The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-11-29
THE MAN AND THE ELEPHANT.
q story which illustrates the Value OF a
Mastery of syntax.

y story NntCu
Mastery of syntax.
.'Oh, bother this old syntax."
r:eu exploded the words, striking his
hand on the table.
IF you mean syntaX is a bother,
Pm with YOU there" said Bert. look.
ing up from hi grammar
Julia looked up quickly. too, with
an amused twinkle in her eyes. Be-
ing in the Normal" such agonies as
these of Ned's and Bert's were in the
past tense with her.
'.Ho." struck in Tom. whats the
use OF bothering, any way? Let EN-
mark you forty in grammar, and keep
the average up with something else
arithmetic, or natural history, or
something. You can talk SOS to bc
understood without knowing syntax."
Not always, Tom"
I'D like to know why not, Julia.
II a fellow knows what he wants to
say. l guess he can say it all right
enough. | believe in having a little
fun evenings. Here's a rafting good
story I've cot. ,uppose 20 fellows
lahN III kB-b, ~ y u sNGlaA 81
"W hat is il?" asked Ned.
"Why. it's about a man that had a
picture OF himself pa.nted on IN ele-
plant"
fla. ha." laughc Ned. THAT
must have BEEN a funny looking cle-
plant. Did the man have his pic.
ture painted on the elephants back,
Or on his sides"
''No, / don't mean that / mean
the man had himself painted sitting
On an elephant"
Had himself painted" Every.
body laughed but Tom. "Sitting on
an elephant. Did they stand on a
siepla der to paint him, Tom"
Jaw. you know well enough, Bert,
what ] mean"
"Well, what?"
II mean the man sat on an Gle.
phant TO have himself painted"
'Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, from across
the room, were laughing, too, by this
time.
We'll" retorted Bert, Il don't see
but what that's the same as you said
last. only turned around"
Il can put it right chimed in
Ned. confidently. you mean to
say, the man who had an elephant
painted, sitting on his back. No,
that wouldn't -"
81 should think it wouldn't. That's
the worst yet" cried Eert. If the
elephant Vas sitting on his back:
where was the man? Or was the ele-
plant tting IN the mans back"
1t was a relief to Toms temper
and general feelings to Join the laugh
at Ned Then he spoke up, with dig
nIlied emphasis:
IL mean exactly this. | mean the
man that had an elephant painted
with HIM On its back"
well. Tom" said Mr.. Perkins.
rogui>hly, ''if that's what you mean,
| wouldn't have liked to be in the
mans place. sitting up there while
the e!ephat was being painted-not
if it was Il very large elephant"
Then I'll say. if you like it bet.
ter" persisted Tom, Just a little net
tied again, 1.-The maj who had ii pic.
ture of an elephant, with him on his
back, painted"
with him OF his back. painted.
eh:" Knocked Bert. '.What color wa,
he painted Tom. black or blue?:"
"te. haps | can hrlp you out. Tom"
suggested Julia. gently: Though l
don't feel very sure How would this
do: The man who had Il picture paint
cd-of himself, sitting on an ele.
Nhant's back.
Everybody paused to think a mo-
mont in sllen c.
There doesn't seem to be any.
thing the matter with that" ven
tured Bert. slowly.
"No. I'm inclined to think that's
what you wanted to say, Tom" said
his father.
~''Probably it was. then" assented
Tom, smiling good -naturedly once
more. SEQ ahead with our synta
boys, for all me, and III finish the
story TO myself about the man and
the elephant "-Iouth's Companion.
COinEO I'M A nI\SIAO orr