other hand, loves dating an older man, while having a bit of a wild time. Alice also shows Eleanor a box that her Aunt gave her last week as a coming-out present. It was a present that Teddy gave her mother on the night of Alice's birth. The box was never opened since Alice's mother died only hours after she was born. Teddy was so devastated by his first wife's (Alice Lee) passing that he never allows anybody to even mention her name. Luckily, he now has Edith who Alice sees as the best mother a girl could have. Eleanor and Alice then discuss their own dealings with men in more detail. Eleanor has a mad crush on Franklin who doesn't even notice her. For her, love speaks in whispers and is very soft. Alice sees it as flashes and roman candles. After a bit, Eleanor begins to get a bit wild and even starts to imagine things the way Alice does. Eleanor then leaves to catch a train to New York just as Teddy is coming in to talk with Alice. At first, he reprimands his daughter about smoking and then questions her about the guest list for her coming-out party. Most of all, he wants to know why she would invite Nick Longworth. She then asks her father's opinion about what dress she should wear for the party, and he's taken aback while watching her in the mirror. Obviously, she reminds him of his first wife. When Alice finally shows him the box her aunt gave her, he seizes it from her and storms out proclaiming that Alice Lee (Alice's mother) must never be spoken of - ever! Some days later, in the Presidential Bedroom Suite, Edith is reading to the children from Alice in Wonderland. Upon finishing the story, she attempts to convince the children to get ready for Alice's party; instead, they convince her to let them play San Juan Hill with Ethel dressing as Teddy, the colonel, and lead the charge! Teddy enters and proclaims that he play "the colonel" (himself) and everyone else act as the soldiers. Teddy and the children act out the battle. Alice enters in her dressing gown demanding that everyone get dressed for her party. After a bit of play, they all go off to change while Teddy and Edith sit and ruminate about everything from Alice growing up - to politics - to their own relationship. All in all, they adore each other. Alice re-enters, looking ravishing in her Alice-blue-gown. This could be scandalous since at that time girls always wore white for their coming-out parties; however, Alice gets her way as usual and wears the blue dress. She doesn't care what people will think. They hear the guests begin to arrive and Teddy and Alice go off to greet them while Edith goes to put the final touches on her woman's "armour." While doing this, she thinks about how it is now that Alice is grown up. Alice is the picture of her mother - a woman Edith has competed with her entire marriage. A woman that Teddy has never forgotten. With Alice now becoming a woman, it's strange how Alice Lee is back in the picture. Out in the Rose Garden, the guests are dancing at Alice's party. Nick is dancing with Alice - completely smitten with her. Teddy notices this and has a pretty woman talk to Nick. Teddy then sweeps Alice into a dance. Oddly, a ghost figure of Alice Lee appears and moves in unison with Alice. Teddy is really caught off guard. Finally, the dance ends and Nick moves in to talk with Alice. Alice asks Nick if he is shocked by the colour of her gown. He isn't. This is what he considers a proper and safe coming-out party. Hearing that, Alice wants the party to get a bit wild and leads everyone in a naughty 1901 dance. At the end of the dance, even Teddy and Edith join in with the kids and have a bit of fun. Once again, Nick is noticed talking with Alice and Teddy pulls her away. Nick realises that even though he's crazy about Alice, he needs to back off and remember that he's a congressman and that Teddy "runs the town." The cabinet members on the otherhand see just how crazy Nick is about Alice, and they egg him on to go after Alice. They feel that with Alice in the arms of another man, she won't be so close to her father and be attempting to run the government. By the end of it all, Nick realises that he really is in love with Alice after all! The next scene takes place a few months later in the White House where Teddy is nervously pacing back and forth. It's 3 a.m and Alice isn't home. Edith comes down and tells him to calm down. Alice is an adult now and can take care of herself. Teddy is more upset that she's been going out with Nick for the past three months. After Edith goes back to bed, Teddy thinks that maybe she's right. After all, Alice is his daughter, and he's brought her up very well. Alice does finally come home and brings Nick in for a late night snack. Alice invites Teddy to join them, but Teddy tells them to run along - he's not hungry. As they are about to leave, acting on an impulse, Teddy tells Alice that he is planning to send her on a four-month goodwill tour of the Orient. Alice is excited; however, Nick sees this as a plot to separate them. Alice doesn't understand what he means. Going to the Orient would be a great opportunity for her. Nick just wants Teddy and Alice to grow
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=