Evening star., 1952-02-15
Society News.
By Peggy Diekey

Dy' fe99y hickey
President Truman kissed his
wife in front Of more than 800
delighted onlookers last night at
the Congressional Club to give
Valentine Day its biggest boost
since Edgar Guest began writing
romantic couplets.
The presidential buss was un-
expectedly bestowed after mem-
bers Of the club presented Mrs.
Truman with a heart-shaped
birthday cake. Her birthday was
Wednesday. Both kiss and cake
took Mrs. Truman by surprise.
The romantic episode took place
Immediately after the Trumans
finished receiving guests invited
to the Congressional Clubs an
nual reception in their honor.
They were standing talking cas-
ually with Mrs. James C. Davis,
president Of the club, and her
husband. Representative Davis,
when the cake, topped by 16
candles, was brought from the
kitchen.
While the guests chorused
"Happy Birthday" and Mrs. Tru-
man beamed her appreciation, the
President kissed his wife's cheek.
Mrs. Truman's surprise and de-
light at the birthday cake was
nothing to the surprise and de-
light Of those who were on hand
to see the President of the United
States lean over and kiss his wife
on Valentine Day in a complete
ly natural. lighthearted way.
Getting in the Mood
Nothing on the Presidents part
could have been more in keeping
with the. mood of last nights
party, which placed romance first
and foremost in the decor.
Huge red plastic hearts flanked
the mirrored mantelpiece in the
ballroom where guests were re-
ceived, and tables in both the ad-
joining rooms were laden with
similar red hearts. Where hearts
were absent there were cupids,
replete with bows and arrows, to
substitute. Flowers, naturally.
were red. In the dining room. car
nations dominated the buffet and
in the ballroom roses graced the
tables and an azalea screen dec
Grated the hearth.
Romance even pervaded the
food. There were tiny heart
shaped sandwiches. red and white
heart-shaped cakes and mints and
raspberry ice cream molds topped
by vanilla ice cream cupids.
Representative Marguerite S.
Church shared honorS in the val-
entine dress department with Mrs.
John l.. Mcmillan. The former
subtly marked the occasion by
sporting a diamond locket in the
shape Of a heart. while the lat
ter was dressed in brilliant val
entine red net.
A Compliment Is Paid
Mrs. Truman wore a sheath
dress Of slate-blue brocade with
a low round neck and elbow
length white kid gloves. A choker
Of pearls and an orchid at the
shoulder topped her costume.
When one Of the guests re-
marked to the President on how
well his wife looked, he BEAM
ingly replied, "I've known her
since she was 6 and she looks |
as pretty now as she did then"
Mrs. Truman blushed.
The President. himself. was nat
tily turned out in white tie and
tails. This costume was in the
minority among the men at the
party, however. with most of them
In black tie.
Exceptions were Representa-
tives Edward T. Miller of Mary
land and Halmar D. Denny, jr.
Of Pennsylvania. The latter got
together with the President for a |
brief musical discussion during the
evening. Representative Denny
has collected all the original vocal
scores of Victor Herbert. which
aroused no little covetousness in
the presidential bosom.
Stern Note Sounded
Guests receiving invitations to
last nights affair-and these were
limited to club members and
members Of the Cabinet. Supreme
Court, little cabinet and White
House staff-were warned on the
engraved card to be in the ball
room by $3.50.
At the appointed hour, every
one was obediently on hand. They
milled around the rooms, listened
to the music of the Marine Band.
with Mai. william F. Santelmann
conducting, and inspected the
decorations.
But even with these diversions
the wait from $3.50 to 9:30, when
the band struck up "Hai to the
Chief" and the President arrived,
seemed long. The President was