The Arizona sentinel., 1888-03-03
CHILDREN'S WIT.
Humorous Things Said by the
 Little Folk.

Man IS me laugnlng anlnal, ana doubtless he begins to laugh when he begins to be. Notice the ccntortions of the face of newborn child-how comic they are!--the play of muscles in that crumpeled bit of q red face is often instinct with laughter. A baby, man that he is, does deat more laughing than crying, only the crying makes itself heard, and so comes into notice.
 There are certain muscles in the sys- tenn which are called into play only in laughter; they have no other use. Laugh great. deep ha! ha! and see how many muscles of the body are called into motion. The very centers of life are moved-moved joyfully, healthfully, by a good laugh. AS for that ghastly, skin-deep smile which the mature and practiced smiler puts on and takes of at will, and seems to work with 8 string as if it were laugh attachment-away with it! Bat huzzas for the real laugh; the world flocks to catch its joyous sound and fling back its echoes. Who so loved and sought for as the funny man? What column of the paper is mined so thoroughly as the funny column?
 The laughter of a baby is real laugh. It is a deep inward chuckle gurgliug up from the very center of its concentrated and intense life as from fountain, and rippling and flowing from it to the extremities of its small being. All the baby is alive with laughter: he kicks, he prances, spite of flannel and swaddlings; his ten toes are all awork and aquirk; he thrusts out from the shoulder; arm, forearm, wrist fingers and thumbs are all atwist and alive with some incom- municable joy; the eyes shine, the lit tie tootlless mouth is stretched to its widest while subtle and swift move ments play over the facial muscles till they seem shone upon with lam bent gleaming lights.
 What is the baby laughing at? He knows, dear heart; so do the angels and good spirits, but they never tell; and shall mortal man essay to speak when such as these. hold their blessed peace? Be sure of this, that as the acorn holds the oak, so there may be folded in the heart of an infant the wit of Rabelais or Sydney Smith. But it is doubtful if conscious wit mani fosts itself much before three years of age. Until a child's mind has mas tered the common relations of thin gs he can not flash out those new and un- expected relations - those unusual combinations of ideas-in which is the essence of all wit.
 Laura, are you pretty baby or a good baby?" was asked of child.
 Il am pretty good baby" flashed back the three-year-old. She was en- tirely conscious that she had thrown 1he words pretty and good into diff ferent relation from that intended by the questioner
 Dat is Dinah's cookie" said a child of two. handing his burnt cookie 10 a negress who was present Dis n1y coOkie," picking out white one for himself, his face showing plainly enough that he knew he had been fun ny as we'll as shrewd.
 You great baby! am ashamed to have such son-nOt weaned of the bottle at three years old!' said Scotch gentleman who was much given to after-dinner whisky.
 Il ken aulder folk than me that waClna be easy weaned O the bottle," was the drawling reply of this babe and suckling with glooming look that lett no doubt who this "aulder folk might be.
 'Crumpets are not good for little boys" said the same father to the same son. One of the Stevens weans died after eating them"
 The Stevens family was pure fic- ton, invented and paraded for pur- poses of admonition and warning.
 Hoo mony O ihe S eevens weans were thereP" asked the boy.
 "Secven." said inc father, with ready confidence - 'there were setven.'
 We've killed nine O them already, fcyihcr.' said the son.
 The same machinery. with revers d ac ion. is often brought to bear upon the parents.
 There was little boy" said Tom my, with g martyred air--"there was