Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-28
JUDGEMENTS.
SHE IS ONLY EIGHT.
Speaks Four Languages and Mono
dives Glow 10 Her Nationality.


Maria Rose, aged s. was born in America,
but DR.. Achilles Rose of 1872 East Fifteenth
street, New York, who adopted the sweet
faced orphan four years ago, does not know
to what race her parents belonged and can
not explain her extraordinary ability for tho
acquisition OF languages except by saying
that her natural gifts are great and her am
bition to succeed keen.
The girl is of fair complexion and her hair
and eyes are brown, relates the New York
Herald. She is quiet and demure but OF
quick observation. DR.. Rose has long written
and spoken in advocacy of the adoption OF
living Greek as the international language
for physicians. He was anxious that the
child should learn Greek when he saw how
rapidly she progressed in English and
French both of which he speaks luently.
He speaks Greek also. but he does not be-
lleve in the general method of teaching it,
being sure that the requirement of a new
tongue through daily contact with some one
using 1t Is the best way.
Not content with what his own compan-
ionship might do for his adopted daughter,
he brought from Greece Miss Eustathia
Momochartz Maria in a very short time
spoke Greek nearly as well as her governess.
Miss Maria for the last few months has
been attending the school Of the Sisters of
the Sacred Heart, in West Seventeenth
street II was there she prepared sur
prise for DR. Rose. She knew 1t would please
him greatly If she acquired still another
language. Without taking any one into her
confidence she began to talk with the Ger
man speaking school children and borrow
their vocabulary.
She busted her little head in this way
for months, and yet during all that time
not a word OF German escaped her while
she was in DR.. Roses hearing. When he
spoke German to his friends or patients
the little woman pretended to pay no at
tenton. She heard every word and UNDER
stood most OF what was said but she was
not yet as far advanced as she wished to
be, so she said nothing. The Greek fox
which disposed the aforesaid gold brick
was not nearly as shrewd as this modern
linguist.
Her triumph was coming. One day when
she felt fully equipped she surprised DR..
Rose by breaking into conversation in
German which he and friend were having
and making 1t plain that she could speak
the language as well as he could.
Flows ths?" he cried delighted.
"Oh" She said, laughing, ut was easy
to learn. thought you would like it. You
do, | see"
The best feature OF it all is that tho
child has not been victim OF over-study.
Dr. Rose is the enemy OF all systems OF
forcing. 81 learned English in the slums,"
he says, "and know man who speaks II
well and scholar-like. who learned It in tho
Bowery. My little girl has not been tied
down to rksome tasks as some are She has
learned naturally mean, In the most nat
ural way"
DR. Rose says the assertion that we do
not know how the ancient Greeks pro-
nounced their language is all nonsense.
Greek. he says, is the only homogeneous
speech easy OF requirement. 1t had not
borrowed from languages. The Greek spoken
today, he says, is practically the same
tongue that was used by Plato. DemOsthenes
and Plutarch. The Greeks OF today, he says.
speak II language which Pericles and Socra-'
ties would undeniably have understood.
Dr. Rose In attacking the methods OF
teaching Greek In the schools has his
adopted daughter as evidence OF the sue
cess OF the methods he favors Many prom
and have spoken enthusiastically Of his
child's accomplishments.