:: FIRST OF ALL ::

He read us two perfectly delightful stories in his old manners , Our evening was calculated to intimidate me. First of all, we were serverd a young lobster, wich required a sidiculous amount of attention. He was talking about the west and the middle west of wich i knew nothing. And then was intent on questioning me on a material life in Mexico, since he is comming in November, and i can never make this subject attractive or even bearable. He subly more "American"
than before adn a little too self- satisfied. Ohhh!! about the stories.... One of that stories was more modern, which i dislike because it was sort of exhaustive repetition of himself and a little obvious. I did not hesitate to tell him that Eve (in adam and eve) was essentially americanm whereas he intented her to be universal. That is when i became scared. My criticism was instctive (damn it) and stood on no legs at all. I will have to make up in writing for that momentous impulse. the rest of the evening was comparatively smooth, We laughed at his stories but could not laught as heartily as he did himself. He read them with a strong colloquial accent, which accentuated the rougher aspects of his face, and for no sound reason i was little disappointed. I have such faith in his mind. But his thundering, ogrelike laugh rolls over everything and make feel sad.