New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-19
CHILDREN'S DROLLERIES.
From The 81. JQmes's Ga-ei,e.


Children say many quaint things. Sometimes
too there sort OF wit III the piercing dlrectness
with which they 20 to the heart OF IA question: Mt.
How ard Paul, Ia a collection which he has just
published of Clover Things Said by Children"
makes them too clever by half
The story of the Board school student who could
not DO made to understand the nature OF miracle,
and vino. instead OF giving the answer expected
from hun. declared that II he saw the moon shining
i'm the daytime no should SAY IL was tie san, aud
that if his master assured HIM 1t was not the san lie
should saJ his master WAS drunk. appeared 0rlgl-
nally in an official report me mingled guinness ana
ingenuity with which children VIII sometimes
throw new hpht on a question by their mode OF an
swerlng it, Is often very amusing. In order to OK
Diam IN StT6Iugly Ineligible manner the neces-
sty OF regulating ones conduct, schOomaster asks
a boy what. when watch goes sometimes too last.
sometimes too slow, the owner Odsut to ITO with 1t.
Sell it," replies the 10y. IAe reputation for
veracity enjoyed by George Washington in America
has been made by his aumirIng fellow -cOuntrymen
the subject of lnnumerabe JeSts; and 1t appears
that some lecturer on moral phlOsOphy having
questioned pupil TO why W ashlnSt0nS Birth
dny was celebrated more than the lecturers own
birthday, received tho prompt answer, because he
never UOlG u lie"
There can be no doubt rs to the sharpness Tor as
10 the insOlence of the boy who he was removing
the outer pat OF piece OF cheese. and was told by
his father in tone of remonstrance that he ate the
riul answered, am cutting this of Tor yon"
Many of the sayings ascrlbed to Innocent little
children are at least rude as they are witty.
What else can be said of the daring ropattee ut-
tered by the boy who wished first 70 Anow whether
his grandpapa had been with Ncah IN the ark, and
of the old nun how 1t was that ho escaped
drowning There is deep pathOs, on tho othor
hand, in the tale of child who, having been pre-
sented with half.crown. and assured moreover
that it was good one, expressed his regret saying
that if it had been bad he might have kept Ii but
that as it was good his parents would take 1t from
him. There is dr0llery sometimes IN the Bdlrete
with which child will mistake the character of
an action. young man, for instance, coming
hone o parry go Soa ao b IaT no wa IG' IN
was told by his infant brother from commanding
position the staircase that he need not DO afraid
of waking the faG.ily, since they were all ur"
To stories OF the enfaRt terrible" kind there is
really no end: for the terrible child is always
among rs, and never cease saying the wrong thing
at the wrong moment. 1t was one OF Gayarnis own
"entdpts terribies" who. when a visitor showed the
child packet of bonbons and said he shoul give
them To him upon going away. called upon the gem
teman TO depart at once. Some vi Gayarnfs en-
tantS tcrribtos almost too terrible TO be
funny. They let out the most compromising things
about their parents. In English stories OF the same
tfyink q casual acquaintance as the man who
kissed his sister on the IAght of party There Was
not much In the indlscretloh committed by %
child who had been warnod not 10 make any per-
sonal remarks to u gentleman who had recently lost
his arm in battle " She o5eyed orders implicitly
until she went to kiss him Goodnight she
claimed; adding. L haven't sad anything about
Your poor arm have | 4" Heroes do not as q Iule
resent illusions to wounds honoraby gained. The
case NAV here be mentioned of boy who in large
assembly caused ,neral feeling OF CONSERVATION
by claiming pecunlaIy reward for exceptional
merit Just displayed. He had been cautioned not
on any account TO laugh durng the singing of
lady who could not sing without making grlmaces,
and had been promised siXpence IL ho succeeded in
complying with the injunction given 10 him.
want my sxpenoe. ma" he cried out at tho end of
more than usually snowy cavatlna; " didn't lHugh
once" Some of Mr. Howard Paurs best stories of
clever sayings by children present, as before OBJ
served the defect of endowing the little Ones with
% wit bey Ond their years. The explanation how
ever Is good, whether little girl gave il not,
of Tearing false!witness against your neighbor."
to the effect that IL when nobody did nothing
and somebody went and told of it."