Personal History

""Yes, but don't bother with it. I don't want to keep you waiting, and I'd love to come.'' Before I could turn around, two Secret Service men descended and asked where my bags were. Another one, who turned out to be the president's chief agent, Rufus Youngblood, said, ""Follow me.'' Rufus and I became friends, and he told me later that Johnson had said, ""Lift that woman over the fence.'' Happily for me, Youngblood had pointed out that there was a gate and ushered me through it. Luvie had heard the whole exchange, but I only had time to say to Lally as I was whisked past her, ""I'm off to Texas.'' Considering my two suitcases full of dirty, smelly clothes worn in the damp heat of Atlantic City, I believe no one ever started out for a state visit so inadequately prepared.

The president grabbed my arm and took me to the stairs of the 707. I hung back, waiting for him to go up, but instead he pushed me ahead of him into the jet. A reporter asked my name as we went up the steps, the door closed, and off we went.

Social Life

Guest of Honor

""On a personal level,'' Mrs. Graham writes, she was ""lonely,'' especially when she went to New York every week to visit NEWSWEEK. Though ""painfully shy,'' she began ""going out a great deal. Social life quickly became spoiling and fun for me.'' Her circle of acquaintances was large and dazzling; her arrival in society was confirmed by Truman Capote's famous ""Black and White Ball'' in her honor:

TRUMAN CAPOTE PHONED ME TO SAY HE WAS GOING TO give a ball to cheer me up--what he said would be ""the nicest party, darling, you ever went to.'' My initial response was, ""I'm fine. It's really nice of you, but I don't need cheering up.'' But Truman went right on talking of his plans, paying no attention to me. He explained that he'd always loved the Grand Ballroom at the Plaza, and also the Ascot scene in ""My Fair Lady,'' for which his friend Cecil Beaton dressed everyone in black and white. He had decided to have everyone at the ball dress in black and white, too, and wear masks, which they would remove at midnight. I was to be the guest of honor.