The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-01-21
Two Girls who Could Mt Speak En-
rlish.

Florence Martin and Sophia Stevens
spent rainy afternoon together at the
house of the former. As they sat at the
parlor window, trying in vain to extract
little amusement from the sight of the
dripping passers by, their conversation
fell upon their studies, their new dresses,
and their acquaintances. Meanwhile,
Florence's uncle, Mr.. Martin, was read
ing in the adjoining dinng-room. AS it
grew dark, the girls, aware of rattle of
cups and sauccrs, and warm fragrance
of something nice beginning to pcrvade
the domestic atmosphere, went in there,
when that gentleman accosted them thus :
well, young ladies, see you have con-
trivcd to get through an afternoon in
doors"
"Yes, uncle" said Florence, but it
was hard work rainy day is very dis.
NAL, and very hard to get through, don't
you think so
Sometimes +; but young ladies who are
as highly cultivated as you both are, must
doubtless have so many resources are sci.
dom to find weather dull OF course you
both study Greek and Latin
No, uncle, you know | don't and |
am sure Sophia don't
NO. Spanish and Italian, then, or
perhaps you have been studying German
attentively of late
No indeed, uncle don't understand
a word of any of those languages, nor
Sophia either
% | see, it is science you prefer, and
very much to your credit, with mis-
chievous SMILEY What not silence |
IN surprised. You are, no doubt, then
at least well versed in French; let me
hear you begin conversation in that
tongue Immediately
Again Sophia and Florence looked at
each other in amazement. Sophia spoke
we take French lessons three times
week, but we never talk it; there is no
time for that in school; we only say the
Iessons.'
"A very great mistake in your teacher.
| took it for granted that you understood
French perfectly. l know your fathers
both pay very heavy bills every year for
your education, and it is natural to sup
pose you learn something. Seeing by
your conversation this afternoon that nei-
ther of you understand English as it
ought to be spoken, concluded you
might know how to speak French =
I'VE don't understand English, uncle =
What do you mean, sir? asked So
phia.
i mean what say, that you do not
speak it elegantly, properly, grammatical
ly. | amused myself this afternoon list
oning to your talk, There was very lit
tic sense in it, but don't mind that
yours is not sensible age. ! believe
you are both fourteen
Il am fourteen and two months, uncle,
and Sophia is six months older but what
a shame that you should have listened to
US. We knew you were there though
% yes, there was nothing underhand
ABOUT il; you knew | was here all the
time
But we did not know you heard all we
said
Don't interrupt me, or | shall be as
cross as Blue Beard, want to complain
of your want of attention to grammatical
rules. You said that those kind of par
soils never keep the sun off, and yoa said,
those kind Of silks never wear WELL
SO l did, uncle, so we did. always
says those kind.
But it is incorrect. You would not
say those man. would YOU, or rh0sc wo-
man.
No, uncle, but say those kind with
out thinking.
You ought to think ; it is a miserable
excuse that we don't think. Reasonable
creatures are meant to think"
The two girls looked ashamed.
You agreed that your music teacher
is 'aactal cross. What should you have
said p
'Awlully cross
You remarked that somebody walked,
sloV, wnen you should have said sloacly.
You asked, Where is he going to p You
spoke of laying down in hot afternoons
don't you know better than that?'
% yes. should have said lying
down; it is hard to remember the differ
ence.'
But you talk so much you should
try to do it well. Now, as to being in-
elegaut-it seems to me your whole talk
is made up of iuolegancies only won.
der the young gentlemen will have any
thing to say to you indeed [ do. You
neeG not laugh You called the weather
beastly; you talked about kissing some
body good-by;' was not that au idiotic
way Of stringng words together2 One
Of you bade the other hurry up and find
II photograph she was looking for. Is that
sort of slang fit for young ladies who wear
Dolly Vardens, aud false hair, aud
don't know what else 4? You had not