JOHN 131 



stone 'ull go on turning a bit after you 

 loose it." 



Two of John's traits are of exceptional 

 interest to every painstaking student of 

 the naivete of unsophisticated human na- 

 ture. 



1. In addressing any person whom he* 

 revered John was indirect, sometimes even 

 speaking as if the person addressed were 

 not present, and the speaker's aim were 

 to find out something concerning the 

 absent person. Not like this: "Doctor, 

 were you satisfied with what I did?" but 

 roundabout something like this: "What 

 did the Doctor say? Was he satisfied with 

 what I did?" 



2. To all forces and living things in 

 nature, John was wont to ascribe gender, 

 and to do this under an exact scheme of 

 gradation. For example, a shrub (al- 

 though as beautiful as a Japanese quince 

 aflame with bloom) he regarded as only 

 "it"; but a wind was "he" and a tree was 

 "she" In this connection I recall a quaint 



