Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-07-14

But I'm not crazy" said she; you
Just said so, and now you say that the
other people are like me, but that
only those who are different from them
are crazy. If they're like me. and I'm
not like them? Or what? It's all very
difficult"
Il didn't say that you were crazy"
! said.
You said that people who did fool
ish things with their property"
Eve" | said, somewhat bitterly,
you're ever SO much cleverer than /
am. But I'm older than you. I'm not
clever; but | kROlO more than you do.
And when | tell you that it's not right
TO use your ring as a sinker-why,
that ought TO be the end of it."
She flung her arms around my neck,
all the malice flown from her, at my
severe pedagogical tone, and she cud-
died her cheek against mine
Don't be an old patch" she said
| laughed aloud.
Then don't strange me-" | said.
"And"-here / affected sternness, very
obviously-"don't, whatever you do,
fling your arms about my neck when
I'm sitting on the edge OF q cliff over
deep water. | might have fallen in"
What would happen If you did,"
she asked, much interested.
Il should make a great splash" |
said, and yell because of the cold, and
swim ashore"
Like a founder" she said. IF |
fell in, would l swim?"
Probably not. You have TO be
taught TO swim, and certainly never
taught you"
She thought a moment, and then,
very wheedlingly:
Teach me-" she said
Well" said l, you strike out with
your arms like this"
No, no, but in the water-teach me
in the water"
The waters too cold. Eve, and any
way you can't swim in long skirts"
But / can take them of"
Eve" | said, I've often told you
that you mustn't always be wanting
to take off your clothes before bed
time. You did, you know, once, and |
had to be very angry with you"
You tell me | mustn't mustn't
! mustn't, all day long. You tell me
that. But you don't tell me 1chV"
She pouted, and became quite sullen
for her.
why" said | presently, don't you
take big stone, some time. and drop
IL on my head? You've never tried It,
and I've never told you you mustn't do
it, It's something in your head that
tells you not to. Isn't that so? Well.
then, don't ask the reason for every
thing. If I'm here for any reason at
all, it's TO say what is right and what
is wrong-just to say il, 10 announce
IT. TO lay il down as law. And not |
TO give explanations"
In other words" said Eve, when |
people have their clothes on, they're |
good. and when they're naked they're |
naughty.
A picture presented itself 10 me of |
all the dignitaries in the world-from |
the King of England TO the Prince OF |
MonacO-as affected by this form OF |
dual personality, and becoming pro- |
aOuncedly mischievous, once at rising |
and once at going TO bed. / pictured |
myself in a frock-coat as an angelic |
Dr.. Jekyll, and the mere act of strip. |
ping for a bath turning me into a
demoniac Mr.. Hyde. And | became !
crimson with suppressed laughter
But that night, when | had said !
good night TO Eve and gone TO my cave,
! felt my responsibilities very heavy
upon ne, and | articulated a sort of
prayer whose wording. perhaps, bellies
the sincerity, the real anguish OF APP
peal with which IL was uttered.
God help mel" cried, for have
bitten off more than | can chew"
"
Not long after the above converse
ton vague memories of period prior
TO her accident began TO be Swallowed
in Ewes talk and expression. Now
and then she used words that | was
very sure she had not learned from
me; and once, at least. she quoted |
fragmentarily from Mother Goose. In
her bearing she began to show the /
fruits OF experiences unconnected with
the island. When she was especially Il
merry and mischieyous, her feet some
times twinkled into one or other of the
dance steps. And gradually. Il
note by note. she acquired repertoire
OF well-knOwn and easily hummed airs.
This renewal OF memory seemed to
start with childish things, and to ad-
vance by gradual and sure steps upon
the present year of grace.
All this had the fortunate effect of
making her shy with questions. and
freed me from a certain amount OF
mental torment. The responsibility Of
the questioned is an awful thing. A
dozen times she had brought me to
the verge of thinking that | ought TO
answer her with whatever truths were
in me TO tell; and dozen times | had
drawn back. Any way you looked at
the situation, | had got myself into a
mess And | knew IT, and was re-
morseful and afraid; and yet each time
that the tug came off with supplies
some demon tempted me beyond my
TO keep Ewes existence secret
from the world until the next time.
Her memory of other times, at first
so feeble and vague, became rapidly
stronger and surer; and pointed to
period not so very distant when 1t
would be poignant and to be reckoned
with. | looked forward with especial
dread to her remembering that she had
been engaged; to her remembering her
parents and her love for them; and to
her demanding, in view of these things.
by what right | had dared to keep her
on the island.
But she reached this final stage all,
OF a sudden, In a night She awoke