The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-01-14
Grandna,a school.

Although Grandpa Brown was nearly sew
enty years of age, still he was not old 10
teach queer little school for the benefit of
his grandchildren.
AT precisely three o'clock every Satur.
day afternoon, grandpa tinkled his little
hend-bell, and in i've minutes there were
seated in row before hun Eve wide-swake
grandchildren. three girls and two boys.
The pupils brought no books to study, but
before taxing their seats they deposited sliTs
Of paper in grsndpa's hat, On which were
written certain questions that he was to
answer. These questions were upon any
subject the children might select, but they
usually had reference to something heard,
seen, or resd dunng the week, and the chill
dren were al says on the alert for puzzle
question. Perhaps description OF the eX-
ercises upo-. one afternoon may prove inter
sstiDg.
as soon az the children were all sested.
grandpa put on his spectacles, took his bat
from the table. and opening the first paper
he read IS follows:
Dear Grandps-Ths past week L have
been learning from 81 old sailor how to tie
various kinds of knots, such as reef knots,
loop knots, figure eight knots. etc now
this eallor SAYS he can teach Inc 10 tie all
kinds OF knots but the 'Gordian knott Can
you tell me what that is and how to tie it?"
Frank.
"Ab," said grandpa, when he had finished
reading that Is hard question. indeed;
could tell you better how the 'Gordian knot
was severed than how it was made"
That will do Just as well, !" replied Frank.
"WslI," said grandpa, ''the 'Gordian knot
was made by rustic king of Phrygis,
named Gordius. The cord was made from
the fbrous bark of the cornel-tree, aud the
knot fastened the OK yoke to the pole of
wagon which King Gordius had used. The
knot proved 30 intricate that no one could
ended"
"Tbe oracle had declared that he who
should unite the knot should be master of
Asia. Alexander the Great was resting his
army after battle in the city of Gordium,
about the year 1888 before Christ, and he de.
not being successful, he became impatient,
and striking with his sword he severed the
knot with one blow.n
THAT is q good story, grandpa" replied
Frank; 1.-THE next time l zee the sailor /
must tell him al about it."
The second slip was then taken from the
hat, and the question was this:
'Grandpa is it right to throw stones at
frogs.-Julia.n
When this question was read, Willie aud
Frank looked troubled, as though guilty of
such conduct. Grandpa did not appear to
notice this, but remarked that frogs were
quite sensitive to pain, and be thought that
frogs. Then turning TO Frank he said, II
wish you would bring frog to school next
Saturday, for want you to see what psco-
liar tongue il has,"
"Is IL forked like q snakes tonguer In
qUired Frank.
mo, my son, but you know that the
tongue of most animals lies with the tin
pointing towards the lips; now the base or
large portion OF the frogs tongue is Joined to
the point of the lower Jaw, and the tip points
down the throat. So, whenever the frog
catches an insect, it is quickly thrust back
into the throat by the tongue, and its fate IL
sealed"
The third question was from Emily. 1t
wss this: Grandpa, eau the people on the
moon zee the esrth?'
at is not known" replied grandpa,
whether the moon is Inhibited; but If 30,
the earth must present 10 them all the phases
that the moon presents to us, only in re-
verse order. For instance. when we have .
new moon they have full moon. Only one
side OF the moon is turned toward Us, there
fore the moon inhabitants upon the opposite
side might have to take long Journeys to
take peep SC our planet, but il would
doubtless well repay them, for the earth
would look when fall fourteen Gmesas large
as our full MOON
"WouIdH't it be . grand sight! ] wish I
could see such large m0on a. that" said
Emily.
Mamie : question was in regard to the
echoes f'.i~ had been in the woods with
sore O. s,er friends the day before, and when
they ehCated the sound Was repeated, some.
times ia one syllable, at other times in two.
Her question was this: "Can more than two
syllables ever be heard 80 an echo2n
Grandpa replied that when several par
allel surfaces are properly situated the echo
may repeat backward and forward many
times. For instance in Virginia there Is an
echo which 10 said to return twenty notes
played upon a hute, and at Woodstock,
England, there is one which repeats seven
teen syllables by day and twenty by night.
When the exclamation hal Ia quickly and
sharply spoken, there returns back 9 10, hs,
hal"
The last question was from Willis. he
was growing. hungry boy, and could not
believe that persons might suffer more thirst
than from hunger.
| He writes: "Grandpa, IS water more inn
| porieDt to life than food2 i have eaten five
meals since yesterday morning, and
| haven't drinked drop OF water; now, an
| not thirsty one bit, but feel as though /
| could est two meals at once"
"You msy not have drinked clear wster,"
sreplied grandpa, ''for two days but do you
not take milk with every meal, and haven't
| You eaten apples. melons, potatoes and tnr.
| nlps since yesterday morning.
Yes, sir" replied Willie
WELL" said grandpa, 'all OF these things
| cchtsin great amount Of water, aud that
accounts for your not being thirsty. Our