The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-26

plishment. 1t is much harder to learn and
much harder TO do. He never cried unless
he wished, and felt just like. But he
learned to laugh, many. many times when
he wanted to cry. Grew so afterwhile that
he could laugh with a heart so full of tears
they glistened in his eyes. Then people
praised his laughter the most-it was in his
very eyes they said.''
There is more of this quality as he goes
on telling of Rollo and Rollo's mother. and
much satire of a harmless kind as he tells
of Rollo's father the man who never con-
sidered it a hardship-to himsef-to tap his
reservoir OF learning at any time and let
a stream of wisdom forth to irrigate the
sterile intellectually of adjacent mankind.
Who sometimes when alone would set his
mouth going and sit in his chair with his
eyes closed listening to it as one listens to
sweet and inspiring music" Not the least
fetching of the various concerts is mock
pedantic list of words to be spelled and
questions to be answered, schoolbook fash
ion, at the end of each chapter, so that the
reader may be well drilled in the contents.
This is fair specimen:
Spell and Define, ...e
"Paregoric, Googlglgl Incomprehensibil-
"spoon-food
What is meant by cerebral activity?'
In how many men does this develop before
think they know as much as Rollo's father?
Name the exception. And what was the
cause of his DEATH"
For fun of the rip-roaring kind better
example can hardly be found than the
sketch on Household Pets" which relates
how the humorist of Bryn Mawr vic
tim to his friends dogs The dogs came
with their masters, dug up his lawn wres-
tied with each other in his flower beds,
killed his cats and otherwise made life a
burden to him; and the friends were proud
of their dogs and always brought them to
perform in his presence and on his prem
Uses. At last he bought a cow, which he
describes a .'callow, timtd, young thing,
somewhat shy and rather giddy, as a COW
is apt to be in that sweet caramel time of
life. Her voice was changing and When she
ran sideways few steps, twisted her tail
in very uniadylike manner and tried TO
sing, she gave atterance to the most extraor-
binary tones that ever startled an mex
perienced cowherd. But with all her fool
ish little affectations, she was good hearted,
and l made allowance for the inevitable
Stiffness of her first season:
Having acquired this precious bit of live
stock, he called on friend and neighbor
taking Joshua the cow, along and hitch
ing her to a cast iron dog on the piazza
He called her Joshua" because she was the
son of none. r, s.sH 4tootA}
THE family seemed surprised to see
Joshua with mt, but l said: oh, love me-
love my COW, you know. l couldn't get
away without her. We are inseparableS
That cow has more sense than most men.
She watches for me when l am away, ana
when she sees me coming there. is some
thing touching in her demonstrations of af-
fectionate welcome. No matter how tired
or sick she may be, she always runs TO meet
me- Wherever l go, she goes; doesn't she,
grille? l had never heard this said about
a COW, but many times had 1t given TO me
about dogs, so L Salu my piece pIelty Wei.
When l finished, Joshua stood on her hands
and trilled stave from the drinking
chorus in 'Meyerbeer,' and all the people
shrank back little, while the cast-iron dog
turned pale"
Before he got away the festive heifer
kicked the top off a baby cab ripped UP
the friends lawn, dragged his cast-iron dog
through the flower beds and tossed his live
dog up into a maple tree; and yet, strange
to say the owner of Joshua was the only
one who found the performance diverting.
Not the least interesting thing in the book
is the dedication to his SON: My best
friend. gentlest critic, trustiest comrade,
Robert the son of his mother" The deep
sincerity of this can be best appreciated py
those who have met these two together and
witnessed the affectionate compromising MO nii
that exists between them. Robert, the son,
Yields the decorators pencil, and his name
is further identified with the volume by an
wash drawings by Mr.. Braunhold are ex-
cellent, and the book, mechanically, Is "a
large, clear type and handsomely bound IN
polished buckram cloth. published by the
bowen Merrill Company, Indianapolis.
GEO. S. COTTMAN.