The First Lady

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...According to the Bible of Mark Twain

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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