Like a death in the family

This morning’s near-total loss of the 152-year-old Governor’s Mansion, one of the oldest buildings in Texas, near the Capitol in downtown Austin, feels like a personal blow. It’s especially heart-breaking that it’s now being called arson. I’ve been in there several times over the years, mom has twice that I know of, both at Christmas parties for the news media, and Mr. Boy attended one of those when he was three six. We climbed the winding staircase together to tour the Sam Houston bedroom. They say the furnishings have been saved, but, without the old mansion, they’re just furnishings. The only good news is that the state fire marshall, who is one of our neighbors, says the building may be salvageable.