The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-09-26
RoLLo LEARNING TO READ.

BOY to Know Something.
When Rolo was about two years old
his father-Rollo's father-said to him
one evening:
Nov, Rollo, put away your roller
skates and toy pistol and carry that
moving machine out into the hall and
come to me. II is time for you to learn
to read. !"
Then Rollo's father opened the book
he had brought home on q dray and
talked to him about it. 1t was BAN
croft's History of the United States
half complete in twcnty-three volumes.
Rolla's father explained to Rollo and
Mary his plan for teaching Rollo to read.
Mary was to teach him fifteen hours
day for ten years, and by that time
Rollo would be half through the first
volume and would begin to like it very
much.
when read this book clear through
all the way to the end of the last vol
ume, " said Rollo, 'may | get another
little book to readp" afa
NO said Rollo's father, because
you win never get to the last volume,
ior as fast as you read one, Mr.. Bancroft
will write another, so that even though
you should live to be very old man,
like Belva Lockwood, he will still be
twenty-three volumes ahead of you.
Now, Mary and Rollo, this is hard task
for both of you, and Mary must remem-
Der that Rollo is small boy, and be
very patient and gentle. 'o r
Mary began the first lesson next
morning, and at first she was so gentle
and patient her mother went away and
cried because she, thought her dear little
daughter was turning into an angel and
would soon die. But IN about two min
utes the novelty of the expedition wore
off, and she began running her old tenn
per on the former schedule, and when
Rollo said Nv, when she pointed to
A, She tore the page out by the roots,
nit Rollo such whack over the head
with the big book that it set his birth
day back six weeks, slapped him twice,
and was just going to bite him when
her mother came In. Mary told her that
Rollo had fallen down stairs and torn
his book and raised that lump on his
head This time Mary cried. But it
was not because her mother wasn't 90
ing to die 1t was her terrific health
fulness that grieved Mary. ,i"lo
That evening Rollo's father taught
him his lesson. He made Mary sit by
him and listen. "Now, Mary, +" he said,
"you must learn to control your temper
if you ever want to wear low neck
dresses. You must be gentle and patient,
or you will never succeed as a teacher.
Now, Rollo, what is this letterp'
"Drlno,'' said Rollo.
THAT is B." said his father sweetly.
"Huh" said Rollo, 81 knowed that. '
"Well, then why didn't you say SOP
asked his father. and then he went on,
10 sweetly that everybody in the room
licked their chaps. Do you know
what chap lisp 1t is the lower termi.
nus of your jowl.
What is this, Rollop"
Dunno" said Rollo.
"SureP" asked his father, do yor
not know what it isP"
Muck"
ut is A." ...t
"A whatP" asked Rollo.
"a nothing" replied his father, ait il
Just A. Now what is it?"
Just A." said Role.
Don't be too smart, my son." sal
his parent, ''but attend to your lesson
Now what letter is this?"
II dunno" said Rollo.
''Don'tlle to me-" said his father
'you said minute ago you knew
That's NJ
eyes, f:r," said Rollo, meekly. Roll
was no SLOUGH, if he did wear bibs, anC
he knew where he lived, and when
was time to be meek no boy on thi
sublunary sphere could be meeker tina,
Rollo.
"Well, what is itP'
an" said Rollo. confidently.
M" shouted Rollo's father, in tire
line Gothic,
IN" echoed Rollo. in nonpareil.
"B, a, n said Rollo's father, "wha
does that spell?'
"Cat?n said Rollo, little uncertainty
You're too stupid for any use" sal
his father, Ban, cat; where was yol
raised, 3, q, n-Ban! Say it! Say il
or I'll shake the hide off your
''B, a, m, band" said RollO, begir
ming to wish that he or his father wer
dead, he didn't care very much which
"Ban!' howled Rollo's father, "B,
N, BAN! BAN! BAN! Now say Ban!
"Ban, said Rollo
That's right" said Rollc's father
Now how do you spell Ban?"
Rollo started out timidly on C. a, bu
changed to d, o, and finally comprC
missed on h, e, n.
Rollo's father made pass at hin
with the rstvolume, but Rollo saw
Coming and got out of the way.
"B, A, n. " his father shouted. II
N Ron u N popt Nou, -,