Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-08-01
Questions in History.

- ass &o1 hAg Vs4Ck Ct04lU
after dinner, when his father was
we'll into the study of the batting
averages of the local nine, 'can ron
tell me the names of the first six
Saxon kings Of England And
the most important battles each Of
them fought?'
Mr.. Nextdoor dropped the even
ing paper into his lap and looked
the l4-year-old over critically.
No. he said to himself, Il can.
not for $1,000, 900, any more than
could beat my Chink laundryman
playing fan-tan or cooking dope
pills.
'Er-who wants to know that,
Tommy he inquired aloud.
IT'S part of the 'zamination, >
replied Tommy.
30, it is ? said his dad, picking
up his paper. well, it wouldn't
be fair for me to tell you, then.
Just run oyer that history book
some more and you'll find ont
Tommy was silent for q while,
during which Mr.. Nextdoor was
shaking his head sadly behind the
paper over the unsccou ntably poor
batting averages Of couple of his
favorites on the Washington nine.
Then Tommy broke the silence
again.
Paw he inquired, scratching
his head, what was the name of
the great Norman King of England
who was the son Of Swegen, and
what year did William the Con-
querer win the battle of Seuiac,
and who was the greatest ecclesias-
tical statesman of England after
Dunstan and Anslem, and were
Hengist and Horsa blood kin p
Again Mr.. Nextdoor permitted
his paper to drop into his lap, while
he stared at his son and heir over
his glasses.
Look a-hsre, boy he said to
Tommy, why don't you study your
lessons right and learn those things
instead Of aaking me about 'em p
'Oh, l know the answers, Pc,
cheerfully replied Tommy, grin
ming. I'm only asking you the
questions out loud so they'll stick
in my mind when you reply to. 'em
and won't forget 'em.'
'Oh, that's it, is it p said Mr..
Nextdoor, again picking up his
paper. well, those are too easy.
It's only the hard ones that I've
got time to answer and then be
fixed his eye on the base hit column,
hoping that some boy out in front
OF the house would whistle for
Tommy real soon. There was no
whistle for Tommy, however, and
after another silence Tommy broke
in again.
Paw he said, 'this ia not such
q hard one for you, but found it
hard at frat. Describe the course
OF the ancient river Euphrates.'
Il will not replied Mr.. Next.
door, With some asperity. What
do you 60 to school for il not to
learn such simple things as that ?
Why, | knew the answer to that
when ! was 8 years DID, and Mr..
Nextdoor breathed q silent prayer
that he would be forgiven for bis
sins.
'Oh. paw broke In Tommy,
after an other silence, you've been
in the treasury department 80 long
that You know all about money and
things like that. don't you?'
well. just Q few-just a few,
remarked Mr.. Nextdoor compla-
Gently, for he felt that at last the
youngster had landed on territory
With which he was familiar. what
do you want to find out:'
'0h, it's just a little mental
arithmetic question, that's all,
said Tommy.
well, shoot it out, son. put in
Mr.. Nextdoor, feeling messurably ,
safe.
what 10 the interest on sl9, ,457,.
81 for six years, eight months and
twenty-seven days, at 8 2-5 per
cent p inquired Tommy, fixing bis
dad with his eye.
Mr.. Nextdoor flicked the ash
from his cigar savsgely.
Whoever told you that that wai
mental arithmetic p he said to the
boy. ANY teacher that tells you
that kind Of thing is mental arith.
metic is crazy. Don't you believe
it. That's problem in interest
! that it would take Secretary Gage