The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1885-01-31
WONDERFUL SIGN LANGUAGE.
How Frenchman and an Irishman
Understood Each Other.
[Harper's Magazine.l

few evenings since. 10 him 1t was very
amusing as well as good illustration of
the aptness of different minds to miscon-
strue the same facts in quite opposite di-
rections:
Some time ago learned Frenchman
became very enthusiastic on the subject
of universal language for the human
race. After much thought and theoriz.
ing on the subject he came -to-thc CON.
clusion that the only language that could
be universal at the present day must be
a language of signs. Being deeply i'm
pressed with the Importance of this Ian
guage to humanity, he determined to
travel from country to country and teach
it in all their colleges and universities.
As it happened, the first country he
reached in his travels was Ireland, and
the first institution he went to was the
University of Dublin. He called upon
the president of the university, and after
some conversation with him asked him if
he had professor of signs in his univer-
sity. Now there was no professor of
signs in the university, but the president,
not wishing to be behind the learned
Frenchman, told him that they had one.
The Frenchman asked to be introduced
to him. The president was taken aback
at this, but told him that he could not
see the professor that day, but if he
would call the next day at the same hour
he would introduce him.
After the Frenchman had gone the pres
ident called his professors together and
told them the fix he was in, and told
them that one of them must play the
part of professor of signs the next day.
They all demurred and objected to this,
being afraid that they might be caught
by the Frenchman.
As none of them was willing to play
the part, they at last decided to train
Mike, the choreman, for it. Mike had
lost an eye, and was very sensitive about
it, thinking that people were constantly
noticing it and making illusions to it.
Mike was consulted, and consented tt
play the part, providing that the French
man should not refer to his defect.
The next day the president and pro
fessors dressed Mike up in a good suit o
clothes, took him to recitation.room
seated him alone on the platform, ant
then retired, for the Frenchman was tt
see him alone. Before they left hin
they told him what to do, and that h
must not speak.
He replied, "Sure I'll not, if he Sc
nothin' about me eye."
At the appointed time the Frenchma
called, and was ushered into the "recita
tion-room of the professor of signs" Th
president and professors waited in an &C
joining room anxiously for the resul
In short time the Frenchman cam
back to them, apparently much pleased
"How did you like our professor
?" inquired the president.
Every much, indeed. l congratulaf
you on your able professor. am moi
than ever convinced that the language
signs is to be the universal languag
When l went into the room l held t
one finger, meaning there is one Co
: He understood me at once, and held |
two fingers, meaning Father and Son.
,, then held up three fingers, meaning the
9 are three persons in the Trinity. He r
g piled by doubling up his hand, meanin
and these three are one. / then wit
! drew. 1t is wonderful. am delighted
t After the Frenchman had gone Il
president and professors sent in haste +
. Mike, for though they were pleased
/. having gotten out of the dilemma, tn
d were very anxious to hear Mikes accou
of the interview. Mike came in We
= angry. II tould yez he would say SON
!. thing about me oye. The first thing
$ did was to hould up wan finger, man
y had but wan oye."
l. "What did you do then, Mike ?" ask
!, the president.
1t "Sure held up me two fingers, to
'e him know had two fists; an phat d.
% the dirty blackguard do but hould
I three fingers, m'anin' we had but tn
d Dyes betwane us. Then I doubled
'e me fist an would "a guv the frog.'ai
3. varmint welt over his oye, but he &C