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I followed the other Experiment around,
yesterday afternoon, at a distance,
to see what it might be for, if I could.
But I was not able to make [it] out.
I think it is a man.
I had never seen a man,
but it looked like one,
and I feel sure that
that is what it is.
I realize that I feel
more curiosity about it
than about any of the other reptiles.
If it is a reptile, and I suppose it is;
for it has frowzy hair and blue eyes,
and looks like a reptile.
It has no hips; it tapers like a carrot;
when it stands, it spreads itself apart
like a derrick.
So I think it is a reptile, though it may be architecture.
If this reptile is a man, it isn't an IT, is it?
That wouldn't be grammatical, would it?
I think it would be HE. I think so.
In that case one would parse it thus:
nominative, HE; dative, HIM;
possessive, HIS'N.
Well, I will consider it a man
and call it he until it turns out
to be something else.
This will be handier than having
so many uncertainties.
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It would not be safe to trust me with a moon
hat belonged to another person
and that person didn't know
I had it.
I could give up a moon that I found
in the daytime, because I should be a
afraid some one was looking.
But if I found it in the dark,
I am sure I should find
some kind of an excuse
for not saying anything about it.
For I do love moons,
they are so pretty
and so romantic.
I wish we had five or six;
I would never go to bed;
I should never get tired
lying on the moss-bank
and looking up at them.
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All illustrations
by Lester Ralph
At Eve's Grave, Adam wrote:
Wheresoever she was, there was Eden.
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Footnote
The next Mark Twain page is here.
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This is GODFATHER OF MATH, The Sequel <<<<<>>>> If you continue reading, you may need laughter insurance.
Quote-unQuote
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The kind of humor I like is the thing that makes me laugh for five seconds and think for ten minutes = G. CARLIN...Stain glass, engraved glass, frosted glass
–give me plain glass = JOHN FOWLES...Music is the mathematics of the gods = PYTHAGORAS...Nothing is more fluid than language = R. L. SWIHART
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I think therefore I am troubled = RENEE DESCARTES<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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The kind of humor I like is the thing that makes me laugh for five seconds and think for ten minutes = G. CARLIN...Stain glass, engraved glass, frosted glass
–give me plain glass = JOHN FOWLES...Music is the mathematics of the gods = PYTHAGORAS...Nothing is more fluid than language = R. L. SWIHART
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I think therefore I am troubled = RENEE DESCARTES<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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Such a pretty post
ReplyDeletePretty, et al
DeleteWho's Al?
ReplyDeleteAl is et 's surname
ReplyDelete