Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, October 8, 1914

Wonderful mellow October days.  Spring.

Keller is most natural.  Yesterday while criticizing me he turned his head suddenly and asked, “Is there a dirty spot on my nose?”

A short talk with Wilcox yesterday.  When I told him I thought modelling would do me more good than costume design he said it depended on what I wanted to be.  An illustrator? he asked.  “Not ultimately” I said, “I want to paint -.” “Oh” he said “you want to be an artist.  You’re crazy too like some of the rest of us?”  It did me more good than anything I have had yet since I came up.

I find I derive a keen enjoyment from dealing with the most natural & illiterate people (unlearned people are supremely natural) as the model I had in modelling this morning. They strike something kindred within me.

A harmony at Villa.  Good cheer saturates the kitchen.  H - says to Katie she is despondent to believe she is lucky, and a luck will come to her. I maintained there was no luck, good or bad, while the cook be­lieved that some were fated to have good luck, others bad.

After work to Mrs. Lucas’. Bob, Martha, Travis, Joe, D. Will­iams, W.J.E.  During a lull I pick up a book of Service’s and am struck with his vividness, remarking a pen which I start a short discussion of literary men with Bob & D.W.

 At lunch, a discussion of Nietsche (sic). While not endorsing Christianity, I criticized Nietsche (sic) for saying it was the worst thing on earth. D.W. remarked that the general interpretation of it worked more harm than good.  It showed her in a new light to me.  I anticipate having some discussions with her.

Bob R is big.  I am struck with the spontaneity with which he recites poetry.

These are dappled nights.

Wade Park, on Spring Boulivade (sic) is fascinating   chipmunks, in the early morning send their lively bird-like “chips” thru (sic) the mellow haze-blued colored trees.  One by one the softly detached leaves are piecing Out their designs on the blottery (sic) earth.

It is morning all the time.  Today was more especially like Spring than any before.

Charles E Burchfield,  Oct 8, 1914.