264 Clear Skies and Cloudy. 



munications, I do not know. Why I answered 

 any of them is beyond explanation, but before 

 burning the accumulation of the year I have 

 been reading each one anew ; a contradictory 

 procedure perhaps, but who is consistent among 

 us ? I should add that my queer correspond- 

 ents have found me out wholly because there 

 have been publishers venturesome enough to 

 print certain manuscripts of mine. This was a 

 matter that concerned only the publishers, but 

 it has been made the concern of other people 

 also, especially the writers of certain letters, to 

 which I have referred. A book is public prop- 

 erty, but does the author also become public in 

 the same sense ? My correspondents are mostly 

 women. Why are they so inquisitive? I once 

 asked, and have since regretted my indiscretion. 

 One prominent American authoress assures me 

 man is nothing if not curious. His happiness 

 consists in asking questions. He verges on in- 

 sanity if he is not satisfied, and his persistence 

 is in proportion to the matter in question being 

 none of his business. I stand corrected and very 

 humble, but puzzled too, when I remember that 

 nearly all of my queer correspondents are women. 



