San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-22
LISTEN, WORLD!
Sprouting a Soul
By ELSIE ROBINSON

Genevieve has been in again, fuss
ing over her soul. l told her to tax,
it out and pickle 1t. She went away
mad. don't care. 1t was a darned
good answer. Picking is the only
thing Genevieve hasn't done to that
soul of hers. She really ought to BE-
grateful for the novel suggestion
'S'matter of fact, just between us,
doubt if G. has a soul. bet it's only
an itch. No, I'm not joking. Read
my story and draw your own conclu'
sions.
Genevieve was born into one oI
those quite, respectable religions SC
popular amongst the better families Of
the 10Th century. 1t was an all WOO
religion. guaranteed to stand all eli
mates, but it didn't give ardent natures
much of a chance to fiZz. By the time
Genevieve was sixteen she had dcfin'
itely decided that this religion cramped
her style. So she turned atheist and
went around quoting Ingersoll and
telling everyone in Greenfield that she
didn't believe in God. She got big
kick out of that for a while. People
looked at. her darkly and prophesied
awful things.
But aftera while that sensation
wore off and Greenfield didn't seem
to be giving a boot whether she had a
belief or not. So that deep, agonizins
loneliness that inevitably swamps the
human soul when it isn't in the lime
light swept over GenevieVe and she
decided to get converted.
That was probably one of the CLASH
est conversions Greenfield has ever
seen. Genevieve didn't stint any OF
the details. Everyone wept and halle
lujahed over her. Those were glorious
days. They lasted all of three months
By that time. folks became excited
over Amy Whitten's elopement and
forgot all about Genevieve. So it be.
gan to dawn on Genevieve that she d
picked an unappreciative Deity, one
that didn't understand her case. Sc
next
But It's too long a story to give all
the details. She was eighteen when
she was converted. She's 81 now
And she's been floating around evel
since trying to locate a place for her
soul to light. She's taken up every ism
and creed that crossed her trail. Al
one time she ran foul Of Yogi and for
the next eight months she swamishcd
all over the place. From that she
went to aesthetic dancing and then
caromed to social service. And OF
course she went in strong for Commun'
ism. At present she's trying to ex'
press herself in politics, When she
runs short of other audience she comes
to me.
And all the while that Genevieve
and her soul have been bounding about
together, her home has gone to pots,
She was always too busy getting on a
spiritual plane to help her mother
wash the dishes. And now she's toe
absorbed in Seeking Her True Plane to
tend her teething baby or darn her
husbands socks or sew for charity.
The blackberries mildew in her cooler
the moths get into her hubby's golf
socks, young Billy gets blood poisoning
from an uncleaned cut while Genevieve
snoops around looking for the right
brand of religion.
Which is why l doubt If Genevieve
has n soul at all. It's merely an itch.
Genevieve Is an exceptional case, but
the woods are full of similar humans.
All their lives they wander restlessly
about. looking for some nice, comfy
formula that will fit their measure
ments. Something that will forgive
their errors, sooth their fears, answer
their questions, allay their doubts and
bring therc s per cent on all their in
yestments. And while they fare upon