The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-10-03
MODE AND TENSE.
A Good Story.

| times he was II a very pleasant and gen
! Iai humor, and sometime, extremely
| touchy; sometimes In mood to pore
over his old musty law books, sometimes
engaged with his pen. and occasionally.
not very often, indeed, disposed for lit
tie conversation with ''us three as we
prepared our school tasks around the
library table. Now and then he would
lend us a helping suggestion in regard to
some puzzling example In arithmetic or
an explanatory remark on some Latin
construction or French idiom but he did
not hold, he said. to getting LESSONS for
scholars, nor to the modern custom of
having everything SO simplifed for them
that no mental effort was necessary; so
we generally had to solve our difficulties
as best wo could, by continuous and pa
tient application.
One morning the poor man was more
restless and fretful than usual. He had
had bad night. and kept mother awake
SO much that she had gone to her room to
get an hour nap. while we studied our
lessons and waited upon father But he
could hardly be patient with us while we
did it, lest our skirts should swing against
his mufiied feet.
BE careful, girls, be careful, - he cried,
deprecatingly, and fourishing his hands
all about him. It's sore all around
here y.
We laughed at the idea, but understood
his precautionary advice. and tucked
our drapery into the smallest possible
compass whenever we went to hand him
anything.
Poor papa" said Rebecca, as she
slipped behind his easy chair. where there
was no danger of him, and tried to soothe
him by stroking his hair, and stealthily
pressing her red lips to the shiny bald
spot on the top of his head
This medicine seldom failed of happy
effect.
Thank you, dear. thank you, he said,
te1derly. Now get your comb, and
comb me to sleep for a few minutes, if
you re not too busy with your books.
That comb mas magnetic effect upon
| me, you know.
| Rebecca was never too busy to do his
| bidding, and by a few passes of her soft
! fingers and the tavorite comb through his
| thin locks, now changed to an iron gray,
| she soon had him, If not asleep, combed
into quiet humor
By this time Maria Jane and | were
yawning.
How stupid this grammer is, :" said
Maria Jane. Nothing but mode and tense,
mode and tense, for twenty pages here.
| / don t see much III mode and tense. |
wish there WASH any"
Mode and tense !" spoke up my faith
er suddenly. Don't see anything in
mode and tense? | am afraid you are a
very dull girl. Why, there's everything
| IN mode and tense -
Maria Jane blushed like peony, not
having the least idea that he noticed what
she said and when he broke out so alb
ruptly and so earnestly she was ali ready
to recant everything. and assent to any
| proposition he might make-especially
that she was very dull gill, and chat
grammar was an immeasurably en- ertain-
ing and enlivening study; and she was
| preparing to submit to a critical catechism
on verbs in general, with all their belong
ings, while the apprehension of divers
| blunders flashed out from her black eyes,
| when father began again.
Yes, girls, he said, addressing US
collectively, to the great relief of poor
Maria Jane, there 5 great deal in mode
and tense; much deep philosophy. many
| profitable and practicable suggestions.
| Do you see how that can be?
We were obliged to say that we did
| not understand
Well, L suppose not, said father.
But what IS meant by mode and tense p
All of US began at once.
Mode is the particular form Of the
| verb in which
''Pshaw !" interrupted he II don t
want any of your grammar book defni-
lions. Its the general idea [ am after
We were posed and silenced for if
there were any other idea, particular or
general, than the grammar book set forth,
we were guiftless of its acquisition.
Manner and time, manner and time,
girls, cried he, Impatiently; that the
meaning of mode and tense, in plain Eng
| fish. Why, what In the world is all your
schooling good for, if you can't tell that
| yet? Don t you see now that mode and
| tense need not belong excessively to verbs,
| or even grammar itself? that it may be-
long just as properly to circumstances,
events, actions, men and things, as to
| language? Do you not see this? I'm
afraid not.
That we looked blank enough to con-
| firm such fear there is no doubt; but
we had no answer to give, for we had
never dreamed of such free translation
of these blind words mode and tense. :"
''Well. WELL father went on, per
haps | ought not to expect it at your age;
but | trust the time win come when you
will be able to perceive and arply prin
| ciples, whether found in books or any
where else; IN short, to generalize, and
not to be forever examining your heads
with particulars and details. But now,
as [ have sadly perplexed you all, | must
tell you story to make up for it, as we'll
as to illustrate the Importance of mode
and tense according TO my more enlarged
application of it. Aha! that brightens
you up at once, | see Well. shut up
your grammars and you, Rebecca, just
move my footstep little-mind you don t
touch my toes Mercy Wen, suppose
you could not help it. Oh =
did L hurt you dear papa?' said Re
| becca, piteously; L triett not to, indeed. y
/ know it, said the father, kindly !;
land now pay attention and | II tell you
my story of mode and tense; it's short
one, and perhaps you II think it a dull
one, but 1t Is all true, and affords very
interesting "reminiscences to your father !"
Is It about yourself, papa?'' asked
Maria Jane. please to tell us that at
the outset
You mustn't be inquisitive, replied
father, evasively. 1t S enough to know
that It's true, ard that know personally
the characters in it; and now don inter-
rupt me any more.
No, no, papa, said we all, gathering
little closer to his chalr-a moment