Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-07-10
ALEXANDRIA:
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 10, 1918,
FOR THE GAZETTE.

macy, there is very pretty little girl OF
about seven years Of age, who has got into
a habit of applying the word g funny" to
every object that particularly strikes her as
out of the ordinary course OF thlngs-and
though have made frequent enquiries, l
have not yet been able to learn how she
happened to take it up. Beings friend OF
the family however, | have frequently en-
dearored to check the habit and teach the
child 10 annex to the word, il she used 1t at
all, a correct and appropriate idea. 1t is
not so easy a matter, however-tor win
all my pains, il was but last Thursday That
seeing funeral pass By, she turned about
and asked, with sweet infantine slmpll-
city in her countenance, IS NOT that funny"
And after all, is there any thing in this
child's misapplication Of the word funny
more absurd than thousand misappli-
cations of other words of which adults,
nay, grey-beards reputed scholars, and
would-be great men, orators and political
scribes, "full OF wise saws and modern
instances" every day OF their existence
plume themselves npon uttering ! The
word patriot, for instance, is worn to
slipper with misapplication; and the abuse
IS the more blameable, because the mean-
ing Of the term is so perfectly definite that
he who goes astray IN it must err wiIfulIy.
Yet it is constantly wrested TO meaning
so directly Ike reverse OF the true one, that
there is reason to fear il will gradually de-
generate into an established expression
(Guusi lucus non lrcendo) for something
almost hostile to country; such as traitor,
cosmopolite, demagogue, election pander,
stump orator, or any other Of these igais
fGtmascs or will-o-lhe-wisps, which fly as
thick as glow worms over this, union, and
after leading our poor, soft, good natured,
stiff opiniative citizens, like ragged poor
Tom in the tragedy, Through fire and
through fame, through ford and whirlpool,
over bog and quagmire," leave them in the
lurch, TO hnd their way out again in the
dark, or 10 be again led astray BY the false
light Of the first treacherous insect that fits
acress them with the attraction OF lumi-
nous tail. In short, nothing that know
can more exactly convey the idea of the
gross misapplication of the term patriot a.
mons us, than the child's application Of
the word funny TO the funeral. Should |
ever hear Of her applying it to house on
fire, (which assure you is not improbable)
| shall take care to give you notice oft, as
still more exact illustration of the truth.
A friend of mine, with whom | have
many good natured arguments, took upon
him the other day to affirm that he rejoiced
in the multitude of that class Of beings, by
courtesy called patriots" for, (said hey
as an abundance of bees denotes plenty Of
flowers, and large focks Of birds glut Of
sweet cherries, so these patriots swarm
most where the prosperity Of country I'M
dera popular government and the rapidity
ofils growth and importance, produces the
richest harvest OF offices to feed the idle
straggicrs Of society,"" Pretty employment
truly, | replied, for wise people 10 bsnI
raising barvests only for the reputation
pamperng patriots. In England and ! pr
land, vast flights of crows and rocks b
testimony 10 the rich produce Of the W. g. {.
and rotatoe fields; but the unenlighvo
selfish farmer regards their plunderirfa-.
triotic oratog, delivered in ch6 OF .
thousands OF cawing Threats, as hton'
enemy, and rewards it with few l.,
OF powder and shot; hanging u ms :"
creants he has killed, in terror but " y,
soon they learn to despise the sG CROW :"
and again the field is biackene pin their III
numbers. Why Paddy, p0ta,oe Sc
field is quite covered with CT sa'a ~
gentleman to a poor lrishman quite CO. :"
vered!" replied Paddy II asus crow ~
for every potatoe in the feb our no"or' ~
Why don't you get u aha shoo' '"
them" said the other. moot Them IN
deed why by Jasus, honor every no
crow you'd shoot would y mo '"eh'y- u
No, no, it's bad enoq lose '9e po'a, M
toes, and not 10 throsNay powder ana M
shot upon the tiesefn ior Inc maller We
of that, il is not Cd 70 me Out .hal IL IN
was to have any to do with them, go
thew would swalIoap myself for po- ar
,tatoe. and the g,b ong with me, stock, lac
lock, and barely FL
Qpartment OF human af. ee