The Dickinson press., 1884-03-22
THE LITTLE ONES.
Funny Sayings Of smau- chilarsn.
Journal,

time ago, Professor Bhckie told his
audience the following story: GA little
boy at a presbytery examination was
asked, "What is the meaning of regen-
eration?" 20, to be born again, " he re-
piled. "Quite right, Tommy. You're
a very good boy. Would you not like
to be born again?" Tommy hesitated,
but on being pressed for an answer,
said: "No." "Why, Tommy" "For
fear I might be born a lassie!" he re-
piled.
This appears to be an excellent illus
tration of the folly Of asking children
difficult theological questions before
they are old enough to grasp the differ
ence between worldly fact and divine
allegory.
Much more to the point, and a splen-
did specimen of childl2ze reproach, was
the reply of a little urchin, who. with
his brothers and sisters, were always
scolded by their grandfather whenever
they dared TO invade the precints of his
library. "Would you like to go to
heaven, Bertie?" his mother asked of
him one evening when she had been
reading to him Mrs. Hemans' beautiful
verses on the "Better Land" "No,
mamma" was the quick response. "You
wouldn't like to go to heaven, my son!
Why?" why, grandpa will be there,
won't he?" eyes; I hope he will"
"Well, when he sees us children, he'll
come scolding along and say, sWhew!
whew! what are you all here for? No,
mamma; I don't want to go to heaven if
grandpapa is going to be there"
We Gull the following from n Of
the French papers: A little boy was
sitting by the bed Of his grandmother,
who was very i'll. "Ah, my poor child"
she said, ii am very bad;dI am going
to die" He looked very much mysti-
fed for q few minutes, and then sud
denly exclaimed: "Wby will you die?
Does God want all old9 angela"
"Grandpa," said another intelligent
little fellow, "whd made those bitches
in your forehead?" "God, my dear"
"What did he make them for?" "I
don't know, Willie. Don't ask silly
questions" Willie was thoughtful for
a few moments, and then said: II
know now. Father can tell how old
his COWS are by the wrinkles on their
horns. Is that what God put wrinkles
on your brow for, grandpa?"
Some remarkable nswer are some
! times given by children in response to
questions put to them in school. At "a
school at Wallsend, near Newcastle, the
master asked a class of boys the mean
ing of the word appetite" and
after a brief pause n little boy
said: "I know, sir: when I'm eatin' I'm
'appy, and when I'm done I'm tight"
Another teacher asked a bright little
girl what country was opposite to us on
the globe. II don't know sir" was the
reply. "Well, now" pursued the teach
er, "if I were to bore a hole through the
earth, and you were to goih at this end.
where would you come out?" "Out OF
the hole, sir" replied the pupil with on
air of triumph.
Children frequently put puzzline
questions at home to their parents on
y various subjects, as is evinced by the
one which a smart boy, who had been
reading the newspaper, put to his faith
er:"Pa, has the world got atail?" "No.
my boy; it is quite round" replied his
parent. "Well," persisted young hope.
full, "why do paaers say so wags the
As an instance of juvenile precocity
we may mention the strategem en-
ployed by a little six-year old fellow
whose mother had told him that it was
impolite to ask for cakes or other things
which they might see being prepared
while visiting at other peoples houses
Calling at a house in the neighborhood
where q cake was being made, he eyed
the precious composition very w~istfullJ
for some time without speaking, but 81
last he ventured to say in an under
tone, tsMother says it is not polite tt
. ask for cake" ssNo," was the reply
s'it does not look welf for little boys tt
: do So" "But she didn't say Unjust no
eat a piece in ase you gave it to me,
was.the unanswerable rejoinder.
Of a similar kind was the suggestion
of a little girl who, while at a party
had left upon the table half an orange
On passing the house the next morning
she thought of the orange, and, feeling
like finishing it, she entered and said tx
the lady. "Mrs. MI left part O
On orange here last night, and I hav'
called to see about it. II you don't fine
it you needn't trouble yourself about it
rs a whole small orange will do Just az
we'll"
Children if permitted, will sometime
try to argue q question, but it is seldom
that they venture on closing an argu
ment, when it is particularly addressed
to them. A certain Aunt Betsy was
however, trying to persuade her it'll
nephew to go to bed, and, by way o
argument, said that all the little chick
ems went to bed at sunset. eyes," re
Piled the boy; "but the old hen Away
goes with them"
A little girl who heard hat ever,
one wa made of dust, was one da.
standing at the window, and appeared
to be very intently watching the eddie
of that staple of creation IS they wer
whirled up by the wind. Her mother
observing her, asked what she wa
thinking about; and she responded in
very serious tone, st thought, mamma
that there was going to be anothe
little girl" This, however, was not 81
~precocious an answer as that wrun,
from another little girl who vas re
proved for playing with the boys. an,
was told that, being seven years old
she was too big for that now. "Wl
.