Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-01-09

70 do yer Are We gc:a' to school long
of the youngsters, and recite what is
nouns and verbs to the school-marmp'
"I'd do that if I couldn't learn no
other way; there amt nothin' I
wouldn't do, Laban. What I'm afraid
OF is that can't get hold of grammar
nohow, bein' so kind of slow and for
getful. Caddy she's told me I ought to
say isn't instead of amt as much as a
thousand times, but yet keep a-sayln'
amt. And when you mean there amt
nothin' you'd ought to say jest contr'y-
wise somehow. Ihain't fetched it yet,
but mebbe shall. The worst of it is.
there don't seem to be no connection
between grammar and talkin' erect.
Anyhow there amt in the first part of
the grammar, but I expect when I've
learnt it by heart right straight
through, if 80 be that can, then Ishall
talk erect"
Cap'n Laban was buried in thought.
"You didn't have 'cademy eddication;
now did you?" he said, arousing him
self suddenly. ''There war t Il school
in the country like Days Academy,
where my folks sent me. They was
thorough on grammar, can tell you.
l don't know as I should have spoken
Greet if it hadn't been for that, for
can't say as I was ever one to thiAs
much about it, though some folks SAY
that grammar comes by mater, like
spellin'. I don't know as ever I noticed
but what you spoke as grammatical as
do; but now you mention it, I can
see a difference"
II don't expect there's nobody so
lackin' in grammar as what be, said
Cap'n Sander, humtly. "But Caddy
she's terrible perti.1eler. I don't know
but what she could pick flaws in the
N inister's grammar. She don't think
nothin' OF the way your Joe speaks"
"Our Joe?-our Joe that's been to
college?" exclaimed Cap'n Laban, in
angry amazement. swell, I yum! I
don't know what she does want, if she
can't put up with Joe's grammar
Why, he's dedicated in all the forum
languages"
His grammar don't suit Caddy," in
sisted Cap'n Sander. ''She was laugh
in and laughin' one day because he
said he'd got all het up a-chasin' his
horse"
''Well, can't see what fault she
could find with that, and I guess
learnt grammar thorough enough at
Days Academy"
"Mebbe grammar's different from
what it was in them days." suggested
Cap'n Sander. ''Caddy she knows"
IF folks can make out to talk so's't
other folks can understand 'em, I don't
know but what that's enough" said
Cap'n Laban, meditatively. There's
such thing as havin' too much eddi-
cation. There was young man over
Orland way that Latin few to his head
and killed him."
IF it's as bad as grammar faint no
WONDER" said Cap'n Sander, mourn
fully. II fetched one of 'em down
from the garrut," he continued, draw
ing dingy and dog-eared book with a
green paper cover from his coat pocket.
''It's consid' able old. Iexpect it must
have belonged to my brother Isaac
that died. He had beautiful
learnin'. Butt yum! if here
amt my name on the fy-leaf!
-Lysander Hackett, his book!' Seems
as if it was me. and agin it want.
kind Of run of an idee that I'd studied
grammar, but it don't seem to have
took, no more'n my vaccination would.
Seems kind of discouragin' to think
knew it once. I never thought to look
on the fy-leaf yesterday, I was in such
hurry to get inside. "A nouns the
name of any thing, as house or garden
hoop or swing;' that seems plain sail
in enough. don't it' But tell We, La
ban, sometimes I can't seem to sense
the s0ords of 1t noho10.''
Il wouldn't have nothin' to do with
it; l wouldn't tackle it for no money, y
said Cap'n Laban, impressively. Its
enough to give ye fit of sickness
And after all, it amt nothin' that's Fl,
for grown folks, no more'n Mothe,
Goose. You jest heave that book
away, and I'll post ye little; when
hear We cay any thing that hain'1
grammar, I'll tell We of it. I hahn,
never been one to bring my mind down
to no such small thing as grammar;
but can if I try"
There wouldn't be no use in nv
tryin' that way; I can't remember
what Caddy tells me-" said Cap'n
Sander, Sinking his head dejectedly.
There hain't no way but to learn it
every mite by heart"
beats all how sot you be. don't
expect Caddy never had no fault to
find with my grammar" said Cap'n
Laban, looking at his friend with sud.
den suspicion.
mo, she never said word aein 1t.
as I remember Of"
''Seems as if she must be kind Of
teched to find fault with Joe's. I ex-
pect Joe is kind of maxim up to Lyddy
Stone. She's got farm and a harm.