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“I am,” I said “And you ham, senator and man of influence”

He s orously since Roosevelt operated it at the White House Maybe it was a habit of politicians to inflict pain on new acquaintances, as an aid to memory

“Lizzie talks so much about you I feel like we already know each other”

Lizzie The familiarity of the nickname made me wince inwardly

“I’ve been looking forward toyou,” I said “She speaks fondly of you”

“Oh, now, he’sup behind her husband “Don’t lie, Ben Richard knows I haven’t spoken fondly of hie wink “At least, not in public”

Nottinghaht?”

I agreed that she was, in a most unspecificroom off the rear of the center hall

“Ben, Richard and I are so happy you came There may be a few people here you don’t know—”

This looked a lot like the gathering at L J Stringer’sstuffed shirts, the same overstuffed dresses, a faint smell of mothballs

Elizabeth led ed velvet loveseat “This is Senator Oscar Winkler and his dear wife, Livia”

I noticed that state senators dropped the “state,” turning themselves into real senators Senator Winkler clasped ain, Ben”

I was surprised he reo, as political editor for the Eudora High School Bugler, I had interviewed Senator Winkler for a column entitled “Eudora Looks Forward” He had been war he said I had never forgotten He said it, then asked ures out a way to bridge this terrible divide between the black and the white will enjoy all the blessings our Lord can bestow”

I shook the senator’s hand and kissed his wife’s As I was straightening up I heard Elizabeth say, “And I do believe you already know this fellow”

I turned Toe Everett Corbett