Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-01
Notable as a LinRuist.

IT'S Il true, Jeanette, that you speak six
different languages?" asked Miss Law
renee, teacher OF the fifth grade in the
Horace Binney Public school, at Sixth and
Spruce streets, Indianapolis.
Yes, Miss Lawrence" said Jeanette
Greenburg, bright little Jewess OF IL
years Of age. THAT is, 1 speak and read
five languages and can easily understand
another though do not speak 1t very we'll
I know Yiddish English, French, Arabic
and italian, and can understand German"
The teacher had asked the girl to remain
a few moments at the end of the school
day. Half an hour before a reporter had
called and asked the principal for permits
sion to see the girl who spoke so many
languages at a youthful age While the
newspaper man waited downstairs the
principal and teacher, interested to know
for the first time that they had such a re-
markable young linguist in their school,
kept her back to learn more about her ac-
complishments, and then, after finishing
their inquiries, kindly allowed her to slip
away in a procession Of girls just leaving
the building.
Jeanette is a bright and attractive girl.
She was born in Egypt, as were her two
younger sisters, her parents twenty years
mania to sojourn, as the tribe to which
they belong did several millenniums ago.
They have been in America three years
An air of the lotus country seems to cling
about the girl still, for in her slender form
there is the sinuous grace OF the Nile, and
In her sunshiny hair the tint OF the rivers
tawny tide. She is as quick as a nash to
learn thing, and ranks up at the front
In her studies. With all her brightness,
she is as modest as an Esther or a Ruth,
as Is shown from the fact that even her
teachers at the school did not know of her
linguistic accomplishments.
AT the school which attended in
Egypt" she said. IT had TO learn English,
French, italian and Arabic. knew Yid-
dish because It is the language OF my par
ents German is much like Yiddish, and
therefore, understand that.
II like America. Indeed I do" she ex-
claimed enthusiastically. Then. as II Il
emphasize her love for THE Land OF the
Free and the Home OF the Brave" she
wove her patriotic sentiment into a chain
OF foreign sentences: "Jaime Ameridue -
Itch heb America" 10 amo America, .
ANA hebo America"
whats that last language?" she wa,
asked
That's Arabic" she answered. with q
laugh
America is named for an italian
Amerigo Vespucci," she went on, wisely
II krew that before I ever saw America
myself But Cristoforo Coumbo discov
cred II.
Egypt is a very, very old country
said the little giobe-trotter. looking arount
almost In pity at the small circle OF stree
playmates less Travelled than herself e
have seen the Pyramids and I have beel
right on the ear Of the Sphinx"
And didn't that put the Sphinx on It
carp"
why, no; what do you mean?"
'Oh, that's a puzzle. Sphinxes and puz
zles always go together"
II have seen the tombs with the mum
mics Of Pharaoh and Menoptes and man
b old ancient rulers"
Wasn't there a man by the name q
: Joseph that used to live IN Egypt?"
Yes" she added. eagerly; he was Pre-
mier, and we have seen the places wher
he stored the grain that kept the peopl
from starving in the famine"
did you ever see the place where Nose
ioated around IN the bullrushes?"
''oh. no; they don't know where that is
said Jeanette They don't know wher
everything Is, you know"
What Is the name OF that girl who wa
watching Moses that time?"
Maria, wasn't it?" she asked. though
fully.
Wasn't q Miriam"
yes" she said, nodding her head: %,
IN French q IS Maria. was thinkIn
about the French observation-disclosures,
story"
Whereunon the neighborhood childre
looked with wistful envy upon a girl ths
knew Moses In the bullrushes and Joseph
coat Of nanv oolors. end Pharaoh's dreal
OF the fat kline and the lean kline. and