The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-09
.ConvoIescinq
els Get Fete
.AtFriendship
Many Finger Famed
'NOpe DAMNED
o. MFs. {. w. Mclean
BY DOROTHY WILLIAMS

DI OOAAO - "
Washington, Feb. p-tuP)-T'he
OF with the stiff right leg and the
empty coatsleeve fingered the
famed Hope Diamond" for q Sec
ond and then handed It over ia
his date.
She looked at the 5000, A
i-2 carat stone for long moment
and then passed IL on 70 a pretty
blonde who promptly slipped the
pendant jewels diamond chain
about her neck.
And so IL went.
The stone, which centuries ago wan
cut from the eye of pagan idol
and since has inspired u legend OF
disaster for It's wearers, was making
It's usual weekly circle among CTS
and their girls gathered at the
home OF its northumberland own
er, Mrs. Evalyn walsh Mclean.
one night week for nearly year,
Mrs. Mclean. whose fabulous par
ties have brought her both criticism
and world renown, has thrown
open her rambling, hcirloom-fur-
nished home. Friendship" TO near
ly so Walter Reed Army Hospital
patients and their guests.
And she means TO keep on doing
it.
Never Over For These
Too many people think the war
is over and there's nothing left for
them to do" she said 1t will never
be over for these boys"
The slim, black-gowned woman
with the harlequin glasses and the
heavy-musk- perfume, wrapped
her pink. l0-foot-long boa scarf
around her neck and was off again
to chat with the boys.
There was Joe, for example, once
a professional golfer who now
uses hooks for hands. He didn't
want to talk about himself. He
didn't want his name mentioned
If some one was to be written UP,
how about his buddy, SlSgt
George j. Murphy, who lost a leg
and a hand at Okinawa in his
sixth amphibious landing2
George was there. too, with his
longtime friend from down the
next block" in Mt. Vernon, N. Y
YI2C Jane Benzing, in peacetime a
private secretary in New York.
There Every Saturday -
Il was a grocery clerk before tbs
war" George said. '1tn have tc
be something else now. Maybe III
go to school
George and Jane are at Friend
ship" nearly every Saturday.
Mrs. Mclean gave US stand.
ing invitation" he explained. IT.
swell htre-the music is good anc
its not crowded like a night club.
SlSgt. Emil Szewcayk, 26, Pas
sale, N. j.. likes it because "yol
get away from the hospital mon.
otony and eating on a tray" t.
Jimmy Swotchak 81. Westfield
Mass.-who, like Emil. lost a leg
thinks its fun to bring his date
over and "let them get a look a
the Hope Diamond"
1t was the first visit for Pfc
Bernard Seeley %. of Norwalk
Conn, who is six feet seven inche
tall, and for his friend LIST Lit. Jeal
Clarke Washington, Of the Arm
Nurse Corps.
Tried to Cut Rug
Seeley lost a leg in Europe AM
never had danced before, but h
stepped out on the costly rugs Il
the so-called big room" and triet
some jiterbugging with Jean.
other comparative newcomer
were Pvt. Julius Wagman, 10, ALL
Bedford Avenue. Brooklyn, N. Y
and Sgt. Louis Di Cola % Provi
dence r. I. They said the Friend
ship parties are good moral
builders.
Like most of the soldier guests
Wagman and Di Cola are ampu
tees and their invitation to tn
Mclean parties are arranged b
the hospitals Red Cross unit. The,
usually arrive by hospital bus TO
some card playing before the sever
O'clock dinner.
Champagne is served with tn
meal and beer and cookies durinI
the evening. A highlight is tn
weekly photograph of the guests
Copies are given to the soldier
later.