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“The president would like to see you immediately”

“Oh Yes Of course,” I said “And I would like to see hiht I would see my family”

“I’ht now He’s waiting for you”

So I followed Hensen outside to a splendid carriage drawn by the handsomest quartet of chestnuts I’d ever seen All the way to the White House I kept thinking, Dear God, please see to it that Teddy Roosevelt isn’t the only person in Washington ants to see me

Chapter 139

THEODORE ROOSEVELT JUMPED UP froh spirits I was afraid he ht bowl us both over

“Welcome home, Captain!” he roared When he pumped my hand I recalled that Roosevelt didn’t consider a handshake successful unless it resulted in physical pain

“And all congratulations to you, sir, on a difficult job extremely well done,” he exclai success”

“But Mr President, we lost the case”

“Of course you did,” he said “I knew you would—technically—lose the case But you won a tremendous victory all the same”

“I don’t think I understand”

He sank onto the sofa to the left of his desk and patted the seat cushion next to his, as if I were a faithful dog being summoned I sat The president continued

“I don’t kno much of our press you’ve seen while you’ve been away, Ben, but you’ve becoressive citizens see you as a kind of abolitionist, a figure of progress in the march of civilization toward full equality And the coloreds in the South see you as soood!”

“Mr President, I was just in the South,” I said “Believe me, I’m nobody’s hero there”

“I’ the newspaper boys in a few minutes,” he said “You’ll be with me I’ll announce that I masterminded your adventure in the South I’ll disclose to theainst the White Raiders I’ll pick up votes in New England, and I’ll have the colored vote from now until the end of time”