The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-05-22
A SIGN LANGUAGE.
How 1T Might Easily Be Differently Inter.
preted by Different Persons.

How 1T Might Easily Be Differently Inter-
preted by Different Persons.
In the reign of James VI of Scotland the
Spanish ambassador, man of great learn
Ing, had the idea that in every university
there should be professor of signs, whose
duty should be to make men of various
countries understand each other by signs
thus doing away with the tedious and la
boriou< process of learning different Ian
guagcs, The ambassador was one day la
menting to the king this deficiency in our
university education when he, for joke
said that this important branch of educa-
ton was not neglected in Scotland; that
Aberdeen had such professor The
Spaniard at once declared that he would
go and see him. The king was unable to
dissuade him, and finding himself in an
awkward position wrote to the university
and desired its professors to make the best
of the affair in some way
Scarcely had the letter announcing the
ambassadors expected arrival reached Alb
erdeen when the ambassador himself ap
peared. The professors had not had time
to concoct any plan and were at their wits
end. One of them CHANGED to recount their
dilemma to the butcher waggish fellow,
N1AiAN IL OAAO OJ 70 ShilO 4o4Oh tSu
why, that's easy eneuch," said he. 81
could do it mesel', since it's but to keep
still and max signs"
Well, it came about that the butcher
was installed at the university as professor
OF signs dressed in professional robe and
a flowing wig The ambassador was pre-
scented to him. He took a survey of the
butchers face and then produced an Or
ange from his pocket.
Nothing daunted, the butcher thrust his
hand into his coat pocket and produced a
piece of oaten cake, which he showed to
the surprised Spaniard The ambassador
then held up one finger. The ''professo-'
of signs" held up two, whereupon the en-
bassador held up three, on which tf
butcher clinched his hand and held it
sternly in the air.
On seeing this the ambassador smiled III
a most gratiffed manner, bowed profound
ly and left the presence of the pretended
professor
The Spaniard reported to the professors,
who were anxiously awaiting him, that
the professor Of signs was a miracle and
well worth coming 800 miles to see. Said
he: II drew from my pocket an orange,
signifying the richness of the country
from which came. He showed me piece
of oaten cake, indicating that his country
produced the staff Of life 1 then held up
one finger, meaning that there was but
one God. He held up two, showing that
there were two persons in the Godhead I
held up three to show there were three in
the Godhead. He clinched his hand to
show that the three were one"
The butchers version of the interview
was this:
1.-THE scamp! What do ye think did he
dee? He stared me out O. countenance
first, after which piece O. impudence he
pulled from his pouch an orange, as if to
say, Your poor country Gamma produce
thatr I showed my hand into my pouch
and pulled out whang O. oaten cake
DARN him to show anything like that
Then what did the insultin rascal dee? He
held up aye finger, lneanin that had but
aye e'e. held up twa to tell him he had
only twa He held up three to show that
we had but three between us. I then
clinched my hand and was in sic a rage at
the stupid man that gin he hadna game
DOT o. the room pretty quick I wod hae
knocked out bath his blinkers. ''-Youth's
Companion.