Evening star., 1932-10-27
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

seem to an Eternal Love no more loving
OF kind than do these goldfish to the
human observer.
Majestically the goldfish ignore the
dartings OF the little Shubunkins, the
lavender, yellow and gold-and-black
calicoes, with their shimmering white
tails.
They mind not the sudden entrances
and exits OF the tadpole.
What a clown that taddy is, to be
sure!
The lone ta.poe-there were three
once. hut tadpo es are delicate-llaS an
engaging personality, one which sets
him quite apart from the other occu-
pants OF this miniature cosmos.
He is, shall We say it, human?
There is something which reminds
his chunky body. his capable tail. his
white-gray vestcoat and his tiny
button eyes.
His function in this small Drama of
life, is to make sudden entrance every
now and then, as II on supremely
important mission, but one to which,
at the same time, he manages to i'm
part touch OF comedy.
In the gathering dusk, which makes
the fanwcrt stand more like miniature
pines than ever, the Zeppelins in red
gold sweep across the stage like dow
ayers intent on an evenings pleasure.
1t is time for the tadpole to come
hurryirg along with powerful hirts OF
his tail, as II TO say, Get out of my
way, old girls. I'm on a very important
errand! But II you want TO know what
it is, you will have to follow me-"
And then, Just as one of the solemn
goldfish seems on the point of accept
ing the challenge, the tad exits, left.
The goldfish resume their placid
parade.
The calico fish are furiously attacking
the sand, as If life could not 90 on un-
less they did.
A small red snail, with perfect snail
like motion, floats itself along one of the
glass sides. which shimmers in the hall
light, causing purple shadows to CLINT
with green edges where the lowering
light comes in.
All Is activity, a world Of creatures
each bent On its own unspoken mission
All Is solemn, for life is solemn.
And then the tadpole enters, left
hastily scurrying to the right.
And he seems to be saying. as vel
as any tadpole can. Why, you folks
make me tired, with all your hurry
and your solemn mummery!
Life Is real, and life is earnest, my
soul! Life is for motion. and watch
my tracks"
So saying, he takes high dive, rises
above the heads Of all three golden Zep-
pelins together, and pokes his head out
Of water, just for fun.
Circles break away from his little
beak; they grow and go outward. even
to the glistening edges OF the glass
Then the tad does something or other
to himself. which permits him to sink
down, down, to the very bottom. where
he lies for a moment on the sand. en-
joying the applause of his invisible au-
dience.
The shadows deepen in the aquarium.
The last comrade Of his own race has
departed, but he does not know 1t. He
is alone, in his world, but he does not
know 1t. He has nothing to know 1t
with. He lives.
His life forces surge In him, he sud
denly eyes the stuffy goldfish and the
stubborn Shubunkins, calicoes bearing
their strange Japanese name signifying
Autumn brocades."
Just as the tail Of the largest gold
fish is disappearing through the great
gate of the castle the tadpole hurls
himself madly forward again and sweeps
across the stage from right to left, a
joyous gamin In an almost unbelievable
world.