The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-29

1t was said Of Dr. Whewell by the wiser
and wittier Sidney Smith that he made
"foible Of omniscience.
Just so OF my talented young friend.
Baldwin Beard of Chestnut Hill, known
among us at the club as Badly" have
heard that Ralph Waldo Emerson. at the
age of y was severely criticised for his
def ciencies i'm reading and, If i remem-
ber Alright, i'm Latin grammar.
No such painful duty, / am sure. could
ever have teen imposed upon any OF
Baldy's relatives. 1t Is authentic that at
he was reading the New Testament and
expressing certain doubts. At 3 he knew
the Declaration of Independence by heart
and recited IL to much parental applause.
At 4 he was eruditc and made his father
feel tired. He knew things so much by
heart that no could give no thought TO
his mind. think his afflicted father was
wrong. however. in saying that he had
no mind for thought. He had-iots. For
instance, he was always thoughtful OF
himself, as on the occasion when the boat
capsized ana he got ashore by ala OF the
two paddles and hau the foretbought to
smite his. younger brother with one OF
them. Otherwise, you see, he would
have been dragged and drowned to his
death. There is no doubt about IL. Badly
could think, and think Tor himself. That
trifiing'event occurred when he was Z.
He was then deep in the higher calculus
and was pestering his father to buy him
a telescope. Mr.. Beard, Sr., had been
aging rapidly. AT IL Badly superseded
his parents at table. They were afraid
To make any statements. even concerning
the weather. lest he might openly dis
close their Ignorance before the other
children. or course ''tne other children"
amounted to nothing. Baldy owned
the house.
At ID. unsolicited and of his own good
will, he favored the w. c. T. A. with
carefully prepared address on the SUN
and Total of Human knowledge.
Big as the subject was he banolsd il like
man.
1t was then made plain that he knew IL
all
That snme year Baldy went to college,
and he went through the course with fly
ing colors and was graduated with hon
ors and great applause. Moreover, ne
was member OF more Of the fraternities
and wasted no time In the clubs.
After graduation he came back TO PHI
adelphia He was now grown old enough
TO know that he knew II all, and his
timid parents realized the fact and his
admirins friends agreed with them.
All save one-Diok Casper.
That is, there was perhaps yet another
vls..- -hNnf
Dick Casper was not so flagrant
character as Badly. He had begun life
rs "a regular infant. and by way of the
public schools had attained certain
prominence in the law-not knowing IL
ALL but little thing or two.
80 we have Badly at length advanced
to tbe'dignity OF manhood, SO TO speak.
in celebration OF his twenty first year
there was "a garden party, whereat Mrs
Beard looked proud and Mr.. Beard looked
like a repentent criminal confronted with
,rrefutable evidence of his guilt.
Casper was there.
There also was Daisy Barrow. In
plsin dress of something white with yell
low ribbons, aud she quite obliterated the
otner girls and made the pretty landscape
look tame. OF course Badly. being
omniscient knew a good thing when he
saw IL. 80 Miss Barrow was his "foible'
for that day. Not for all the day, how
ever. Ihe range Of Casper's knowledge
was not so broad as n barn door or sosdeep
as n well He was only a big. healthy and
very handsome chap who went in for life
AMI got great deal OF IL, skimming
the surface the cream, rs 10 were and not
caring 'nuoh for the thin stuff beneath.
He was not an invited guest at that
garden party. He simply walked in ard
made himself ut home. After he had
Rnzed about bit he asked of sturdy
but sUllen looking youth who was lean
xxybr.
other than the younger brother who had
witnessed baldy's clever escape from
drowning:
""ho is that fellow walking with Miss
Barrow, do You knowY"
Ihe younger brother stared moment
then said, with considerable bitterness:
"Why. he Is tho scientific ass whose
birth we are celebrating. He has come of
age today formally speaking AS matter
of TACT be was never immature. He was
a distinguished scholar before he wore
pants l forget how Languages he
spoke before no cut his teeth, but | nave
heard one of his brothers say that he
wished he had been the teeth at the time.
] infer tnat somcthing else might have
been cut "
30 that is MIR. Baldwin Beard?'
"Yes, but wa who don't love him call
him Baluy for short All I'vo got to say
Is that IL you haven't met MIN you're a
privileged character. / envy and admire
you.
"You saem To know Beard we'll "
Ever since hs was "A ripe savant at the
,ge of four and idiot enough to enter
the same family. I'm his martyred broth
er. Good afternoon.
shortly afterward Dick. when Daisy for
a moment was alone, went 10 her. and
they talked and laughed together, and the
younger brother thought IL rather cool Of
him. Then the hero Of the day returned,
and when made acquainted with Dick he
unbent his back just as an ordinary man
might and was highly condesnendng.
Dick seemed gfatefuL The talk rop this
wav:
"You navo very pretty place here &"
said Dick.
Eyes. yes. It's fair. propose asking
father TO make certain necessary additions
at once. i need a laboratory"
What are you going to do with it,"
Dick asked.
Badly looked ut him keenly, then at
Daisy. Both faces were calm.
~ propose experimenting chiefly In
chemistry. But / have certain original