Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-04-29
A LITTLE TALK.

A LITTLE TALK.
Jack Has q Desperate Struggle with, che
English Language.
"What did you say?" asked Mr..
Trusty, turning to look at his nephew,
as Jack stood in the doorway.
81 said I didn't know, uncle" an
swered the boy.
"Oh, no, Jack; what you said was:
'Id'n know and this is the way that
you often say things. You must re-
member that it is the French words
that go skating along in one grand
sweep. We English-speaking nations
walk off our words one step at time"
"You mean we ought to, uncleP"
Eyes, that is exactly what I mean,"
don't slur and mispronounce your
words. The other day I heard Nat
Williams asking you something, and
you answered him: I don't cab out
it. Now, what you meant by cabling
out you know best Yourself"
Il meant l didn't care about it, what
''Is it possible?' exclaimed Mr..
II did, or something that meant that.
But l wanted to ask you something
very particular this morning. May / go
out camping with some OF the fellows
this week."
when do you want to go3"
"Sat' day"
81 don't know any such day."
Jack opened his eyes a moment;
then he answered, demurely: ats the
last day of the week, you know. And
then he corrected his slovenly way Of
saving the word. .'And bimeby some
more fellows are coming" he added
"When did you say?''
by and by-uncle, you're hard On
me!''
"Do you remember, Jack, the day
that we went to inquire for my old
chum, how somebody came to the
door, and we looked at her first and
doubted whether she was Lady or a
servant, she looked so very common,
although she was almost too simply
dressed for the latter? Then she spoke,
and we knew at once she was lady,
not from what she said, because she
the way in which she said il; her voice
was trained, and she pronounced her
words so well. Do you remember, as
what you thought of her, and you said
that she was very polite? 1 could see
that you felt the charm, although YOU
could not quite tell what it was-'
"But it s different returned Jack
"I'm a boy, you know, and don't
want the llars-fellows-to call me
an old duffer or muff."
"Oh, that's It'll So, you are obliged
sbimeby,' and things like these?''
Jack colored, and then he laughed
81 don't believe they'd notice any
way" he said. "Do l talk much like
that?''
ga good deal. And when you come
to making after-dinner speeches, you
will wish that you hadn't this habit to
break up
.'After-dinner speechesP' echoed
Jack.
cit was only last week. pursued
Mr. Trusty, '.that saw a boy throw
down newspaper with the assertion
that some day he was going into public
life.'
THAT was about election time cor
rected the boy. ''But, uncle, don't
cab-care about-that now. l want to
know about the camping out"
"That's, week off, and this is
now"
ooh, no, not'z much "a week off.
"Jack, what is 'zmuch 'za'2''
eds much as a." returned the boy,
with sigh of despair.
s.Ah,. yes; now l understand You
are in hurry to have the week GO by,
and so you hurried your words as, if you
would hurry the sunP'
"That's so," said Jack, laughing;
"you know l always talk nicely when
Tn not In hurry"
'"But then you usually are in
hurry"
well, uncle, it's such a busy world.
One thing tumbles on top of another
so. and that the reason, depend upon
it,
"And then, you see,' returned Mr..
Trusty, smiling, "you always get on
so much faster in this way-just as you
have done to-day in finding out about
the camping. Do you remember the old
proverb: The longest way round is
the shortest way homer You thought
the day that you tried the short cut
through the bog shat you would never
forget it. Now, can't you see that this
kind of talk is the short cut through
the bog? 1t is sort of thing that it is
much easier to leap into than to floun-
der out of. Suppose you keep clear of
it, Jack; how does that strike you?"
81 think 'twould-it would be a good
plan, returned the boy; 'sonly, the
worst of it is, I don't always carry out
my plans"
s.Who does?' said Mr.. Trusty. ssBut.
if you will promise to do one thing, I
think it viii go far towards curing
YOU
"What, uncles"
His uncle named a person who in his
talk exaggerated the faults that Jack
had been reproved for. ''Notice care
fully whenever you hear him." said
Mr.. Trusty. land if you like his way of
speaking / give you leave to follow it. -
''Into the bog?" questioned the boy
Eyes, into the bog, if YOU like. But