St. Landry democrat., 1885-09-26
EoLLo LEARNlNa 10 READ.

his father-Rollo father-sald TO MN
one evening:
Now, Rollo, put away your roller
skates and toy pistol and carry that
moving machine out into the hall and
come to me. 1t is time for you to learn
TO read
Then RolIo's father opened the book
he had brought home on a dray and
talked to him about it. It was Ban
croft's History of the United States, y
half complete in twenty three volumes.
Rolla's father explained to Rollo and
Mary his plan for teaching Rollo to read.
Mary was to teach him fifteen hours a
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 readpn
seNo," said Rollo's father, because
Tou will 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
Uwenty-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. =
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 wv, when she pointed to
A. she tore the page out by the roots,
hit 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 go
ing to die. 1t was her terrific health
fulness that grieved Mary.
That evening Rollo's father taught
him his lesson. He made Mary sit by
him and listen. Now, Mary, " he said,
stvou 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 letter?'
Dunno, said Rollo
4 LIE 60 kI,n,-
''Huhr' said Rollo, 81 knoWed that. y
"Well, then why didn't you say sop
asked his father and then he went on,
10 sweetly that every body in the room
licked their chaps. Do you know
what chap lisp It is the lower termi-
nus of your joWl.
WHATS this, RoIlop''
dunno said Rollo.
'.Sure?'' asked his father, do you
not know what it isP'
muck. =
sit is A. =
"A what?' asked Rollo.
"A nothing" replied his father, 1T is
lust A. Now what is itP''
''Just A, " said Rollo.
s'Don't be too smart, my son, said
his parent, '.but attend to your lesson.
Now what letteris this?n
II dunno, said Rollo.
t'Don'tlie to me-" said his father,
.'you said minute ago you kneW.
That's NJ
Eyes, sir, said Rollo, meekly. Rollo
was no SLOUGH, if he did wear bibs. and
he knew where he lived, and when it
was time to be meek no boy on this
sublunary sphere could be meeker than
Rollo.
well, what is it?''
I'M said Rollo, confidently.
s.Nr' shouted Rollo's father, in three
line Gothic.
IN" echoed RolIo, in nonpareil.
sB, a, n. said Rollo's father, what
does that spellp'
.Cat?'' said Rollo, a little uncertainty.
you're too stupid for any use, said
his father, ..B, a. n, cat; where was you
raised B, a. n-Ban! Say it! Say it!
or I'll shake the hide off you!''
.B, a, m, band, said Rollo, begin
ming to wish that he or his father were
dead, he didn't care very much which
..Ban!" howled Rollo's father, ''B, A.
N, BAN! BAN! BAN! Now say Ban!''
ssBan, said Rollo.
That's right, said Rollo's father.
Now how do you spell Ban?''
Rollo started out timidly on G, a, but
changed to d, 0, and finally compro-
missed on b, e, n.
Rollo's father. made pass at him
with the first volume, but Rollo saw it
coming and got oRt of the way.
.sB, "A. n. his father shouted. "B,
A, N, Ban, B. a, n, Ban! Now go on!
What comes nextP Oh you're enough
to tire the patience Of Job! Why croft,
~ car;.sp II i, n n croft Ranarost