IamnotaltogethersympathetictothenewPresident.Heis,certainly,astrangefellow(onlyforty-eightincheshighattheshoulder).Butisstrangenessaloneenough?IspoketoSylvia:"Isstrangenessaloneenough?""Iloveyou,"Sylviasaid.Iregardedherwithmywarmkindeyes."Yourthumb?"Isaid.Ohumbwasafiascooftinycrustedslashes."Pop-topbeers,"shesaid."Heisastrangefellow,allright.Hehassomemagiccharismawhichmakespeople--"Shestoppedandbeganagain."Whenthebandbeginstolauntohiscampaignsong,StruttinwithSomeBarbecue,Ijust...It..."

    Thedarkness,strangeness,andplexityofthenewPresidenthavetouchedeveryoherehasbeedealoffaintinglately.IsthePresidentatfault?Iwassitting,Iremember,iCityter;theoperawas"TheGypsyBaron."Sylviawassinginginhergreen-and-bluegypsyeinthegypsyencampment.IwasthinkingaboutthePresident.Ishe,Iwondered,rightforthisperiod?Heisastrangefellow,Ithought--notliketheotherPresidentswevehad.NotlikeGarfield.NotlikeTaft.NotlikeHarding,Hoover,eitheroftheRoosevelts,orWoodrowWilson.ThenInoticedaladysittinginfrontofme,holdingababy.Itappedherontheshoulder."Madam,"Isaid,"yourchildhasIbelievefainted.""Charles!"shecried,rotatingthebabysheadlikeadolls."Charles,whathashappeoyou?"ThePresi?dentwassmilinginhisbox.

    "ThePresident!"IsaidtoSylviaialiaaurant.Sheraisedherglassofwarmredwine."Doyouthinkhelikedme?Mysinging?""Helookedpleased,"Isaid."Hewassmiling.""Abril?liant