Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1868-11-21
A Liberal Turn OF Mind.

The Irish bull is the result of fog IN the mina'
There is another humorous method OF express
sion, which is the result of too much lteralness
and acuteness of mind. Human thought ana
language have come of course from mucn use, 70
run in grooves ruts, but there are occasionally
people who persistently refuse to be influenced
by anything that has been done before them,
and WHO are consequently all the time saying
grotesque and unexpected things.
Of such q character was particularly prac-
teal student, who, at the examination of the
College of Surgeons, was asked by Abernethy
''What would you do if Il man was blown up
with gunpowder?' He replied, 81 would wait
till he came down." "True," replied Aber-
nethy, "and suppose should kick you for such
an impertinent answer, what muscles would
put in moton?' The fexors and extensors OF
my arm" replied the student, " for should i'm
mediately knock you down."
"My son, !" said an anxious father, what makes
you chew that nasty tobacco?' Now the son
was very literal sort of person. and declining
was asked, replied, g To get the juice, old cod
ger"
A lady was once conversing with sailor who
had suffered shipwreck, and, as she took great
pleasure in the analyzaton of feelings and emo
tons, she asked him compassionately, How
did you feel, my dear man, when the cold waves
broke over your? But the seaman knew moth
ing of metaphysics, and answered simply, Wet,
ma am, very wet"
A small child being asked By Sunday school
teacher, " What did the Isrselites do after they
had crossed the Red Sea?" answered, g | don't
know, ma'am, but ! guess they dried them
selves"
Queer answers are very often received by
grown people who talk to children, for the rea-
son that the latter have not yet become accus-
toned to the subtetes and fgurative meanings
and roundabout of words, and, therefore,
look at things very practically. GO SAM" said a
young mother to her darling boy, 4" do you know
what the difference is between the body and the
soul? The soul, my child, is what you love
with the body carries you about. This is your
body touching the boys shoulders and arm, J
but there is something deeper in. You can feel
it now. What is tn "Oh, know" said he,
with a flash of intelligence in his eyes, % that is
my flannel shirt"
IA passive verb said teacher sis express
sive of receiving action, as Peter is beaten.
Now, what did Peter do ~ 81 don't know"
said the scholar, celebrating, " unless he hol-
Tered"
A youth, who was being reprimanded for play
ing marbles on Sunday was asked, Do you
know where little boys go VINO play marbles on
Sunday?' He had not been sufficiently in
structed in regard to a future state, and an
swered quite innocently, " Oh, yes Some on
'em goes to the common, and some on EN- goes
An unexpected bit of information is sometimes
ELECTED by this literal understanding of questions
as when Sabbath-school teacher was at
tempting to teach very little boy the meaning
of wages in the passage, The wages of sin is
death, and asked him, % What does your father
get on Saturday night?' Drunk, ma am, ~
answered the boy, without any hesitation.
lecturer in Portland, Maine, or somewhere
else, was explaining to little girl how a lobster
cast its shell when it had outgrown it. Said he
"What do you do when you have outgrown your
clothes? You cast them off, do you not?" "Ot
no. replied the little one, I'VE let out the
tucks."
Again, a teacher was explaining to little CIR
the meaning of the word cutcle. "What il
that all over my face and hands ~ said he. " IT.
freckles, sir,' answered the little cherub.
This same literal turn of mind is sometimes
used Intentionally, and perhaps little malic
ousy, and thus becomes the property of wits in
stead of blunderers. Thus we hear of very pc
lite and impressive gentleman who said to lit
tie boy in the street, !. Boy, may inquire wher'
Robinson's drug store isr' Certainly, sir,
said the boy, very respectfully. "Well, sir,
said the gentleman, after waiting awhile, "wher'
is itY al have not the least idea, yer honor,
said the urchin. There was another boy, who
was accosted by an ascetic, middle-aged lady
with "Boy, want to go to Dover street.
"Well, man," said the boy, "why don't yor
go there then?"