Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-06
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
ODE Old Tongue
and the New

/ ''NA-'
and Professor Robertson would rather
ask for stone in a dead language than
for bread in Il living one" These are
samples of the jokes that irreverent I'M
dergraduates heaped upon the old pro
fessor," as they were wont to call him
he was thirty-eiSht-but IL must not be
understood that they did not love him.
He was Il simple minded, ingenious
creature who, like Uncle Toby, would
not hurt fly. and. although he WAS in
innate with no one, every one would
have been glad TO be intimate with
| him.
Among the students in the Woman's
college attached to the university was
one Eunice Middleton, who attended
all OF Professor Robertson's lectures so
long as she was an undergraduate. and
when her class finished and went out
into the world she remained behind TO
take Il postgraduate course in Sanskrit.
Her friends wondered at this. because
Eunice was 10y 10 means scholarly and
was less proficient in languages than
in any other branch. Perhaps it was
this that led her 10 secure Professor
RObertsOn's services To tutor her dur
ing her college career and 10 take n
postgraduate course under him in Il
class of which she was the only mem
her. She seemed TO be intensely inter
ested in Sanskrit. She would sit by
him for hours porting over her lessons,
asking innumerable questions and max
ing now and then Il comment which
caused the professor to sigh at the be
trayal of ignorance il involved. Three
years OF postgraduate study passed,
and when Eunice's classmates return
ed for their first triennial meeting they
found Eunice still plOdding on, Pro
fessor Robertson's only pupil in the
class in SanSkrit.
How does Miss Middleton get on:"
asked one of the returned graduates
of the professor. Il presume she
speaks the language fuently by this
time
The professor put his hand to his
chin meditatively.
Miss Middleton is an enthusiastic
scholar" he said, but l fear her mind
is better fitted for more practical
branches. She does not progress very
rapidly"
Have you taught her the verb with
which we began the study of Latin:"
"You mean
ITO love-"
'No,' said the professor innocently
''DO you think that would help herr"
Il am sure of il. Try it, You will
convert her into an apt scholar"
PrOfiting by the advice. the professor
returned 10 his pupil resolved TO con-
centrate his efforts on the Sanskrit
verb Ito love" The new departure |
seemed only TO make matters worse. |
Eunice got mixed up between SanSkrit !
and English for Il love" You love-" |
HE loves" and after a weeks drilling |
became discouraged. broke down and /
wept on the professors shoulder. He |
Sympathetically put his arm about her /
and said something, he scarcely knew |
what, but when lie started anew with |
the lesson she could give him the San |
skirt and the English for Il love" |
You love-" with astonishing ease.
Having spent three years in one Ian
guage and got only so far as the verb |
ito love-" Eunice concluded TO gradu- /
ate. Besides, she was engaged TO mar
~ Professor Robertson. and the facul-
ty decided that to prolong the course
under the circumstances might injure
the good name of the college. The pro-
fessOr heaved Il deep sigh that lie must
go on in his studies without the Sympa-
thiZing cOstudent, but Eunice delighted
him by saying that she would not by
any means give up so interesting Il
study, declaring that every day she
would devote a certain time with him
to Sanskrit.
During their engagement the pro-
fessOr called upon her three evenings
in the week, the first hour of the visit
being devoted TO. the lesson, the rest to
upon the verb ito love"
The study was interrupted for a short
time by marriage, but after their re
turn from n bridal trip Eunice insisted
upon its resumption, much to her hus-
bands comfort. Living in the same
house, it was not now necessary that
they should study in the evenings.
The professors first lecture at the col
leSe was not given till IL o'clock, so
that each morning from 8 TO 10 they
sat in the library pursuing a language !
TO which they were devoting the fourth
year and of which Eunice had learned
little more than the verb Ito love"
Then came little stranger to inter
rupt this rare devotion to study. Mrs.
Robertson declared that so soon as the
rhild's habits were properly formed
she would rejoin her husband at his
books. Weeks went by, and yet she
made no move to return. The profess
Or waited patiently, believing that
some impeachment still existed which
N time would disappear. but the hour
from to 10 was supremacy slow. He
soon lost some of his enthusiasm as n
inguist. One morning, hearing sounds !,
n his wife's bedroom above he went 4
up stairs to discover what was keep :
ng her from resumption of her les {
son. Listening at the door, he heard l
'plashing and an infantile voice:
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES .
Then Mrs. Robertson:
''NOw put its little footsy tootsy down