The Press: All About Mamie

At Arizona's Maine Chance health-and-beauty farm, where Mamie Eisenhower wound up a 14-day course this week, news of the First Lady was harder to come by than a banana split. But last week the staid Oregon Journal (circ. 180,021) cracked the security curtain with a closeup of Mamie that brought the outside world up to date on her weight (it's down), appearance (she "looked years younger") and morale (she missed Ike). Author of the Journal's gossip exclusive was a fellow guest, Esma Jackson, widow of longtime Journal Publisher Philip L. Jackson.

Newshen Jackson reported that Mamie "entered into the regime rather slowly after viewing the situation and screening the clients' thoroughly." avoided the "more strenuous treatments." She did not let herself be coated with hot wax in the name of beauty treatment. Nevertheless, "all the strain and tension disappeared" at the end of the first week.

Added Reporter Jackson: "She has a delicious sense of humor and laughs readily. We all became very good friends, possibly because we all wore the same costume—blue tank suit and white terry-cloth robe.

"Mrs. Eisenhower is not an outdoors woman. On her trim, shapely legs (if you'll pardon the expression) she wears very sheer dark stockings with her black dinner dresses. We found some low-calorie chocolates for her. and she couldn't have been more appreciative had we given her emeralds." Mamie became "homesick" for Ike one night when visiting Pianist Alec Templeton played When You and I Were Young, Maggie. Sighed Mamie: "That's his favorite song."