Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-28
ALL ALONG THE LINE.
By G0ab0ut.

the English language. Inc IOiloWlng
incident shows very clearly one OF the rea-
sons why the mastery of our Language
is so difficult.
A lady teacher in New Hampshire
school has made it practice, in her work,
to devote portion of each day in explain
ing the meaning of various English
words. She has then had her pupils
write upon the black board original SEN
tences containing these words, in order
to see if the little ones clearly understood
their application Not long ago she gave
to one of her small girls the word per
formed" explaining TO her that it meant
completed. done. The little Miss seemed
to catch it's meaning and going to the
black board wrote
"The egg is performed.
After vainly, endeavoring to show her
the incorrectness of this use OF the word,
the teacher was obliged to give up the
task in despair, concluding that, at least
so far as childhood is concerned, this
apparent inconsistency in the application
of SYNONYMS must continue to rest on
authority.
Young minds are frequently filled with
strange fancies Not long age. the little
three years old daughter of Maine
clergyman declared to her mother that
there was dog in the room. 1t was very
evident that the canine existed only III her
imagination, still no amount ofiargument
could convince her that she did not see
and feel him. Since that time this
imaginary dog has been her constant com
panion and playmate.
Sh
mother to Boston and of course " her dog"
went with her. Arriving in the city she
became very solicitous for his safety, fear
ing that, in the hustle and confusion OF
the streets, she might lose him. Her
mother comforted her with the suggestion
that she might shut him in one OF the
stores until they. returned from their
shopping, but. the little Miss bore the
separation with impatience and embraced
her pet very tenderlt upon her return to
him. OF late she appears to have become
somewhat weary of her dog and in call
upon neighbor, gravely proposed to swap
him for the more tangible family cat. She
was much disappointed when the propo-
sition was smilingly declined, and, calling
her pet returned home in stately dignity.
The vivid imagination of this little one
is more than equalled by that of an eight
years old little Miss who resides in Massa-
chusetts. When a small child she grayely
announced to her parents that she was
accompanied by another little girl of her
own age whom she named Ida. With
this imaginary playmate she would con-
verse with the greatest tenderness and
confidence In vain her mother endeavOred
to dispel the illusion by assuring her that
there was really no such girl as Ida; that
she only imagined her. In passion of
tears the little one vehemently asserted
that there was Ida. She declared that
she saw her little playmate and was
astonished that her mothers vision was
not keen enough to discover her. From
that day to this the imaginary Ida has
been her constant companion. She be-
lieves in her with the utmost sincerity
and confldes to her all her little joys and
SORROWS.
BY what mental processes do little
minds conjure up such seeming realitiesf
In what way are such delusions able not
only to take possession of the imagination,
but also to exercise an equally patent in
fluence upon the senses of sight and
hearing.
Both the mythical dog of the little
Maine girl and the ever present Ida of
her Massachusetts prototype are more
than day dreams. They are to the little
ones whose vivid imaginations brought
them forth the living facts, not only of
weeks and months, but of years. They
have voices and speak into the ears of
their little companions the one in canine
barks, the other in the closest ties of ten
der friendship. They are seen; they are
felt, and occupy distinctive place in the
little world of the two small Misses who
know and love them.
A good joke is told at the expense of a
man who resides not more than hundred
miles from Augusta. Some time ago an
agent came to his house selling "a series of
cooking kettles, and the gentleman who
happened to be at home at the time pur-
chased a set with the understanding that
| they were to be delivered the following
| week. He told his wife of his purchase
and advised her to be sure and lay aside
the money to pay for the kettles when
| they should get along.
The appointed time arrived but no
kettles.
| Seeing that for some reason the agent
had failed to come to time the gentleman
| bethought himself of splendid joke ON
his wife. The idea struck him so lud-
crously that he laughed till the tears rolled
down his cheeks. In a corner of certain
basement he remembered to have seen
| two old kettles half hidden amid heap
of debris. Hurrying to the place he Sc
| cured them and did them up in neat sub
stantial looking bundles. Carrying them
out in the street he glanced about him
till his eye rested upon a young rakisb
looking fellow dressed in shabby gentee
fashion. .Just the man l want, he
muttered. Approaching the man he
said:
''Would you like a chance to do a little
work for me my friends'
'.Well that depends on what it is?"
The gentleman briefly stated the case
| and the stranger laughed immoderately