Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-02-15

they were all divisions of the same
subject, which was the fascinating
way the various bodies Of creation
were made. Even a smattering of
it," he said, "makes you see things
you never saw before, you feel as il
you've been walking around blind"
Pulling a leaf off the nearest plant,
ne called her attention to how glossy
1t was on top and how velvety be-
meath, and told her the tiny tufts on
the velvet side were clusters of little
nostrlls through which the leaf
breathed the air.
She was interested, so he went on,
telling her how the leaf used air
and water and the energy from the
sun to make food for the plant.
Then animals eat the plants" he
said, land we eat the animals and
the plants both, so we stay alive.
But we don't know how to use the
sun; nobody understands how that's
accomplished, only the green leaves
can do it. It's the fundamental life
process of the world. Our bodies
can't do it. Only the green leaves
know how, and if they should forget
we'd die, all the life on earth would
end, because we've never learned
their secret"
Elizabeth was delighted. "But
that's wonderful" she cried. "Why
didn't anybody ever tell me that be-
fore? Now whenever I walk across
the grass or look at a tree, I'll re-
member it. What lot you know"
"Oh no I DON'T" he assured her
laughing. Il don't know anything,
but like finding out
As they talked she discovered that
his outstanding characteristic was a
profound curiosity about how the
universe and its inhabitants were
put together. Everything from ba-
bies to planets interested him. He
wanted to take them all apart and
see what made them behave as they
did. He told Elizabeth that before
choosing his specially he had hest
tated before the attractions of be-
coming a chemist, surgeon, a biol
ogiSt, an astronomer-notb because he
did not know what he liked, but
because he liked so many fields of
study that he could not decide which
one would be most interesting to en-
ter. 1t was lucky he had his living
to make, he remarked, as otherwise
he might have turned into one of
those scholarly recluses, sugges-
ton that provoked her mirth, at the
notion that anybody who loved life
as much as he evidently did should
imagine it possible for himself to
withdraw from it. mo, guess not"
he admitted, laughing too. Il love
people. I can't imagine anybody's
actually liking to live alone, can
your"
Il don't imagine you've ever been
alone very much, have your" she
asked.
why no, haven't. always meet
somebody"
Have you been in Tulsa long?"
asked Elizabeth.
"About three years."
"Where did you live before that?"
Chicago"
Elizabeth began to laugh again
and said, That's where you were
born, isn't it,"
Yes, how did you know"
because people born in Chicago
always call it Chicawgo, and every
body from other places call it Chi
cahgo. Why is that?"
"Chicawgo," he said thoughtfully,
and laughed at himself. Why, I
do. What do you call it?"
L
"ChicaWgo," repeated Arthur. II
can't seem to say it any other way.
It's like birth certificate, isn't it,"
She nodded.
did you ever hear anybody from
England say it," Arthur asked.
mo, what do they say?"
"Tchicago," said Arthur. THE Oh
like in church. You can tell them a
thousand times that it's like the Oh
in machine, but they can't seem to
change"
ANY more than you can"
"Chicawgo," Arthur repeated.
"Chicawgo," as though trying to
change, and shook his head in
amusement. mo, can't Shall we
go swimming again?"
Yes, let's" She rolled up her
damp hair and tucked it under her
cap. They caught hands and dived
in together.
Elizabeth thought she had never
had such a good time. Arthur was
a magnificent swimmer. He moved
with such beautiful control that when
they came out of the water again she
exclaimed, Il bet you're wonderful
dancer"
Elizabeth had a date for that eve
ming, but the young man was not
nearly as attractive as Arthur so she
reflected she could get out of it some
how "All right" she said.
'I'n come for you," said Arthur,
"if you'll give me the address. And
by the way"
"Yes?"
"What's your name?"
"Good Lord! Didn't tell your"
IA Al.