Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-11-24
1nE MAN AND THE ELEPHANT,
A story which illustrates the value OF 4
Mastery of syntaS.

Mastery OF syntaN.
'Oh, bother this old syntax"
Ned exploded the words, striking his
hand on the table.
III you mean syntax Is a bother,
I'm with you there" said Bert, look
ing up from hi. grammar
Julia looked up quickly. too with
an amused twinkle in her eyes. lie.
ting In the Normal" such agonies as
these OF Ned's and Berts we're in the
past tense with her.
"llo." struck in Tom, whats the
use W botheripg, any way" Let 'em
mark you forty in grammar. and keep
the average w with something else
arithmetic, or natural h story, or
something. You can talk SOS to lie
understood without knowing syntax."
Not always, Tom"
I'D like to know why not, Julia.
II a fellow knows what he wants to
say. guess he can say it all right
enough. believe in having a little
tun evenings. Here's rattling good
story I've got. suppose YOU fellows
take ia that. and let the syntax 60"
"What is it," asked Ned.
"Why, it's about man that had a
picture of himself pa nted on an elc.
phant."
"Ha, ha" lauuhe Ned. THAT
must have been a funny looking ele-
phant. Did the man have his pic.
tIre painted on the elephants back,
or on his Sides"
"No, don't mean that l 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
steplaIder to paint him, Tom"
Jaw! you know we'll enough, Bert
what ] mean"
"Well. what?"
II mean the man sat on an Gle.
phant 10 have himself painted"
"Mr. and Mrs Perkins, from across
the room, were laughing, too, by this
time.
well" rctortcd Bert. II 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 hid an elephant
painted, sitting on his back. NO,
chat wouldn't -"
II should think 1t wouldn't! That's
the worst yet" cried Ecrt III the
elephant was sitting on his back;
where was the iuanp Or was the ele.
plant sitting on the mans back?"
1t was relief to Toms temper
and general feelings to join the laugh
a Md Than m 80 a
.niticd emphasis:
~ mean exactly this I mean tho
man that had an elephant painted
with h III on Its back"
"Well. Tom," said Mr.. Perkins,
fOguishly III that's what you mean,
! wouldn't have liked tn be In the
mans place. sitting up there while
the elephat was being painted-not
df IL was u very large elephant"
Then I'll say. IL you like 1t bet.
ter" persisted Tom, Just little net.
tied again, 1.-The man who had a pic.
ture Of an elephant, with him on his
back, painted"
with him oc his back, painted,
sh?" Knocked Bert '.What color wa,
he painted, Tom, black or blue?"
"pc. haps l can help you out, Tom. y
suggested Julia, gently; Though
ton't feel very sure. How would this
aoY The man who had u picture paint
sd--0f himself, sitting On an ele'
plants back.
Everybody paused to think a mo-
'ment In silence.
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
nis father.
"Probably 1t was. then" assented
Tom, smiling good -naturedly once
more 'GO ahead with your synta
boys, for all me, and III finish the
story TO myself about the man and
the elephant. Companion