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Christmas Under Three Flags - Mary Emily Donelson Wilcox · Genetic Studies of Genius: The Early Mental Traits of Three Hundred Geniuses

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  Speaker 1: Chapter one of Christmas under Three Flags. This is a
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: Christmas under Three Flags being memories of holiday festivities in
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  Speaker 1: the White House with Old Hickory, in the Palace of
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  Speaker 1: his Royal Highness, Prince of Prussia, afterwards Emperor William the First,
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  Speaker 1: and at the Alamo with the Alcalde's daughter by Mary
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  Speaker 1: Emily Donaldson Wilcox. Chapter one, Santa Claus at the White
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  Speaker 1: House in Old Hickory's day through the mist of years,
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  Speaker 1: I recall a mery Christmas in my childhood's home long ago,
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  Speaker 1: and sweeter than music across still waters come memories of
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  Speaker 1: the blessed influences voicing in that historic mansion on that
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  Speaker 1: memorable occasion, the glad tidings from Bethlehem, Peace on Earth,
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  Speaker 1: good will towards men. The White House, always an ideal
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  Speaker 1: domestic center, was, during President Jackson's occupancy, the model American home. Love,
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  Speaker 1: kindness and charity guarding it like sentries, happiness and content
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  Speaker 1: overshadowing it like angel wings. Known to the world as
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  Speaker 1: the man whose iron will and fierce, ungovernable temper, defied
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  Speaker 1: opposition in courted antagonism. He was the gentlest, tenderest, most
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  Speaker 1: patient of men. At his own fireside. His household included
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  Speaker 1: the families of his adopted son in private Secretary and
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  Speaker 1: Missus Donaldson and Missus Jackson, Handsome, accomplished, refined, Major Donaldson
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  Speaker 1: and mister Jackson, brave, cultured, public spirited, ably assisted him
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  Speaker 1: in discharging his high duties, and by their tact and grace,
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  Speaker 1: obtained for his administration its unequaled social prestige. Loving, enjoying
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  Speaker 1: children as childless old people often do, and never so
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  Speaker 1: happy as when giving happiness to others. He made life
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  Speaker 1: for us little ones Donaldson's four, Jackson's two clustering around
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  Speaker 1: his knee as around adoting grandfather's well worth living. Among
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  Speaker 1: the many bright incidents associated with the Special Christmas so
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  Speaker 1: pleasantly remembered today were an east room frolic and an
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  Speaker 1: unforgettable visit from Santa Claus. The invitations for the former,
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  Speaker 1: which was probably the most enjoyable and successful juvenile fate
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  Speaker 1: ever given at the National Capital, read the children of
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  Speaker 1: President Jackson's family request you to join them on Christmas
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  Speaker 1: Day at four o'clock p m. In a frolic in
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  Speaker 1: the East Room, Washington, December nineteenth, eighteen thirty five, delivering them.
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  Speaker 1: Receiving the acceptances, there were few regrets, selecting the games
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  Speaker 1: to be played, and arranging other matters. Relating there too,
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  Speaker 1: proved inexhaustible sources of fun, subordinate only to curiosity. As
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  Speaker 1: to Santa Claus in his mysterious movements, his generosity on
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  Speaker 1: former occasions tempted us to expect great results from his
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  Speaker 1: next visit, and wondering whether he would come, if so,
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  Speaker 1: what he would bring us, and how he looked, and
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  Speaker 1: where he lived, we questioned the house servants and attendants,
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  Speaker 1: with whom we were privileged pets, and among whom were
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  Speaker 1: some most interesting personalities. Their answers, however, unlike the enchanted
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  Speaker 1: oracle in fairy lore, neither removing doubt nor confirming hope. Mammy,
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  Speaker 1: a large, handsome mulatto, saucy and good natured, fussy and domineering,
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  Speaker 1: as nursery autocrats generally are, and whom we both loved
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  Speaker 1: and feared, said, I wish to goodness you children would
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  Speaker 1: stop talking about old Cindy claws. I'd laugh. If tired
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  Speaker 1: of roaming round nights filling stockings, he'd stay at home
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  Speaker 1: and roast chestnuts by his own fire. Jimmy O'Neil, our
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  Speaker 1: favorite usher and a typical son of Erin, said, I
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  Speaker 1: could tell you lots about Saint Patrick, but mighty little
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  Speaker 1: about Sindy Claus. I think, however, he and I must
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  Speaker 1: look alike, for Mammy always says when I make her
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  Speaker 1: a present, go away. Jimmy, you're as big a fool
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  Speaker 1: as Cindy Claws, always giving people things. We shook our heads. No, no, Jimmy,
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  Speaker 1: you are thin as a rail, have black scraggly hair,
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  Speaker 1: a long, sharp nose, and no beard. And everybody knows
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  Speaker 1: Santa Claus to be fat, squatty, with a red faced,
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  Speaker 1: long white beard, and wearing a baggy coat crammed with
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  Speaker 1: toys and goodies. Vivart, the French cook, whose tooths some
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  Speaker 1: sweets invested him with great importance in our hungry eyes,
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  Speaker 1: and whom we waylaid on his morning visit to my mother,
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  Speaker 1: said I know a quoint with Monsieur Santa Claus. He
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  Speaker 1: no live in Pari, in my beautiful France, across the
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  Speaker 1: blue sea. Les petite enfance, never ask questions, speak only
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  Speaker 1: when spoken to, then with modest curtseys and downcast eyes. Aha, chuckled, Mammy.
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  Speaker 1: Mister Vivart gives you a lesson in manners. Hans, the
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  Speaker 1: German gardener, whose stories about rhine castles and black forest
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  Speaker 1: witches and fairies were even more relish than the fruit
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  Speaker 1: and flowers he brought up stairs every morning, said, I'm
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  Speaker 1: sure Chris Kringle will come. He might forget some children,
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  Speaker 1: but not white house ones. Though I think it's strange
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  Speaker 1: he does not hang his pretty things on a green
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  Speaker 1: tree instead of stuffing them in ugly stockings. How I
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  Speaker 1: wish you could see the beautiful trees which the boys
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  Speaker 1: and girls in Germany trim and light on Christmas Eve,
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  Speaker 1: and where they gather to sing songs, play games, and
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  Speaker 1: exchange presents. Heaven seems very near at those times. Your
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  Speaker 1: German trees may be lovely, Hans, said Corrida, a Mexican
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  Speaker 1: embroiderous occasionally employed by my mother. But they can't compare
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  Speaker 1: with the fancy lamps which the Rio grand Anitos hang
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  Speaker 1: on poles and bushes near their homes on Christmas Eve
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  Speaker 1: and beneath which they find the next morning the beautiful
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  Speaker 1: gifts left for them by the infant Jesus on his
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  Speaker 1: way from heaven to the Virgin's arms. She often told
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  Speaker 1: us stories descriptive of Mexican customs, and had just commenced
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  Speaker 1: one about the alcalde's daughter when Mammy called us to
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  Speaker 1: put on our wraps to go writing with the President,
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  Speaker 1: who wished us to meet him at the front door.
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  Speaker 1: Something like the divinity that doth hedge a king, invested
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  Speaker 1: him in our eyes, and always granting, often anticipating his wishes.
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  Speaker 1: We never dared to pose or disobey his orders. While waiting,
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  Speaker 1: George the Coachman told us of some bad children who
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  Speaker 1: found in their Christmas stockings a bundle of peach tree
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  Speaker 1: swich is wrapped in paper, labeled to be applied when
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  Speaker 1: spanking has proved insufficient, and said he hoped we would
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  Speaker 1: fare better now. We had, on several occasions come in
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  Speaker 1: close contact with peach tree switches, but we did not
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  Speaker 1: thank George for reminding us of the stinging experiences. To
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  Speaker 1: the orphan asylum, said the President, on entering the carriage,
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  Speaker 1: in which were several packages, and up in front was
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  Speaker 1: a basket of good things. He often drove there, taking
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  Speaker 1: me cousin Rachel, his adopted son's daughter, and the apple
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  Speaker 1: of his eye, and John along. It was at that
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  Speaker 1: time a small, modest structure with a limited number of patients,
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  Speaker 1: but its foundress, Missus van Ness, had secured for it
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  Speaker 1: some influential patrons, among whom President Jackson, to whom all
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  Speaker 1: orphans were objects of tender solicitude, was not the least zealous.
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  Speaker 1: The following conversation enlivened the ride. John Uncle, the name
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  Speaker 1: affectionately applied to him by his wife's nieces and nephews.
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  Speaker 1: Did you ever see Santa Claus the President eyeing John
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  Speaker 1: curiously over his spectacles? No, my boy, I never did. John.
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  Speaker 1: Mammy thinks he'll not come tonight. Did you ever know
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  Speaker 1: him to behave that way? The President? We can only
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  Speaker 1: wait and see. I once knew a little boy who
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  Speaker 1: not only never heard of Chrismus or Santa Claus, but
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  Speaker 1: never had a toy in his life, And after the
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  Speaker 1: death of his mother, a pure saintly woman, had neither
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  Speaker 1: home nor friends chorus of children. Poor little fellow. Had
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  Speaker 1: he come to the White House, we would have shared
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  Speaker 1: our playthings with him. The children, quick to detect emotion,
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  Speaker 1: felt that some sad memory stirred the old man's heart,
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  Speaker 1: though we little suspected he was referring to his own
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  Speaker 1: desolate childhood. The president, after some moment's silence, the best
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  Speaker 1: way to secure happiness is to bestow it on others,
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  Speaker 1: and will begin our holiday by remembering the little ones
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  Speaker 1: who have no mothers or fathers, to brighten life for them.
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  Speaker 1: To the sweet faced matron who welcomed us, he said,
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  Speaker 1: here I am with some Christmas cheer for your young charges.
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  Speaker 1: The children gathered in the reception room, and it was
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  Speaker 1: gratifying to see their faces light up. As greeting each one,
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  Speaker 1: he distributed his gifts, and even more gratifying was it
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  Speaker 1: to note his pleasure at their grateful surprise, raising in
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  Speaker 1: his arms a crippled boy who replied to his inquiry
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  Speaker 1: better general, but oh so tired. He gave him a
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  Speaker 1: jumping jack, saying, let's see how this works, and the
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  Speaker 1: delighted child cried, ain't that cute, hopping up and down
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  Speaker 1: just like an organ grinder's monkey. The day, warm and bright,
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  Speaker 1: was more like May than December. The parks then only
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  Speaker 1: grassy commons shaded by native trees were still green, and
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  Speaker 1: the roses in the grounds adjoining all buildings were still
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  Speaker 1: in full bloom. Returning home, we called at several houses
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  Speaker 1: to leave Christmas souvenirs sent by my mother and Missus Jackson.
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  Speaker 1: A package of snuff for Missus Madison, then visiting Washington relatives,
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  Speaker 1: a hand painted mirror from mister Van Buren, who was
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  Speaker 1: reputed to be on very good terms with his looking glass,
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  Speaker 1: and some embroidered handkerchiefs Corida's handiwork for intimate friends. During
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  Speaker 1: President Jackson's incumbency, the White House family children included except
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  Speaker 1: on state occasions, met at meal time, breakfast being at
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  Speaker 1: eight o'clock, dinner at two, and supper at half past six.
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  Speaker 1: Missus Donaldson sat at the head of the table, the
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  Speaker 1: President at the foot. We stood at our chairs until
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  Speaker 1: he asked a blessing, and at the close of meals
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  Speaker 1: were excused by a signal, smile or gesture from my mother,
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  Speaker 1: always serving the children first, saying they have better appetites,
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  Speaker 1: less patience, and should not be required to wait until
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  Speaker 1: their elders are helped. He encouraged us to talk and
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  Speaker 1: ask questions, evidently enjoying our remarks, he often rose early
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  Speaker 1: and went with us to Jackson now Lafayette Square for
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  Speaker 1: a game of Mumble the Peg, and occasionally, when supposed
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  Speaker 1: to be wrestling with state problems, hurling anathemas at Clay Biddle,
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  Speaker 1: Adams and other opponents, he might have been found in
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  Speaker 1: our play room, soothing some childish grievance, or joining in
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  Speaker 1: some impromptu romp. After supper, we began preparations for the
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  Speaker 1: all important, eagerly anticipated event hanging up our stockings. Uncle
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  Speaker 1: had invited us, overruling my mother's protests that we might
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  Speaker 1: disturb him to use his room, and thither we merrily trooped,
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  Speaker 1: he leading and apparently deeply interested my brothers, Jackson and John.
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  Speaker 1: Cousin Rachel and I borrowed mammy stockings, which, as she
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  Speaker 1: tipped the beam at two hundred, were as capacious as
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  Speaker 1: the galilee fisherman's nets. She often referred to. Cousin Rachel
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  Speaker 1: and brother Jackson hung theirs to side hooks on the mantel,
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  Speaker 1: I mine to the fancy hearth broom, and John, who
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  Speaker 1: was a born artist, his to a boot jack carelessly
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  Speaker 1: left on uncle's green leather arm chair two smaller stockings
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  Speaker 1: for the babies, my little sister and young cousin, dangled
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  Speaker 1: from curtain rings at the foot of the bed. In
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  Speaker 1: the center of a large, airy, handsomely furnished room stood
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  Speaker 1: a writing table at which the press, President and his
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  Speaker 1: private secretary often sat until the wee small hours, discussing
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  Speaker 1: state matters and examining documents relating to them. Amid the
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  Speaker 1: papers promiscuously piled up thereon was an old testament that
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  Speaker 1: had belonged to his mother, his wife's Bible, and a
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  Speaker 1: frame holding her miniature, surveying with delight the room. After
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  Speaker 1: we had disposed of our stockings, we declared it reminded
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  Speaker 1: us of the Masonic bazaar being held, which we had attended.
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  Speaker 1: Then brother Jackson had a bright idea, why not hang
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  Speaker 1: up a stocking for uncle? And running to the bureau,
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  Speaker 1: he took a sock from the bottom drawer, tied it
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  Speaker 1: to the tongs, and cried, Now, let's see how Santa
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  Speaker 1: Claus will treat you, mister Uncle Jackson, President of all
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  Speaker 1: these United States. Surprised and amaze, the old man said, well, well,
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  Speaker 1: to think I've waited nearly seventy years to hang up
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  Speaker 1: a Christmas stocking better late than never, added brother Jackson.
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  Speaker 1: We begged to be allowed to sit up to see
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  Speaker 1: Santaga Claws come down the chimney and pass through the
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  Speaker 1: fire without scorching his bundles, declaring we were not sleepy,
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  Speaker 1: and promising never to be naughty again. Then, when Mammy
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  Speaker 1: hustled us off Nolan's volans to bed, we vowed we'd
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  Speaker 1: lie awake all night, and, still protesting, sank into tired
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  Speaker 1: childhood's dreamless slumber. About daybreak, Mammy's shrill voice, calling Christmas,
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  Speaker 1: gift you sleepy heads, awoke us and amazed, indignant to
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  Speaker 1: find we had slept soundly after all, we sprang from
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  Speaker 1: bed and darted in our bare feet, unheeding her cries,
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  Speaker 1: wait till you're dressed, you'll catch your death of cold,
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  Speaker 1: across the hall to uncle's room, and asked, did Santa
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  Speaker 1: Claus come see for yourselves? Said he, opening his door.
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  Speaker 1: He was up and dressed, had a bright fire, and
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  Speaker 1: watched us tenderly as rushing. And we seized our stockings,
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  Speaker 1: each one his included being well filled, and beneath them
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  Speaker 1: the presence we specially desired for him. A cob pipe
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  Speaker 1: pair of warm slippers and tobacco bag for brother Jackson,
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  Speaker 1: then eight years old and very mannish, talking grandly about
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  Speaker 1: shooting on the fly and jumping the hurdle, a small gun,
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  Speaker 1: saddle and bridle for John, a hobby horse and drum
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  Speaker 1: for me and cousin Rachel, a doll and tea set each,
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  Speaker 1: and for the baby's toy rattles. Delighted, we voted Santa
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  Speaker 1: Claus to be the nicest old fellow in the world.
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  Speaker 1: Had we known our real benefactor, we would have felt
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  Speaker 1: some disappointment dearly as we loved him, for the occult
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  Speaker 1: has indescribable fascination for children, who, though grasping, loving to
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  Speaker 1: hoard and accumulate, find in the mystery surrounding Santa Claus
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  Speaker 1: a charm surpassing even his bounty. See a child spring
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  Speaker 1: from his bed early Christmas morning, grasp and examine its stocking,
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  Speaker 1: finding in it long coveted, unlooked for treasures. Meanwhile imagining
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  Speaker 1: the fat, white bearded old man crossing like Puss and boots,
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  Speaker 1: hill and Dale, sea and lake to bring it presents,
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  Speaker 1: bending perchance over its sleeping form to imprint Achius, then
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  Speaker 1: slipping away without waiting to be thanked. Can human fancy
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  Speaker 1: picture a more entrancing scene when, in after years does
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  Speaker 1: any moment yield more unalloyed bliss. Mammy, often provoking with
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  Speaker 1: her strict notions of nursery discipline, outdid herself that morning.
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  Speaker 1: For though we implored her to let us empty our
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  Speaker 1: stockings just to see if that lump in the toe
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  Speaker 1: was a dim or quarter, she barbarously put them away
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  Speaker 1: and rubbing, scrubbing, combing, curling, as if for dear life's sake,
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  Speaker 1: dressed us for breakfast. Below stairs, the halls, dining and
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  Speaker 1: sitting rooms decorated with cedar and holly, The vases filled
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  Speaker 1: with flowers on tables and mantels, and huge logs blazing
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  Speaker 1: on the hearths made a cheery, comforting scene, though President
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  Speaker 1: Jackson had not for years used any intent toxicants. A
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  Speaker 1: bowl of foaming eggnog graced the sideboard, and on tables
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  Speaker 1: near were presents for each member of the household. Missus
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  Speaker 1: Donaldson occupied while mistress of the White House, the second
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  Speaker 1: story corner room facing Pennsylvania Avenue, using the one back
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  Speaker 1: of it as a nursery. In the former three of
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  Speaker 1: her children, Mary, myself John and Rachel, credited at the
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  Speaker 1: time with being the first births in the executive mansion,
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  Speaker 1: were born, her eldest child, Jackson, having been born in Tennessee.
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  Speaker 1: The President's adopted son and daughter occupied the two adjoining rooms,
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  Speaker 1: and he the central one, now known as the Prince
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: of Wales's Room because used by His Royal Highness when
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: President Buchanan's guest in eighteen sixty. The playroom belonging today
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  Speaker 1: to the official suite was near the president's. His bed,
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  Speaker 1: a high four poster carved mahogany with tester and heavy
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  Speaker 1: damass curtains, was reached by carpeted steps, which we children
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  Speaker 1: dearly loved to scamper up inn down. When ill, we
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  Speaker 1: often carried him his meals. He reciprocated the attention when
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  Speaker 1: we were confined in bed, suffering from painful respiration, he
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  Speaker 1: slept propped up by high pillows. Opposite his bed hung
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  Speaker 1: his wife's portrait with pictures of the two Rachels on
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  Speaker 1: either side. A standing breakfast question being which Rachael did
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  Speaker 1: you look at first? This morning? Uncle, the lucky one
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  Speaker 1: being the morning bell. The author and sharer of most
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  Speaker 1: of our pleasures, he often shielded us from punishment when naughty,
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  Speaker 1: and my mother, once bewailing his over indulgence, quoted the Bible,
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  Speaker 1: spare the rod and spoil the child. But he replied,
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: I think, emily, with all due deference to the Good Book,
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  Speaker 1: that love and patience are better disciplinarians than Rod's. Traveling,
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  Speaker 1: he generally took along a box of silver half dollars
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  Speaker 1: for his namesakes, then both numerous and ubiquitous, saying to
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  Speaker 1: their mothers, baby can cut teeth on my gift. Now,
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  Speaker 1: later show him his country's eagle thereon, and teach him
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  Speaker 1: to love and honor it. We were permitted to spend
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  Speaker 1: the morning, and a blissful one. It proved in the
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  Speaker 1: play room, where uncle cousin Sarah and Andrew, my mother
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  Speaker 1: and father, and some playmates joined us and helped us
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  Speaker 1: unload our stockings, finding in each a silver quarter, fruit, candy, cakes,
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  Speaker 1: and nuts. Many friends remembered us white house children, then
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  Speaker 1: as now, exciting much public interests. Many of cousin Rachel's
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  Speaker 1: presents were beautiful, and two of mine were so unique
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  Speaker 1: and pleasure giving that after all these sad years, they
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  Speaker 1: still loom up, shining milestones in childhood's sunny way. Madame
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: Surier of the French legation sent me a boy doll
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  Speaker 1: wearing the red brass button jacket, gray gold striped pants,
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  Speaker 1: plumed chapeau, spurs and saber worn by French postalions. My godfather,
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  Speaker 1: the Vice President, sent me a miniature cooking stove with
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  Speaker 1: spirit lamp ready to light. I had had many handsome dolls,
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  Speaker 1: but never a boy doll before, and, like other foolish
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  Speaker 1: mothers welcoming a son after a succession of disappointing daughters,
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  Speaker 1: I clasped him in my arms and crowned him lord
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  Speaker 1: and master of my heart. Wherever I went for some weeks,
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  Speaker 1: someone would ask Mary, how's your boy? Lighting the lamp
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: in the toy stove. We boiled water in the tiny
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: kettle and pop corn in the oven, shouting gleefully when
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: the kettle sang and the corn executed its staccato dance,
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  Speaker 1: occasionally giving us a hot smack on the face or hands.
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: The etiquette forbidding ladies presiding over executive mansions from receiving
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: or returning social calls was either non asked or disregarded
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  Speaker 1: at that time. For missus Donaldson, who was many years
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: the junior of any of her predecessors or successors, and
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: who had that love of pleasure and desire to please
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: natural to young attractive women. Had a large visiting list,
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  Speaker 1: including most of the ladies prominent in social and official circles.
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: Among her intimates were Missus McCombe, Missus R. E. Lee
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: from Arlington, Missus Reeves, Missus Blair, Miss Lizzie Blair, Missus
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: Watson and her daughters, Missus CORER. Livingstone, and Rebecca mac Lean.
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: Miss Livingstone, who was my godmother and mother's dearest friend,
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: was for many years the acknowledged Belle of Washington, many
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: distinguished authors paying homage and familiar writings to her rare
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: tact and personal charm, and imparting to her social triumph's
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: traditionary interest. Not the least of that happy day's diversions
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: was making our toilettes for the afternoon fate. And it
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: was amusing to see the high and mighty airs Mammy
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: assumed on the occasion, changing a beau here, supplying a
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: pin there, arranging plates, ruffles and puffs. Then, when she
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: had finished dressing us, surveying her work as an artist
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: might a completed chef douvre. We wore the costumes presented
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: to us by our parents as Christmas gifts. Cousin Rachel,
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: who was pretty and graceful of pink kashmere iy a
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: blue one. We both wore silk clock stockings with kid slippers.
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: John was gorgeous in a Highland plaid suit, and brother Jackson,
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: who was tall, erect and handsome, gave promise in a
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: brass button jacket of the gallant officer. He afterwards became
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: Miss cor Livingstone, who kindly volunteered to chaperone. The frolic
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: came about four and led the way to the east room,
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: which was tastefully decorated with evergreens and flowering plants. Our
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: guests arrived promptly, and meeting them at the door, we
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: kissed the girls and shook hands with the boys. The
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: former wore light colors, the latter their smartest suits, all
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: making a brave showing, though there were no elaborate costumes,
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: styled worth confections and suggesting Parisian ballet dancers like those
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: seen nowadays at juvenile gatherings. Among our guests were the Woodburry,
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: Blake Jones, Lee McCombe, Carol Graham, Turnbull, Pleasanton, Tawny Corcoran, Peters,
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: and Hobby children, with all of whom we were well acquainted,
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: having dancing, school, Sunday school, picnic and playroom associations in common.
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: A few older guests, Missus Madison bringing her grand niece
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: Addie Cutts, Missus Lee with little Custus, Baroness Crudener, Madams,
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: Huggins and Serier and Sir Edward Vaughan joined the President
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: and members of his family in the Red Room and
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: served as spectators of a novel and delightful entertainment. We
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: played blind Men's buff hide and Seek, Puss in the Corner,
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: and several juvenile forfeit games. All entered into with zest
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: and thoroughly enjoyed. The East Room proving an ideal playground,
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: and the players free and unrestrained as if on a
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: Texas prairie. Romping, scampering, shouted, laughing, in all the exuberance
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: of childish merrymaking. Mister van Buren and Miss Cora joined in,
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: rather led the games, and added greatly to their success.
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: Several amusing incidents varied their usual routine in Hide and
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: Seek the switch after numerous hot and cold signals was
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: discovered in a boy's jacket pocket where a mischievous girl
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: had slipped it, and in Puss in the corner. Willie m,
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: provoked with Jenny T for eluding his grasp, called out,
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: you were no pussy but a slippery old cat. Washington
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: gossips accused missus Donaldson of heading a conspiracy to make
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: a match between the Vice President and miss Cora, But
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: as she married a mister Barton some years later, and
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: as he never gave his children a stepmother, those gossips
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: evidently aired then, as they occasionally do today. The failure
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: to catch them together beneath the mistletoe bow suspended from
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: the central East room chandelier was probably the only disappointment
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: of the evening, all hoping that such a conjunction might
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: have auspicious results. Mister van Buren, having incurred a penalty
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: in a forfeit game, was sentenced to stand on one
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: leg and say here, I stand all ragged and dirty.
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: If you don't come kiss me, I'll run like a turkey.
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: And no kiss being volunteered, he strutted like a game
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: gobbler across the room amid peals of laughter. With one
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: exception the penalties incurred by the children were bravely paid.
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: Little Mary, known to have a sweet voice, when sentenced
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: to sing a paper of pins, hung her head shyly
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: whispering I'd rather dance than sing. Then, when led out
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: to dance, she burst out crying, sobbing, I don't want
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: to sing or dance. Please let me alone, and Miss Cora,
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: taking her on her lap, said all right, Mary, I'll
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: pay your forfeit and sing very sweetly. Oh, I will
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: give you a pins, for that is the way that
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: love begins. If you will marry Mary, marry me. About
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: six o'clock the dining room was opened, displaying a picture
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: of surpassing beauty, one that the four seasons in field, forest,
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: and lake had united in embellishing. The band stationed in
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: the corridor, struck up the president's march, and Miss Cora
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: forming us in line. The younger couple's leading marshaled us
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: into supper. The scene of many historic banquets commemorating great
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: events and shared by worldwide celebrities, that famous room never
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: witnessed one in which the decorator's art where the confectioner's
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: skill achieved greater triumphs Vivart, hailed as Napoleon of cooks, master,
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: chef de cuisine, wizard, magician, receiving hearty congratulations on all sides.
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: In the center of a Maltese cross shaped table towered
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: a pyramid of snowballs, interspersed with colored icicles, and surmounted
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: by a gilt game call head erect wings. Outspread at
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: the upright ends of the cross were dishes of frozen
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: marbles at the top, one representing iced fruits oranges, apples, pears, peaches, grapes,
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: at the bottom one representing iced vegetables corn, carrots, beans, squashes.
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: At one transverse end was a tiny frosted pine tree,
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: beneath which huddled a group of toy animals. At the other,
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: a miniature reindeer stood in a plateau of water, in
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: which disported a number of goldfish. There were candies, cakes,
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: confections of every conceivable design, delicious viands, relishes, and beverages.
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: Though almost transfixed with admiring delight, we did ample justice
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: to the tempting repast, and eagerly accepted the lovely ornaments
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: given us as souvenirs. After supper, the central pyramid was
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: demolished and the snowballs, which were made of noncombustible starch
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: coated cotton, each one enclosing a French pop kiss, were
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: distributed to us, and we were invited to play snowball
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: in the East room, an invitation the more joyfully hailed
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: because the winter, having been exceptionally mild, we had been
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: debarred our usual snowball games. The balls striking exploded, and
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: for some moments the east room was the scene of
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: an exciting snow flurry, with the startling addition of the
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: thunder and lightning characteristic of summer storms. The President, Missus Madison,
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: and other elderly guests, who had watched the game from
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: the southern end of the room, heartily sharing and enjoying
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: the children's merriment, were spared, but the players, pelting each
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: other unmercifully looked like snow and trapped wayfarers. It was
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: great fun to see them dodging the balls and to
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: hear them scream when struck. Though the balls, being soft
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: and light, caused no bruises and inflicted no damage on
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: clothes or furniture, the game, exhilarating and inspiring, was provokingly brief,
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: the supply of snows being soon exhausted. Then the escorts
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: sent for the children, having arrived, Miss Cora, giving us
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: quietly some instructions reformed us in line. As at supper.
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: The band played a lively errand we marched several times
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: around the room, the last time bowing to the group.
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: At the upper end. We paused before the President, and
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: kissing our hands to him, said good night, General, he
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: smiling and bowing in return. What a beautiful sight, said
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: missus Madison. It reminds me of the fairy procession in
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: Midsummer Night's Dream. It recalls to me, Madam, said the President,
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: our divine master's words suffer little children to come unto me,
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: of Heaven. End of Chapter one. Santa Claus at the
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: White House in Old Hickory's Day recording by Philip Gould.
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: Chapter two of Distmus under three Flags by Mary Emily
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: Donaldson Wilcox. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: Chapter two a Royal Christmas Tree, Berlin, eighteen forty seven.
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: Among our Berlin acquaintances whom daily Association transformed into friends
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: was hermina eldest daughter of Field Marshal von Boyen, who
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: was Blucher's aid at Waterloo, had greatly distinguished himself. Fraeulein
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: von Boyan, who was beautiful, tactful and accomplished, was one
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: of the ladies in waiting on the Princess of Prussia
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: and enjoyed in an exalted degree her Royal Mistress esteem
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: and confidence. Knowing we had never participated in a Christmas
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: tree celebration and would consider doing so an inestimable privilege,
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: she offered to obtain for us an invitation to the
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: Christmas Eve festival at the Palace of His Royal Highness,
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: the Prince of Prussia. Hence, when a liveried courier delivered
• 29:58
  Speaker 1: at the American legation in an envelope bearing the royal crest,
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: we were not surprised, though immeasurably delighted. The invitation read.
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess of Prussia requests the presence
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: of Missus Mary and Rachel and Master John Donaldson at
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: the Palace of His Royal Highness, Prince of Prussia, December
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: twenty fourth, eighteen forty seven, at three o'clock p M. R.
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: S V. P. Little Republicans. Though we were with democratic
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: ideas of social equality, we were much elated at the
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: prospect of witnessing a function affording a glimpse of the
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: inner relations of royal circles. The best season to observe
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: those domestic customs associated with German life and so influential
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: in molding German character is Christmas. The best place is
• 30:47
  Speaker 1: the parental roof, and nothing so eloquently illustrates the simple faith,
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: the honest trust, the love and sympathy which makes German
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: homes such centers of peace and content. As the family chrisms,
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: every soldier in camp or barracks, every sailor on shore
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: or in harbor, All employees of stores or factories in
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: private or public bureaus that can be spared are granted
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: furloughs to be spent with the old folks at home.
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: Gift making becomes epidemic, all yielding to the infection. Generally
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: immediately after the holidays, the females of the household begin
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: preparing gifts for the next Christmas, which includes, besides dainty
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: nick knacks, exquisite embroideries and costly keepsakes, useful serviceable articles
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: such as flannels, shoes, stockings, underwear, house linen, wraps, and headgear.
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: Many touching legends illustrate the kindly sentiments inspired by the occasion.
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: A little girl whose mother, a poor widow, had told
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: her not to expect any presents, borrowed pencil and paper
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: and writing the following letter, addressed Holy Child Care of God.
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: The father dropped it in the city post office. Dear Jesus,
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: Mamma says, we are too poor to celebrate your birth night.
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: But remembering that you were cradled in a manger and
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: once were poor and lowly, I ask you to have
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: pity on me. I want oh so much, Dear Lord,
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: a new dress, a red rosette for my Sunday hat,
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: and some shoes wooden ones will do. Gretchen number ten,
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: fifth floor, Poverty Row. Her mother took her after dinner
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: to visit the shops and street bazaars, saying seeing pretty
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: things is almost as nice as having them. Imagine Gretchen's
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: surprise on returning home to find a small tree trimmed
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: and ready to light in their garret and beneath it.
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: In addition to the things she had mentioned, a shawl
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: for her mother and a package of cakes and nuts.
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: The lover of rose Chin, a royal kitchen maid, had
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: been convicted of larceny and imprisoned. Her master, a liberal,
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: kind hearted prince, ordered his steward to distribute, as usual
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: on Christmas, slips of paper to the under maids, with
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: directions to write there on the gifts they preferred. On
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: Roschin's slip was written, most Gracious Highness, I appeal through
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: you to God for poor Hans, who, though he stole,
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: is a fine fellow and very dear to me. That
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: money was stolen to buy our wedding ring. Pardon him
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: this once, and I guarantee he'll lead henceforth an honest life.
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: On the servant's tree was a box for roschen enclosing
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: Hans's pardon and money to buy wedding suits for each.
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: As Frederick William the fourth was childless, his brother William
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: was declared heir presumptive and known as Prince of Prussia. Cultured, refined,
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: with herculean strength and apollo like grace and beauty, he
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: was the bow ideal of royalty, adored by nobles and burghers.
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: Forming an early attachment for one of his mother's maids
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: of honor. He insisted for many years the affection being mutual,
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: on marrying her, but when the succession devolved on him,
• 34:04
  Speaker 1: he manfully sacrificed individual feeling to dynastic interests and contracted
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: an alliance with a gust of, Princess of Saxe Weimar.
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: Though both understood that personal preference played no part in
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: their union, the most critical court gossip could find nothing
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: to condemn in their conjugal relations. She, like Caesar's wife
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: above suspicion, yielding him wifely obedience. He, like Bayard Sanpuri
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: san Reproche, uniformly tender and attentive. She was tall, stately,
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: with regular features, cold haughty manner, every look and gesture
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: suggesting ancestral pride and conscious superiority, yet withal capable of
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: warm attachments and loyal to friends once tried. Devoted to
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: ardent literature, she was the friend and patron of artists
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: and scholars, and, even when long past middle life, still
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: devoted her mornings to study. They had two children, a
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: son named for the great Frederick and a daughter named
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: for that adored Queen Louisa, whose heroism in the Napoleonic
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: Struggle had won worldwide recognition and admiration. The former, known
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: in after years as Frederick the Noble Emperor of Germany,
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: was a wilful, intractable boy, represented in an unamiable light
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: in many familiar anecdotes, yet his career adorns the brightest
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: page in his country's history. The Prince was devoted to
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: these children, superintending their physical, mental, and spiritual development, instilling
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: in their minds correct principles and noble aims, and fitting
• 35:37
  Speaker 1: them by study, discipline, and example for their destined high stations.
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: He was standing with lewis Chin in his arms one morning,
• 35:46
  Speaker 1: watching a military procession, when she, excited by the music,
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: sprang through an open window to the street below. Rushing
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: frantically downstairs. He was relieved to find her in the
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: arms of a street urchin, who, standing beneath the window,
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: caught her as she fell. Of course, the boy's fortune
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: was made. The Prince, clasping his darling to his breast,
• 36:08
  Speaker 1: handed his watch and chain to her rescuer, and, taking
• 36:12
  Speaker 1: his name and address, volunteered his protection. They were writing
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: together in after years in unter Delenden, he German Emperor,
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: she Grand Duchess of Baden. When Hedel made his dastardly
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: attempt to assassinate his sovereign, and he, springing forward to
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: shield his child, accomplished thereby his own deliverance. When nobbling
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: a few months afterwards, and near the same spot, fired
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: at and severely wounded his master. The Emperor's first words,
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: on recovering from the shakwar thanked God dear lewis Chen
• 36:44
  Speaker 1: was not along to day. The Prince's Palace was built
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: during the Great Frederick's reign, and it is recorded that
• 36:51
  Speaker 1: when the architect applied for a design, the king, who
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: was out of humor, said, pointing to a mahogany bureau
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: with a zigzag front standing near modeled after that, adding
• 37:03
  Speaker 1: as little architectural frippery as possible in front, stands Rausch's
• 37:08
  Speaker 1: famous statue of the Great Ruler. Nearby is the Altarschloss
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: City residents of Prussian's monarchs, the new Opera House, and
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: many handsome public buildings. Christmas Eve eighteen forty seven, though
• 37:22
  Speaker 1: bitter cold, was bright and sunny, The air clear and crisp,
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: was musical with sleigh bells, and the streets, though ice bound,
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: were gay with rejoicing crowds evidently imbued with holiday influences.
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: Directly after breakfast, we went to the Tiergarden Lake to
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: witness the delightful entertainment given there daily by Berlin's far
• 37:40
  Speaker 1: famed skating club. The lake large smooth, solid mirroring a
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: translucent sky, seened with its banks lined with brilliantly costumed spectators.
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: To suggest and invite winter sport. A military band, sheltered
• 37:58
  Speaker 1: in a warm enclosure, played a succession of inspiring airs
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: trained voices, often joining in and enthusing both onlookers and performers.
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: The skaters, executing many picturesque movements, artistic pantomimes, exciting games
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: and dancing polkas, berzerkas, cotillions waltzes, were reputed the most
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: skillful in the world. Meyerbeer, who was a frequent visitor,
• 38:22
  Speaker 1: is said to have conceived there the beautiful skating scene
• 38:25
  Speaker 1: in the opera La Profeta he was then composing. The
• 38:30
  Speaker 1: costumes of the skaters were tasteful and appropriate, the girls
• 38:34
  Speaker 1: wearing short, narrow, heavy cloth skirts with tight fitting bodices,
• 38:39
  Speaker 1: snug hoods or hats, and a profusion of bright bows,
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: rosettes and scarfs. The men were mostly in uniform, their
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: gay sashes, brilliant orders and decorations, enhancing the charm of
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: their lithe graceful figures. There were no accidents, no untoward occurrences,
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: and the glorious morning proved a delightful preylik to an
• 39:00
  Speaker 1: unforgettable evening. Fraeulein van Boyan had given us minute directions
• 39:05
  Speaker 1: as to our costumes and the prescribed etiquette, saying dress
• 39:09
  Speaker 1: simply and inexpensively, be careful never to turn your backs
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: on royal personages, never address remarks or questions to them,
• 39:18
  Speaker 1: allowing them the initiative in conversation. Promptly at three o'clock,
• 39:23
  Speaker 1: we alighted at the palace porte Cochere, and, ascending the
• 39:26
  Speaker 1: marble steps at the top and bottom of which stood
• 39:29
  Speaker 1: armed sentinels, we were received by liveried ushers and conducted
• 39:33
  Speaker 1: through the beautiful hall and up the flower lined stairs
• 39:36
  Speaker 1: to the state drawing rooms, where a lady in waiting
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: met us and accompanied us through a number of superbly furnished,
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: beautifully decorated rooms to the Salat de Musique, where Fraeulein
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: von Boyan welcomed us, and, escorting us to the center
• 39:51
  Speaker 1: of the salai, presented us to her Royal Highness the
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: Crown Princess. The salat large and spacious, tessellated floor, frescoed ceiling,
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: walls hung with mirrors and pictures. Exquisite bronzes and statues,
• 40:06
  Speaker 1: alternating with palms, ferns and flowering plants, had at its
• 40:12
  Speaker 1: extreme end of flower tram stage, the lowered curtain of
• 40:16
  Speaker 1: which suggested a dramatic performance. Rows of handsomely cushioned armchairs
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: were in front of the stage, and just beyond them
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: stood the Crown princes surrounded by her royal cousins, children
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: of her father's brothers. Among her guests were Lady Rose,
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: daughter of Lord Westmoreland, English Ambassador, some other youthful members
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: of the diplomatic corps, and about forty or fifty maids
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: and youths children of personal attendants of the Princess. The
• 40:44
  Speaker 1: Crown Princess, then entering her teens, received us without hesitation
• 40:49
  Speaker 1: or timidity, and we marveled at her self possession and
• 40:52
  Speaker 1: familiarity with court etiquette. Though modest and gentle, there was
• 40:56
  Speaker 1: a notable absence of self assertion. Dressed in a blue
• 41:00
  Speaker 1: chalice trimmed with swans down, her only ornament was a
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: gold chain around her bare neck, from which hung a
• 41:06
  Speaker 1: medallion miniature of her grandmother, said to be her father's
• 41:10
  Speaker 1: Christmas present. Fair, with blue eyes, light brown hair, worn
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: simply plaited down her back, she was a perfect type
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: of happy, innocent girlhood, her plump, rounded proportions bespeaking health
• 41:24
  Speaker 1: and strength, her bright, expressive face beaming with hope and content.
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: The girls were dressed in bright woolens, bare necks, and
• 41:33
  Speaker 1: arms without ornaments. The youths wore the uniforms of the
• 41:37
  Speaker 1: regiments in which they were enrolled as cadets. The Crown Prince,
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: who stood near his sister and gracefully assisted her, wore
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: the uniform of the Royal Guards, in which he already
• 41:48
  Speaker 1: held a command. Tall, slender, rather good looking, he impressed
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: us as being dignified and refined, though grave and reserved.
• 41:58
  Speaker 1: There was some stir when the King and Queen, followed
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: by the Prince and Princess, entered unannounced. The Crown Princess,
• 42:05
  Speaker 1: stepping forward, greeted them cordially, then, taking first the queen's,
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: then her mother's, then the king's hands, kissed them respectively.
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: She then took her father's, but folding her in his arms,
• 42:18
  Speaker 1: he kissed her tenderly on the brow. Everybody smiled. A
• 42:23
  Speaker 1: touch of nature makes the whole world akin. The King
• 42:26
  Speaker 1: and Queen, though plain and unattractive in person and in manner,
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: were kind, charitable, devoted to each other, conscientious in the
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: discharge of their public duties, and universally popular. They moved
• 42:39
  Speaker 1: unceremoniously about the Salih, chatting pleasantly with their nieces, guests,
• 42:44
  Speaker 1: and seemingly finding the scene enjoyable. My brother said next day,
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: at first disappointed, I was glad the King and Queen
• 42:52
  Speaker 1: did not wear their crowns, for if they had, they
• 42:55
  Speaker 1: would not have talked so freely with us. After the
• 42:58
  Speaker 1: arrival of some other personages, followed by a number of
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: gorgeously uniformed officers and some handsomely dressed maids of honor
• 43:06
  Speaker 1: attendants on the Queen and princes, the ladies in waiting
• 43:10
  Speaker 1: distributed the programs guilt engraved embossed cards, and, escorting the
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: Queen and Princess to the front chairs, assigned us to
• 43:19
  Speaker 1: those in the rear. The programme read Panoramic Prelude, first part,
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: Scenes from the Story of the Nativity. First scene annunciation,
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: Hail Mary, Blessed, art thou among women. Second scene adoration
• 43:37
  Speaker 1: of the Magi. We hail thee King of the Jews.
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: Third scene the flight into Egypt. Arise, take the young child,
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: flee into Egypt and be there until I bring THEE word.
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: Fourth scene transfiguration. This is my beloved son, in whom
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: I am well pleased. Hear ye him. Second part Scenes
• 44:00
  Speaker 1: from Prussian history. First scene, economy and Industry, kingly attributes.
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: King Frederic, noticing a crowd watching a shop window picture
• 44:11
  Speaker 1: depicting a shabbily dressed old man, a phar simile of himself, who,
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: holding a coffee mill, turned the handle with one hand
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: and with the other caught the falling coffee grains, ordered
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: the picture to be lowered so his subjects could see
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: without craning their necks. What a thrifty king they had.
• 44:30
  Speaker 1: Second scene in Prussia, justice outranks power an unsightly old
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: mill obscuring the view from San Suzi. King Frederic determined
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: to buy and remove it. The miller, however, refusing to sell,
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: the agent said, don't choose to sell. Indeed, you forget,
• 44:49
  Speaker 1: His Majesty can seize your mill and clap you in jail.
• 44:53
  Speaker 1: Not said the miller, While we have the camer gerrick
• 44:56
  Speaker 1: here in Berlin. The King, hearing the agent's report, said,
• 45:00
  Speaker 1: the miller is right here. In Prussia, justice outranks power.
• 45:05
  Speaker 1: Third scene, Honor to whom honor is due. Queen Louisa,
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: as patriotic as gracious, visited the Prussian camp after the
• 45:15
  Speaker 1: Battle of Yena, and with her own hands bestowed the
• 45:18
  Speaker 1: Order of the Black Eagle on those heroes most conspicuous
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: in defense of King and fatherland. An invisible choir chanted
• 45:25
  Speaker 1: to piano accompaniment during the first part of the programs
• 45:28
  Speaker 1: some sacred anthems. During the first two scenes of the
• 45:32
  Speaker 1: second part, the Prussian battle him and during the last scene,
• 45:36
  Speaker 1: God saved the Queen added greatly to the scenic effect.
• 45:41
  Speaker 1: After the curtain fell, there was an interval of lively
• 45:44
  Speaker 1: friendly conversation, everybody commenting on the panoramic prelude and pronouncing
• 45:48
  Speaker 1: it excellent, unique, inimitable. We were told that the Crown Princess,
• 45:54
  Speaker 1: consulting with her Governess, had herself selected the scenes, which
• 45:58
  Speaker 1: were copies of well known pictures in the Berlin Art Gallery,
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: and managed their arrangement, declining the proffered services of some
• 46:06
  Speaker 1: professional decorators. It was edifying to note the ill concealed
• 46:10
  Speaker 1: delight of the royal parents at the success of their
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: daughter's undertaking every feature and action, bespeaking that parental pride,
• 46:18
  Speaker 1: which in prince or peasant, nabob or pauper, is more
• 46:22
  Speaker 1: becoming than any human adornment. About half past four o'clock,
• 46:27
  Speaker 1: a heavy portier, quietly opening displayed in an adjoining room
• 46:31
  Speaker 1: a large, brilliantly lighted, artistically trimmed tree, its top almost
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: reaching the ceiling, its outspreading branches nearly filling the room.
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: A murmur of delight was heard, and surely no hesperian
• 46:44
  Speaker 1: garden or enchanted forest ever showed a braver specimen. The
• 46:48
  Speaker 1: King and Queen in royal personages, led the way and
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: merely trooping in, almost too eager for a nearer view
• 46:56
  Speaker 1: to mind. Our ps and qs, we flitted to and
• 46:59
  Speaker 1: fro around the tree. The decorations, consisting of golden fruit, paper,
• 47:05
  Speaker 1: flowers and wreaths, stuffed birds and animals with bonbonds, confections
• 47:10
  Speaker 1: and ornaments, spangled, tenseled, frosted of every conceivable hue in design,
• 47:16
  Speaker 1: were crowned by a glittering star here beneath the tuft
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: of foliage would be a bright, plumaged bird with outstretched wings.
• 47:25
  Speaker 1: Just beyond a squinting owl so lifelike we shrank from
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: its expected screech. Perched on this bough would be a
• 47:32
  Speaker 1: frog or lizard. On that one a squirrel, and above
• 47:36
  Speaker 1: would crouch a glossy leopard. Beneath the tree, on soft
• 47:40
  Speaker 1: green moss were piled the presence presents for guests, friends, attendants,
• 47:46
  Speaker 1: young and old, generally for the girls, work baskets, needle
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: cases and toilet dainties for the boys, knives, pocket books,
• 47:56
  Speaker 1: fishing and hunting implements. Was a small dressing case, my
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: sister's a silk reticule, my brother's a hunter's horn. The
• 48:07
  Speaker 1: Crown Princess was, of course generously remembered, and seemed much
• 48:11
  Speaker 1: pleased with our offering an Indian basket curiously wrought with shells,
• 48:17
  Speaker 1: bird feathers and sweet grasses, and containing a pair of
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: moccasins in a watch case, all made by Indians of
• 48:24
  Speaker 1: northern New York. Neither her presence to members of the
• 48:28
  Speaker 1: royal household nor theirs to her were displayed. Old Baron Humboldt,
• 48:33
  Speaker 1: who was the best known and most popular member of
• 48:36
  Speaker 1: Berlin's society, often called the court infant Gatta spoiled child,
• 48:42
  Speaker 1: acted as Chris Kringle and played the role to perfection
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: the King and Prince of Prussia, serving as his aides
• 48:49
  Speaker 1: and leading in the merriment. His happy jokes excited The
• 48:53
  Speaker 1: bonbonds and fancy confections on the tree were divided among
• 48:57
  Speaker 1: us and promptly disposed of, though the other decorations were undisturbed,
• 49:01
  Speaker 1: the tree being intended, presumably for use on another occasion.
• 49:06
  Speaker 1: After the presence had been distributed, the Baron, turning to
• 49:09
  Speaker 1: the Crown Princess, said, with mock humility, having accomplished my task,
• 49:15
  Speaker 1: I wait further orders from your Royal Highness, And I said, she,
• 49:19
  Speaker 1: handing him a box containing a gold pin, ordered you,
• 49:23
  Speaker 1: honored Baron, to reserve this pen for the sonnets and
• 49:26
  Speaker 1: madrigals to be henceforth indicted to Your lady loves these words.
• 49:32
  Speaker 1: The baron, being a confirmed old bachelor, never having been
• 49:35
  Speaker 1: known in all his life to express a preference for
• 49:38
  Speaker 1: any woman, caused a general titter. We were invited to
• 49:42
  Speaker 1: partake of a collation in the state dining room. Bouyon
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: o soucre cold meats salads, ices, cakes and divers confections.
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: The King, Queen and royal personages occupied tables at the
• 49:56
  Speaker 1: upper end of the room and enjoyed probably a more
• 49:59
  Speaker 1: elaborate minus with Champagne and Johannesburg. We were at tables
• 50:04
  Speaker 1: lower down, the Crown Princess, her brother and royal cousins
• 50:07
  Speaker 1: being at one in our midst The hilarity usual when
• 50:11
  Speaker 1: young people, always hungry enjoy appetizing eatables prevailed. At the
• 50:16
  Speaker 1: close of the repast, The King, Queen and other royalties
• 50:19
  Speaker 1: rose and passed down the room, bowing right and left.
• 50:23
  Speaker 1: The Crown Princess then rose, and, stopping at each table, smilingly,
• 50:28
  Speaker 1: bade her guests good night. Guided by Fraeulein von Boyen
• 50:32
  Speaker 1: and the ladies in waiting, we then returned to the
• 50:34
  Speaker 1: Sallet de Musique, where, superintending the dawning of our wraps,
• 50:38
  Speaker 1: and being sure that our attendant footmen were on hand,
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: they received our adieu. By half past seven we were
• 50:46
  Speaker 1: back at home, having enjoyed an entertainment which, though formal
• 50:50
  Speaker 1: and ceremonious, punctilious etiquette being observed, was free from stiffness
• 50:56
  Speaker 1: or constraint, and devoid of anything that could offend Republican pride.
• 51:00
  Speaker 1: Though the marks setting apart those of royal blood, were unmistakable.
• 51:04
  Speaker 1: What refined courtesy, what kindly grace characterized their intercourse with
• 51:09
  Speaker 1: their unroyal associates. There were no suggestions of the nouveau
• 51:14
  Speaker 1: riches or parvenu autocrats, everything betokening generations of culture and refinement,
• 51:20
  Speaker 1: ancestral dignity, inherited power, and withal a simplicity and modesty
• 51:26
  Speaker 1: characteristic of self respecting superiority. The costumes of the Queen
• 51:31
  Speaker 1: and princesses were elegant and tasteful, their superb satins, velvets, brocades,
• 51:37
  Speaker 1: their sparkling jewels, becoming them as the appropriate setting of
• 51:41
  Speaker 1: rare gems. And those brave lordly men, so chivalric and gentle,
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: so noble and courteous, How appropriate seemed their orders and decorations.
• 51:53
  Speaker 1: Truly the bravest are the tenderest. End of Chapter two,
• 51:58
  Speaker 1: A Royal Christmas Tree, Berlin, eighteen forty seven recording by
• 52:03
  Speaker 1: Philip Gould. Chapter three of Christmas under Three Flags by
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: Mary Emily Donaldson Wilcox. This LibriVox recording is in the
• 52:17
  Speaker 1: public domain. Chapter three the Alcalde's daughter in her Christmas
• 52:22
  Speaker 1: lamp long years ago, while the Mexican standard still waved
• 52:27
  Speaker 1: over the Alamo, San Antonio de Bahar, the most flourishing
• 52:31
  Speaker 1: Catholic mission east of the Rio Grande, rejoiced in an
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: Alcalde as famous for wisdom and virtuous for piety and goodness.
• 52:39
  Speaker 1: Successful in his public enterprises, he was equally fortunate in
• 52:43
  Speaker 1: his private relations, having a beautiful wife, an inviting home,
• 52:47
  Speaker 1: and a brude of stalwart sons. That they had no
• 52:51
  Speaker 1: daughter was much regretted by both dounia aines, saying, boys
• 52:55
  Speaker 1: served to perpetuate the name and uphold the family honor,
• 52:59
  Speaker 1: but it is the girls who lifting the domestic burden
• 53:02
  Speaker 1: from the mother's shoulders and cheering, comforting the father's bless
• 53:07
  Speaker 1: and brighton home. And when, in answer to repeated novena's
• 53:11
  Speaker 1: of prayer and votive offerings, a daughter was born to them,
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: they naming her Maria Jesusa Pepita, gratefully dedicated her to
• 53:19
  Speaker 1: the Virgin. Growing in beauty and grace, and developing many
• 53:23
  Speaker 1: lovable traits, Jesusa more than fulfilled parental hopes, humoring petting
• 53:29
  Speaker 1: her father, preparing his polquet filling his pipe. She became
• 53:33
  Speaker 1: his daily companion and the idol of his heart. Don
• 53:36
  Speaker 1: Pedro's office, adjoining the Alamo, then garrisoned by Mexican troops
• 53:41
  Speaker 1: ordered to report to him and serve him when needed,
• 53:44
  Speaker 1: was really the high Court of Justice, where the mission
• 53:46
  Speaker 1: officials met to consider public matters, whether civil, religious, or military.
• 53:52
  Speaker 1: His home, the most spacious and pretentious at the mission,
• 53:55
  Speaker 1: was a one story, flat roof adobe structure with about
• 53:58
  Speaker 1: fifteen chambers, separated by quaint halls, corridors, and alcoves, and
• 54:03
  Speaker 1: stood back of the Alamo amid extensive grounds which irrigated
• 54:07
  Speaker 1: by a large assechia teemed with rare beautiful flowers, with orange,
• 54:13
  Speaker 1: lemon and citron trees with vine covered bowers and arcades
• 54:17
  Speaker 1: almost hidden beneath clusters of luscious grapes. Some curious animals
• 54:22
  Speaker 1: roamed in these beautiful grounds, and among those specially petted
• 54:25
  Speaker 1: and cared for by Jesusa were Chiwawa dogs, tricky and
• 54:29
  Speaker 1: playful Maltese cats, soft eyed fawns, white rabbits, and a
• 54:35
  Speaker 1: canary bird, which, as it tuned up when the maiden
• 54:38
  Speaker 1: and vesper bells rang, was supposed to be under the
• 54:41
  Speaker 1: Virgin's protection. Though an earnest defender of the faith, Don
• 54:45
  Speaker 1: Pedro was a devote of those sports cock fighting, bullfighting,
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: card playing, patronized by his associates. He had a cockpit
• 54:55
  Speaker 1: in his yard for the rearing and training of game cocks,
• 54:57
  Speaker 1: where their metal was often tried Sunday after and on
• 55:01
  Speaker 1: his Salado ranch, where, in spite of frequent Indian raids,
• 55:04
  Speaker 1: his family spent much time. He had a breed of
• 55:07
  Speaker 1: superior bulls imported from Spain. Opposite the Alamo, on the
• 55:12
  Speaker 1: slope leading to the Rivers, to the number of hacals
• 55:15
  Speaker 1: tenanted by humble Mexican families, with one of whom lived
• 55:19
  Speaker 1: a boy and girl, supposed from their fair complexions, blue eyes,
• 55:23
  Speaker 1: and light hair, to be stragglers from the western White settlements,
• 55:27
  Speaker 1: and who were known as the Americanos, the boy being
• 55:30
  Speaker 1: called Kano and the girl Kanah. Though kindly cared for
• 55:36
  Speaker 1: by their protectors, Mexicans are proverbially patient and indulgent with children.
• 55:41
  Speaker 1: They never affiliated with their playmates, but holding themselves aloof
• 55:46
  Speaker 1: seemed to be ever brooding over some secret sorrow. The boy,
• 55:50
  Speaker 1: smart and ingenious, was often seen hanging around the Alamo,
• 55:54
  Speaker 1: where doing odd jobs for the garrison and making himself useful.
• 55:58
  Speaker 1: He became a great favorite. Haesusa, generous, unselfish, sympathetic, was
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: as popular with the mission juveniles as the alcalde with
• 56:07
  Speaker 1: their elders. Noticing ConA watching her bird one morning, she
• 56:12
  Speaker 1: invited her to come in and become acquainted with her pets.
• 56:15
  Speaker 1: Children easily become friends a certain freemasonry, opening their hearts
• 56:20
  Speaker 1: and drawing them together, and Heesuza, improving the meeting in
• 56:24
  Speaker 1: the garden, became the generous patron of ConA, constantly making
• 56:28
  Speaker 1: her presence and treating her to unexpected pleasures. San Antonio,
• 56:33
  Speaker 1: though isolated from social and commercial privileges and almost exclusively
• 56:37
  Speaker 1: absorbed in religious interests, was gay and sociable. Fandango's card parties,
• 56:42
  Speaker 1: Alfresco banquets at which the famous Mexican dishes tortillas, Tomali's freholies,
• 56:49
  Speaker 1: chili concarne, dolquees, kunfruta were served in perfection. Being of
• 56:55
  Speaker 1: frequent occurrence, holidays abounded, Saints Day's national and nasnniversaries, family
• 57:01
  Speaker 1: fates being carefully and elaborately observed, and at no place
• 57:05
  Speaker 1: was Christmas celebrated with more pomp and solemnity. Two San
• 57:09
  Speaker 1: Antonio Christmas observances, the Pastores and Christmas Lamp, deserved special notice.
• 57:15
  Speaker 1: The former was a species of dramatic performance intended to
• 57:18
  Speaker 1: represent the passion of Christ, and given every night during
• 57:22
  Speaker 1: Christmas Week. The latter was founded on the familiar legend
• 57:25
  Speaker 1: that the infant Jesus, descending from his father's heavenly throne
• 57:29
  Speaker 1: to his virgin mother's arms, noticed a lighted lamp hanging
• 57:33
  Speaker 1: near an humble home, and, learning that it was intended
• 57:36
  Speaker 1: to commemorate the guiding of the Magi by the Star
• 57:38
  Speaker 1: of Bethlehem to his lonely manger, blessed the home and
• 57:42
  Speaker 1: its inmates, leaving his visible marks of his favor some
• 57:45
  Speaker 1: desired presence. On Christmas Eve, eighteen thirty something, much excitement
• 57:50
  Speaker 1: prevailed at the mission, it being announced that the Alcalde
• 57:53
  Speaker 1: had contributed a generous sum towards improving and adorning the
• 57:56
  Speaker 1: hall to be used for the Pastores, which would be
• 58:00
  Speaker 1: presented on a handsomer scale than ever before, and that
• 58:03
  Speaker 1: Padre Ignacio, the San Fernando priest, who officiating for many
• 58:08
  Speaker 1: years at christenings, marriages, funerals and hearing confessions imposing penances
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: or granting indulgences, thus becoming the alter ego of devout
• 58:18
  Speaker 1: san Antonians. Had, yielding to the solicitations of some influential
• 58:23
  Speaker 1: San Fernando parishioners, consented to bless the lamps in church,
• 58:27
  Speaker 1: thus giving them public consecration heretofore they had only been
• 58:31
  Speaker 1: blessed privately. Many of them, a few, being costly and ornate,
• 58:36
  Speaker 1: were heirlooms, having belonged to the parents, grandparents, great grandparents
• 58:41
  Speaker 1: of their owners, and being endeared by tender domestic associations.
• 58:46
  Speaker 1: Until a certain age, children were not allowed to handle
• 58:49
  Speaker 1: Christmas lamps, their parents, acting for them and attaining the
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: prescribed age, were required by fasting and prayer to prepare
• 58:57
  Speaker 1: themselves for the ceremony. The failure of the the Holy
• 59:00
  Speaker 1: Child to notice their lamps and leave some mark of
• 59:03
  Speaker 1: favor being regarded as the severest of rebukes. An importance
• 59:07
  Speaker 1: somewhat similar to the assuming of the toga by Roman
• 59:10
  Speaker 1: ews or to the reception by sovereigns of royal courtiers,
• 59:14
  Speaker 1: was attached to the function. The plaza's de e Lesi
• 59:17
  Speaker 1: de armas adjoining San Fernando, generally crowded on afternoons with
• 59:22
  Speaker 1: Ranchero's driving bargains or computing gains and losses were filled.
• 59:26
  Speaker 1: On the Christmas Eve referred to, with devout lamp bearing
• 59:29
  Speaker 1: worshipers wending their way to church. Padre Ignacio officiated at
• 59:34
  Speaker 1: the vesper service, then, pronouncing the benediction, retired to the sacristy,
• 59:39
  Speaker 1: where he laid aside his alter vestments, and, returning to
• 59:42
  Speaker 1: the church, wearing his plain priestly Robe, stood outside the
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: chancel rail and awaited the lamp bearers, desiring his blessing, who,
• 59:51
  Speaker 1: advancing in lyne, knelt before him. Taking each lamp in
• 59:54
  Speaker 1: his hand, he made over it the sign of the Cross, and,
• 59:57
  Speaker 1: having blessed them all, said solemnly domine ad at uvnatum
• 1:00:02
  Speaker 1: bos festina. It was an impressive scene, deeply moving. The
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 1: lamp bearers, who returning home, lighted and hung their lamps
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: on previously selected poles or bushes, were shining like stars
• 1:00:16
  Speaker 1: in the quiet skies. They seemed to reflect the simple,
• 1:00:18
  Speaker 1: trusting faith characteristic of all sincere followers of Christ. The
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 1: Alcalde deeply interested, burnished and prepared with his own hands
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 1: his daughter's lamp, she being too young to do so herself,
• 1:00:31
  Speaker 1: then lighting it, hung it, ignoring his own preference for
• 1:00:35
  Speaker 1: a secluded nook near her window in an obscure angle
• 1:00:38
  Speaker 1: of an unfrequented corner of the Alamo, which she, as
• 1:00:42
  Speaker 1: familiar with the Alamo as with her own home, had chosen.
• 1:00:45
  Speaker 1: It happened to be just under the hall where Bowie, Crockett,
• 1:00:49
  Speaker 1: Travis and their brave comrades made their desperate stand some
• 1:00:52
  Speaker 1: years later against Santa Anna, and where, sealing with their
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 1: blood their devotion to liberty and independence, they enriched human
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 1: annals with that sublimenst of all sublime records. Picture a
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 1: large barn like hall with out doors or windows, hard
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 1: dirt floor, rough plastered walls, on which some oil lamps
• 1:01:12
  Speaker 1: and tallow candles in wooden brackets smoke and cast a
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: dim spectral light. A platform raised about two feet above
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 1: the floor and extending across the entire back of the
• 1:01:22
  Speaker 1: hall serves as a stage, and some large striped Mexican
• 1:01:26
  Speaker 1: blankets do duty as a drop curtain. The actors remain
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 1: all the time on the stage. Those taking part in
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 1: the scenes advanced to the center play their roles, then
• 1:01:36
  Speaker 1: retire to the sides, where those not acting gather behind
• 1:01:39
  Speaker 1: the curtain and are supposed to be invisible. There was
• 1:01:43
  Speaker 1: no attempt at scenic effect, no applause, but absorbed unplagging attention.
• 1:01:50
  Speaker 1: In front of the stage were some large chairs in
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 1: which don Pedro, Donia Ininez and other distinguished personages were seated.
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 1: Back of the chairs were rows of benches occupied by
• 1:02:00
  Speaker 1: well dressed men and women, and in open spaces behind
• 1:02:05
  Speaker 1: and on the sides of the benches a motley crowd
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 1: of women wearing ribosas and sewing, knitting or plaiting and
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 1: combing their hair, and men wearing sombreros and drinking polec smoking,
• 1:02:17
  Speaker 1: or playing cards sat flat on the floor. After rather
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 1: a long wait, Some musicians sitting near the stage sang
• 1:02:24
  Speaker 1: to a guitar accompaniment, some disconnected strains from church chants
• 1:02:28
  Speaker 1: or masses. The curtain parting and being drawn aside, discloses
• 1:02:33
  Speaker 1: two men, the fair, one handsome and well dressed, representing
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 1: the Angel of God, the other dark, ugly, with a
• 1:02:41
  Speaker 1: club foot and horns projecting above a lowering brow, representing
• 1:02:45
  Speaker 1: the Devil, who have an excited dispute about the advent
• 1:02:48
  Speaker 1: of the expected Redeemer. These two men appear in every scene.
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 1: Then following regular succession, the Annunciation, the adoration of the
• 1:02:57
  Speaker 1: Magi Christ in the Temple, the tim Tation, the Crucifixion,
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 1: the empty sepulcher, all being taken literally from the Bible.
• 1:03:06
  Speaker 1: In the last scene, the devil kneels before the Angel
• 1:03:09
  Speaker 1: of God, acknowledges the divinity of Christ and begs to
• 1:03:13
  Speaker 1: be admitted to the community of the redeem The Virgin
• 1:03:17
  Speaker 1: was personated by a young, beautiful, pure looking woman, Christ
• 1:03:21
  Speaker 1: by a handsome, refined youth, ponstious Pilot by a large,
• 1:03:26
  Speaker 1: vulgar looking man, Herodius by a saucy, bold girl, Mary
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 1: Magdalen by a pale, forlorn looking woman. There were occasional
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 1: intermissions during which the singers treated the audience to some
• 1:03:38
  Speaker 1: rather sweet music. A cynic marveling that the managers of
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 1: the pastores should select scenes from a Bible they never read,
• 1:03:46
  Speaker 1: might describe the performance as a travesty of a faith
• 1:03:49
  Speaker 1: they would die to defend. Yet he would have to
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 1: acknowledge the earnest interest taken by the audience to be
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 1: significant of the human sympathy always aroused by the story
• 1:03:59
  Speaker 1: of Bethlehem. The most pleasant of Christmas Eve duties arranging
• 1:04:03
  Speaker 1: the children's presence near or under the lighted lamps followed
• 1:04:07
  Speaker 1: the pastorees. Occasionally a lamp would be hung in a
• 1:04:10
  Speaker 1: chapel or other preferred place not adjoining the family home,
• 1:04:14
  Speaker 1: there being no danger of its being molested, a certain
• 1:04:17
  Speaker 1: sacredness protecting both lamp and presence. Waking early, Haesusa crept
• 1:04:23
  Speaker 1: on tiptoe from her little room and hurried to the
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 1: spot where her lamp had been hung. Trembling with glad
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 1: expectancy of the beautiful things she hoped to find there
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 1: a light still flickered in it, but there was nothing
• 1:04:33
  Speaker 1: beneath or near it. What could it mean? She stood
• 1:04:37
  Speaker 1: a moment's spellbound, Then, recalling some childish misdemeanor, she burst
• 1:04:42
  Speaker 1: into tears, and, falling on her knees, sobbed. I have
• 1:04:46
  Speaker 1: been wicked. I was not worthy of thy favor, Holy
• 1:04:49
  Speaker 1: child of God, Thou hast seen fit to punish me.
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 1: Don Pedro and Donna in Niz, hearing her leave the house,
• 1:04:56
  Speaker 1: had followed her, wishing to see her delight at the
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 1: pleasant surprise they had prepared for her. Wicked, indeed, said he,
• 1:05:04
  Speaker 1: the angels in heaven are not purer. Some thief has
• 1:05:08
  Speaker 1: despoiled you. We'll catch him, punish him, and force him
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 1: to make restitution. Though slow to anger and prone to mercy,
• 1:05:16
  Speaker 1: he was so incensed that he summoned the Mission Council
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 1: to meet at once in his office to consider an
• 1:05:21
  Speaker 1: important matter. A night guard at the Alamo testified that,
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 1: making his rounds, he saw the white girl called Kana
• 1:05:28
  Speaker 1: cross the street and go round the corner where the
• 1:05:30
  Speaker 1: lamp hung. That later he saw her again cross the
• 1:05:34
  Speaker 1: street and return home, but that seeing her often playing
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: with Haesuza, he suspected nothing and did not follow her. However,
• 1:05:41
  Speaker 1: when relieved from duty, he picked up near the corner
• 1:05:44
  Speaker 1: she had passed the dulces and ribboniend, which he there
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 1: and then produced. The Mexican woman with whom the child lived,
• 1:05:51
  Speaker 1: testified that early that morning, ConA had divided with her
• 1:05:54
  Speaker 1: children a box of dulces and given her a beau,
• 1:05:57
  Speaker 1: from which the ribbon end had evidently been detached, claiming
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: to have found them, ConA, when arrested and brought to
• 1:06:04
  Speaker 1: the Alcalde's office, denied bitterly any knowledge of either dulcase
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 1: or ribbon. Then, when cross questioned, she became confused and
• 1:06:11
  Speaker 1: finally began crying. I knew where Haesuzah meant to hang
• 1:06:15
  Speaker 1: her lamp. I was curious to see what she had then.
• 1:06:19
  Speaker 1: I don't know how or why I did it. I
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 1: grabbed her things, carried them home and hid them in
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 1: the hole at the foot of the hill. Haesuza, who
• 1:06:27
  Speaker 1: had been sitting on a footstool at her father's feet,
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 1: slipped to Cona's side and gently took her hand. Don't cry, ConA,
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 1: she said, You've done nothing wrong. You knew I would
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 1: be willing for you to have them. Signor Alcalde, said
• 1:06:42
  Speaker 1: one of the counsel, a tall, dark man with a loud,
• 1:06:45
  Speaker 1: harsh voice. Justice and public safety demand the punishment of criminals,
• 1:06:50
  Speaker 1: and I moved that this self convicted thief befind twenty
• 1:06:53
  Speaker 1: five pesos and, in default of payment of said find
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 1: that she bestripped and publicly flogged, then confined. During Christmas
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 1: week in the mission jail, Kano, who hanging his head
• 1:07:05
  Speaker 1: in shame, had crouched behind the door here sprang forward,
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: fell on his knees and, grasping Haesuz's hand, prayed, O, Haesuza,
• 1:07:14
  Speaker 1: don't let them strip and flog my sister. I have
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: strong arms and keen eyes. I will work and earn
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 1: the money to pay for the things. ConA, poor little
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 1: weak lamb took for the love of God, for the
• 1:07:26
  Speaker 1: Holy Virgin's sake. Don't let them whip her. Haesuza, kindly,
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 1: pressing his hand, said have no fear. Then, throwing her
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 1: arms round her father's neck, cried, Padre, Mio, Caro, Padremio,
• 1:07:40
  Speaker 1: you have never refused a request. Don't let them harm ConA,
• 1:07:45
  Speaker 1: be quiet, my love. Then, turning to the junta, he
• 1:07:49
  Speaker 1: said firmly and don Pedro knew well how and when
• 1:07:52
  Speaker 1: to assume the air of authority. I will pay this
• 1:07:56
  Speaker 1: child's fine and give her the protection of my home.
• 1:07:59
  Speaker 1: Also adjourned the junta. He then summoned the Mexican with
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 1: whom the children lived, and obtained from him the following story.
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 1: As has been my custom for some time, I went
• 1:08:10
  Speaker 1: last year to the Comanche camp on the Pecos for
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 1: trading purposes, and while there noticed two white children, whose
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 1: miserable condition excited my pity and caused me to ask
• 1:08:20
  Speaker 1: the chief who they were and where they came from.
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 1: Evading my questions at first, he finally told me he
• 1:08:27
  Speaker 1: had stolen them while on a horse raiding expedition to
• 1:08:29
  Speaker 1: the Brazos that going through the woods late one evening,
• 1:08:33
  Speaker 1: near a house occupied by apparently well to do people,
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 1: he saw the children gathering pecans and creeping up to them,
• 1:08:41
  Speaker 1: seized them, strapped them to the back of his horse,
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 1: and fled. Expecting to ransom them for a considerable sum.
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: He sent an agent to make terms with the parents,
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 1: but the agent returning reported that the affair had created
• 1:08:54
  Speaker 1: such a stir he thought it unadvisable to broach the subject.
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: I proposed to train, and he agreed to take for
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 1: them a mule, a bridle, and a red blanket. I
• 1:09:05
  Speaker 1: brought them home, intending to try for the ransom, but
• 1:09:08
  Speaker 1: I did not know how to go about it. Speaking
• 1:09:11
  Speaker 1: of ransom, for how much could you, Amigo mio, be
• 1:09:14
  Speaker 1: induced to relinquish all claims to these children, asked the
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 1: alcalde signor. You know me to be a poor man
• 1:09:20
  Speaker 1: with a family to support and needing money badly, Otherwise
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 1: I would present them to your honor. Would you be
• 1:09:27
  Speaker 1: willing to offer twenty paysos? Here are fifty pasos. Read
• 1:09:32
  Speaker 1: and sign this agreement which, as you will see, transfers
• 1:09:35
  Speaker 1: to me your writing claim to them. Obtaining the requisite authority,
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: the Alcalde engaged a man known to be trustworthy to
• 1:09:42
  Speaker 1: take charge of the Americanos, go with them to the
• 1:09:45
  Speaker 1: neighborhood designated, hunt up their parents, and restore to them
• 1:09:49
  Speaker 1: their stolen children, supplying them with clothes, and giving to
• 1:09:53
  Speaker 1: each one a well filled purse. The al call, they said,
• 1:09:55
  Speaker 1: on parting with them, never forget that you owe your
• 1:09:58
  Speaker 1: deliverance from kep Activity and your restoration to home and friends,
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 1: to Haesuza, and remember her in your prayers. The leave
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 1: taking between the two little girls could not have been
• 1:10:09
  Speaker 1: more affecting had they been sisters, and Kano's trembling lips
• 1:10:13
  Speaker 1: and tearful eyes as he bade Haesuza good bye, express
• 1:10:16
  Speaker 1: more eloquently than words, the grateful emotions surging in his brave,
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 1: boyish heart. In due time, letters came from the rejoicing parents,
• 1:10:25
  Speaker 1: invoking God's blessing on the kind hearted, generous Alcalde. Believing
• 1:10:29
  Speaker 1: that their little ones had lost in the woods, perished
• 1:10:32
  Speaker 1: from starvation, or been drowned in the brazos, they had
• 1:10:35
  Speaker 1: mourned them as dead the night following the disappointing morning
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 1: and the harrowing scene in her father's office found little
• 1:10:42
  Speaker 1: Haesuza ready for bed betimes while she slept, Dounia and Nez,
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 1: entering her room noiselessly hung above her, caught a picture
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 1: depicting the healing of Jyri's daughter, and opposite a scroll
• 1:10:55
  Speaker 1: inscribed blessed or the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 1: both scroll and picture being the work the nuns at
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 1: the mission convent, who, hearing of Jesuz's defense of Kana,
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 1: aspired to play the part of rewarding spirits, and near
• 1:11:11
  Speaker 1: by a doll dressed as a queen, and many playthings
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: and trinkets calculated to please a little girl. Awaking and
• 1:11:18
  Speaker 1: seeing the scroll, Hayesuzu supposed she must be dreaming. Then,
• 1:11:22
  Speaker 1: noticing her other treasures, she sprang from bed, calling, come Madre,
• 1:11:26
  Speaker 1: come padre. The angels have been here. See what they
• 1:11:30
  Speaker 1: brought me. It must mean that the Holy Child smiles
• 1:11:34
  Speaker 1: on me. You will go with me, will you not?
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 1: Carissimo's to church and join me in grateful thanks for
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 1: his divine favor, and the adoring parents, unrestrained by thoughts
• 1:11:44
  Speaker 1: of superstition or deception encourage their trusting child in her
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 1: innocent delusion. Eventful changes fill the succeeding years. The Texas
• 1:11:54
  Speaker 1: settlers in the towns and counties contiguous to San Antonio,
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: finding the tyranny in an justice of the Mexican authorities intolerable,
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 1: determined to throw off all allegiance to them and organize
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 1: a separate, independent government. The wise and effective means of
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 1: resistance adopted culminate in the struggles at Gonzales and Goliad,
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 1: where the Texans win decisive victories. Emboldened by success, they
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 1: advance on San Antonio, defended by General Coose with a
• 1:12:23
  Speaker 1: large Mexican force, and after eight days of continuous skirmishing,
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 1: compel him to surrender. Entering the town, they garrisoned the
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 1: Alamo with Texas troops and hoist over it the lone
• 1:12:34
  Speaker 1: Star flag. The alcalde, loyal to duty, had rendered valuable
• 1:12:39
  Speaker 1: assistance to the Mexican commander, and when the latter retreated,
• 1:12:44
  Speaker 1: retired with his family to his Salado ranch, where, detained
• 1:12:48
  Speaker 1: by Donia Inez's serious illness, he remained until the recapture
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: of San Antonio by Santa Anna restored Mexican supremacy. His
• 1:12:57
  Speaker 1: two eldest sons fell at goliadly defending their national colors,
• 1:13:02
  Speaker 1: and the two younger ones were killed a year later
• 1:13:04
  Speaker 1: in a skirmish on the Rio Grande. Returning to San
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 1: Antonio the day after the massacre of the brave defenders
• 1:13:10
  Speaker 1: of the Alamo, he was shocked at the atrocities committed
• 1:13:14
  Speaker 1: by Santa Anna, and, condemning them in unmeasured terms, kindly
• 1:13:18
  Speaker 1: sought to alleviate the sufferings of the Texans still remaining
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 1: at the mission. The defeat of Santa Anda at San
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 1: Jocento in his subsequent inglorious return to Mexico effectively relieved
• 1:13:30
  Speaker 1: Texas from Mexican thraldom, though the alternate occupation of San
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 1: Antonio by Texans under Hazen Howard and by Mexicans under
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 1: Vasquez and Wall resulted in prolonged chaotic conditions there for
• 1:13:43
  Speaker 1: some years. Don Pedro, gracefully yielding to the inevitable, made
• 1:13:48
  Speaker 1: no effort to exercise his official functions after the organization
• 1:13:52
  Speaker 1: of the Texas government. Known however, as the Alcalde, he
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: was deferred to by both Texans and Mexicans, and always
• 1:14:01
  Speaker 1: found acting with the upright and orderly lost neither public
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 1: respect nor influence. When General Sam Houston was elected an
• 1:14:08
  Speaker 1: inaugurated president of the Republic of Texas, the citizens of
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 1: San Antonio invited him to visit their town, and on
• 1:14:16
  Speaker 1: his acceptance of the invitation, they determined to give him
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 1: a public reception to conclude with a ball and a banquet.
• 1:14:23
  Speaker 1: The Alcalde, asked to act as chairman of the reception committee,
• 1:14:26
  Speaker 1: surprised every one by agreeing to do so and by
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 1: advancing a handsome contribution towards defraying the expenses of the reception.
• 1:14:35
  Speaker 1: The ball was given in the large hall of the
• 1:14:37
  Speaker 1: Veramendi House and proved a gratifying success. President Houston was
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 1: accompanied by his staff, chief of which was a handsome
• 1:14:45
  Speaker 1: young officer, Captain Osborne, who, enlisting as a private at
• 1:14:49
  Speaker 1: San Jacento, had been promoted on the battle field for
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 1: conspicuous gallantry. He was selected to open the ball, with
• 1:14:56
  Speaker 1: the Alcalde's daughter don Pedro himself presenting him to her.
• 1:15:02
  Speaker 1: Then in the efflorescence of her maidenly charms. Haesuza was
• 1:15:05
  Speaker 1: so lovely, her voice was so musical, her manner so
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 1: gracious that all hearts involuntarily crowned her Queen of love
• 1:15:13
  Speaker 1: and beauty, and Captain Osborne could he resist such fascinations
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 1: nu venu. Following the ball came a dinner at the Alcalde's,
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 1: then other entertainments given by hospitable San Antonians, at all
• 1:15:28
  Speaker 1: of which Captain Osborne was Jesus's devoted attendant. People smiled
• 1:15:34
  Speaker 1: and said, how well they suit, What a fine match
• 1:15:37
  Speaker 1: it would be. Captain Osborne accompanied the President back to Washington,
• 1:15:42
  Speaker 1: the first capital of Texas, but returned to San Antonio
• 1:15:45
  Speaker 1: in a few weeks when the Alcalde announced his daughter's
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 1: betrothal to President Houston's chief of staff. One evening, the
• 1:15:53
  Speaker 1: lovers were walking together near the Ylamo when he asked,
• 1:15:57
  Speaker 1: do you remember once hanging a Christmas lamp in the
• 1:16:00
  Speaker 1: angle of that corner? Of course I do. It is
• 1:16:03
  Speaker 1: one of the dearest of my childish memories. And do
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 1: you remember a little boy who once knelt to you
• 1:16:09
  Speaker 1: in your father's office and implored you to protect his sister? Oh,
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: said she, the light of memory, restoring the boyish cast
• 1:16:18
  Speaker 1: to his features, and recalling, as if by magic, that
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 1: exciting scene. Can it be yes, you must be. You
• 1:16:27
  Speaker 1: are Kano. The dream of my life, Heesuza, has been
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 1: to meet you again, and meeting you, the most cherished
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: hope of my heart has been to win your love.
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 1: Well you have succeeded, she said archly. Of course, Padre Ignacio,
• 1:16:44
  Speaker 1: her lifelong friend and confessor, who had christened her and
• 1:16:47
  Speaker 1: blessed her at her first communion, officiated at the nuptial mass,
• 1:16:51
  Speaker 1: and who could wonder if amid the decorations transforming the
• 1:16:55
  Speaker 1: San Fernando Altar into a mass of fragrant bloom, there
• 1:16:58
  Speaker 1: hung a Christmas lamp whose flickering light, though obscured by
• 1:17:02
  Speaker 1: the glorious sunshine flooding the church, cast a mild benison
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 1: like radiance over the young couple, brave soldier boy and
• 1:17:10
  Speaker 1: maiden fair plighting their wedded troth. There a radiance betokening faith, hope,
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 1: and undying love. End of chapter three they all call
• 1:17:22
  Speaker 1: Day's daughter in her Christmas lamp. Recording by Philip Gould.
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 1: End of Christmas under Three Flags by Mary Emily Donaldson
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 1: Wilcox