The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-12-17

PASADENA, Dec --4R,-~The
Pasadena tournament of roses has
63-year history Always there
has been a grand marshall-one
This coming New Years Day
there will be six-every one win
ner Of the country'S highest decora.
ton, the congressional medal of
honor.
All six are veterans Of the war
in Korea.
try, the Hemingway house in Key
West.
But there is only one house in
the land where history has been
trooping in and out Of the front
door and the back door, up and
down the stairs, in and out of the
rooms for the last one hundred and
fifty years. That is the White House
al 1900 Pennsylvania Avenue in
Washington. where the presidents
of the United States and their fami-
lies have lived since John and Abb.
gail Adams.
Bess Furman, news reporter and
feature writer on the Washington,
staff of the New York Times. has
written a profile of that house. She
has packed il with factual informa-
ton which should serve scholars
for as long as libraries are, and
with personality sidelights on the
White House occupants of interest
as long as readers want American
history to come alive And Miss
Furman has introduced the book to
the public at significant time inI
the lifetime OF that house.
For many months President Tru-
man and his family have been liv
ing across the street at Blair House
so that the old mansion, weary IN,
its beams and its plumbing with all
Of the history pacing its halls over
the years, might be given a real
regeneration. And now the job isl
almost finished. Already the china
and silver is being packed at Blair
House for taking it back across the
street. And before many days have
passed the Trumans viii be living
again in the big White House,
when they aren't in Key West IN
the little White House
And if guests staying in the
White House in Washington after
its complete re-doing still hear
creepy noises they can't explain
when the midnight comes, il means
that not enough of the basic
structure was removed TO pre-
vent the historical ghosts from
coming back through some Novem
Der dusk. II the strange noise
sounds little complaining il might
br Abigail Adams, the first lady to
live in the White House, reading
aloud letter she is writing 10 her
sister, not one room or cham
Der is finished Of the whole. II is
habitable by fires in every part,
thirteen Of which we are Obliged tol
keep daily, or sleep in set and
dampness.
Or II it is the song of a mockiug.
bird singing somewhere in the
house, il may be the ghost of the
bird Thomas jefferson trained tot
sit on his shoulder. take food from
his lips. and hop up the stairs after
him step by step. Or if il comes
when the New Years bells are
ringing over the city, it may be
jefferson's democratic reception on
the first day Of the year to which |
citizens, cobblerS, and tinkers
as well as the diplomatic corps
came. Or If a guest should look out
OF his door and see gentlemen
prowling the halls, pinching the
new drapes and sitting experiment
tally in the new chairs, it might
also be Jefferson looking over the
new decor, for ne once furnished
all the rooms in that house TO his
own taste, and added balconies and
porches besides.
And IL the strange sound is laugh
ter. II is probably Dolly Madison.
Miss Furman quotes this ,cbnckling
comment of Washington Irving on
the fourth president of the United
States and his wife; Mrs. Madi-
son is fine, portly, Buxom lane
who has smile and pleasant
word for everybody. Her sisters
Mrs. Cults and Mrs. Washington
are like to merry wives of Windsor
but as III Jeemy Madison ali.
poor Jeemy! he is but withcredI
little apple. John.
And II the strange sound is mere
iy lot of doors opening and shut
ting. Lady Eleanor Roosevelt isl
back again