Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1901-06-29
Wit OF EUREKA CnILDRES.

The following account OF the sponts
,sous thought Of children who have Just
bs0un to wrestls with the intricacies ol
the English language will recall to mem
ory the early battles many Of us fought
with the bugaboo Of boyhood, the gram
mar:
From the lips OF the Eureka schoolboy
there comes occasionally burst Of ur'
conscious wit, as quaint and suggestive as
ever held the attention Of those peda-
Rogues of modern times, the devotees oil
child study. Originality is genius, and
the youth of our burg" though sepa-
rated from the advantages Of his more
fortunats brother. is still possessed Of .
keen and sometimes most appalling COM
prehension.
There rises before our mino Is we re-
view the days an urchin OF rather youth
full proportions. an adept ct almost any
kind Of mischievous turn, and as shrewd
and comprehensive in his seemingly
casual view of life's relations as one pos
sessed OF years and experience. In the
original use OF lengthy words, be is un-
excelled for his individually peculiar
application. After an animated discus.
sion some weeks past concerning the
mesning Of the word ''income" and the
incident details belonging to the asso-
ciated ideas where the Presidents in
come, the stockholders' income, etc.,
were dwelt upon ct great length, this
young lad distinguished himself in the
eyes Of teacher and friends. The word
was placed with others upon the board
for use in sentences.
The teacher, waited with an air OF Sc
curisy the reading Of these sentences.
sure that her long talk had conveyed the
accurate definition Her expectation was
more than fulfilled, ss she listened with
bewildering surprise to . most original
Interpretation from this lad Of unasinly
stature, who read in tone OF self assuI-
ance these appalling words: 81 heard q
sound at the door, and when opened it.
IN COME little dog"
1t was some weeks later that another
young hopeful, equally as proficient in
his prococious mental conceptions. as
tonished his class by bene6cient burst
Of originality. This time the word "con-
tempt" was the Gordian knot. too 10 tri-
cats for an easy untying. The task.
however. was accomplished and the
startled teacher listened to . hitherto
unthoughs Of application. combined with
an extremely valuable lesson in morality.
"You CONTEMPT me all you want 60. but
won't do it. because it isn't right"
Who shall Say what trouble grammati-
cal rules have occasioned in the suscepti-
BILE brain Of the average school child !
From the mouth OF babes, 1--WE learn
wisdom" and realize how subject to cor
rection are some Of our long established
forms. The early language books tell
us that the "sttributs complement CON-
pletes the predicate and belongs to the
subject. the peculiar form Of possession
being unexplained. save by the tsachers's
illustrstion. In this particular case the
teachers effort seemed to have been in
adequate to overcome the impression
conveyed by the definition. She listened
in satisfied silence while the definition
was repested. "An attribute compile.
ment completes the predicate and be-
longs to the subject" Then to clinch
the matter she inquired. "Csn you give
US an illustration and explain it,"
"Yes, ma'am." responded confident
boy; John bought black horse. Horse
is the attributs complement. II CON-
pletes the predicate bought and BELONGS
to the subject John, because be bought
the horse" We admire the boys sstute-
ness. but the query arises. "Whst is the
matter with our grammar ds6nitions!"