" on December 21). Although chief oi the executive of the nation of '.1(1,000,000 inhabiting this country of extraordinary prosperity. Air. Tuft did not disdain to accompany Airs. Taft on a shopping tour and on his return to his official residence, loaded with parcels, he personally handed tut turkeys to the policemen who guarded the White .House, scarf-pins to his army aud navy aides, and gold pieces to (he executive clerks.

In the meantime Mr. Roosevelt took part in a joyous little function In the offices of thu A'ew York magazine, where lie discharges with great regularity the duties of contributing editor at a salarv of ,tlO,0«0 a year. Mr. Kooseveit assembled with his fellow-scribes in his sanctum, and told them that they had worked together during the past" year "just as loyally and happily as niy Cabinet worked with me in Washington:" Other members of the staff made speeches and exchanged Christmas greetings, after which Dr. Lyman Abbott, editor-in-chief, briefly addressed the company. Everybody, front the youngest office-boy, received a big box of chocolates tied with red ribbon, and Mr. Roosevelt, tuckinir his under his arm, carried it home to Oyster Bay.

Sunday is obserred rather strictly in America, and in most cases Christmas Kve parties for the children took place the evciiiig before. Li some millipnaire.i' homes there were wonderful doings as usual; but the pride of place belongs easily to tho festivities which took place at Washington in honour of the two-vcar-old toddler Vincent M'Le-in, who'will in due. conr.-.p inherit .£>O,fiOl),(Jl)O from the estates of his two grandfathers. Ever since his liirth Vincent, has occupied much spne? in the American popular newspapers, where he hns been described, together with his possessions, innumerable tinier under the headline, "The Richest Baby in the/World. , ': "'

This multi-millionaire ljaby last night entertained twenty millionaire babies, as well as many grown-up guests. It is noted with surprise by some., WaaMnjrtoii corresnontlpnts that "the gilded darlinßS seemed almost natural as (hoy nibbled their golden spoons and banged their dia-mond-studded rattles." Lilllo Croesuses played like other children until Vincent iost his phtinum horse with a gold tail whereat he released a million-dollar howl that nearly startled his Excellency the I'ussian Ambassador, one of the grownup guests, out of his boots. Crystal lustres and gold and silver stars, with imported multi-coloured electric lights, decorated the gorgeous Christmas tree. A team of reindeers, attached to a sleigh, with Santa Claus as driver, galloped across the long mahogany table, propelled by a hidden electrical apparatus. The sleigh overflowed with toys, some of which had been sent by the Tsar of Russia and the King of Denmark. Vorty nurses wero in attendance on the 20 little guests. ■ ' .