Roosevelt as President 



vited, and our host spoke with utter frankness, of 

 which few ever took advantage. Those who did 

 he relegated to the "Ananias Club" and never in- 

 vited again. Concerning Booker T. Washington's 

 presence on one such informal occasion, Roosevelt 

 afterward said to me: 



I never dreamed that it would call forth a storm of criticism, 

 and it would have made no difference if I had ! 



At the last of the luncheons which I attended, 

 he appeared at his best. Speaking of a leading 

 Chicago banker who had just left the room, he 

 remarked : 



I'm not the right President for men of that kind. I can't 

 understand what they are after, and they don't comprehend 

 me. Pm President for men like you. 



On the wall of the White House reception room 

 hung a framed cartoon entitled "His Favorite 

 Author" and representing a well-to-do farmer sitting, 

 slippered, by the grate, reading "the President's 

 Message." To another guest he observed: 



I like to imagine that I am indeed "his favorite author" 

 to men like that. But if I were to try for a third term, he 

 wouldn't like it. 



And afterward to me : 



I have tried hard to avoid another nomination harder 

 than any dozen men ever tried to get it. 



When I recall the Roosevelt of later days, there At his 

 rise to my mind the last words of Steerforth in best 

 "David Copperfield" "Think of me at my best, 

 Davy." With the rest of his countrymen I shall 

 think of him at his best. Best and worst that 



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