The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-01-30

"b ths HOOrS or rooms; ana Ii Eivcs
you cold IL you drink 1t when you are
very hot People also bathe In water
and some are drowned. Thus we
soc that the Importance of Water In
nature and In Human Life Is very
great
Elizabeth Pionoff.
such was my composition. con-
TESS that on reading It over I felt
satisfied because | found that Il was
written quite In the style OF the
fourth class of the gymnasium. and
not without knowledge of child's
psychology. knew that soap bub-
oies are nearer to the interest OF
twelve-year-old child than the com
merce OF the Phoenicians; and had
therefore dealt more with soap bub-
bles. than with the sea as a factor of
culture. l did not attempt to show
the superiority of wine over water,
although / might have proved 1t
brilliantly. l did not attempt to
show how necessary it was In the in
terests of the revenue to place an
excise duty on water-though why
should / not have done so. have
seen 1t proved by men with highly
developed feelings of patriotism!
had not said word that n fourth
class schoolgirl could not know, and
II seemed to me that had said every
thing she could know. What then
did this respectable schoolmaster
want?
Let him try himself to write
composition for a twelve-year-old
schoolgirl; l should like 70 see him
do It!
Why had he given my protege a
nought? / felt aroused and insult
ed.
Anyone In my place would have
felt the same, / believe. | decided
to have 1t out with the schoolmaster.
l called on him and saw before me
q long, skinny figure. closely resemb-
ling the letter "V" turned upside
down.
II beg to inform you," / began,
that | am the author of Water and
Its Importance in Nature and HUI
man Life sent in by the fourth class
pupil, Elizabeth Pionoff"
Are you not ashamed to avow it?"
he asked with scorn.
1t is not about myself l came to
talk want only to know why you
gave Elizabeth no marks"
l felt sorry that had come with
out arms. With what delight would
I have sent a shot from field-gun
straight at the teacher.
My good SIR" l began peacefully.
You, 1t seems, are under the i'm
preston that a whole forest can grow
up before there exists a single tree.
You require from your pupil clear
epoeition Of the Importance Of water
in nature. but do you not know that
your pupil has no relations with ma
ture at all, and can hardly have any
idea OF It. She lives In nursery on
the second floor of big stone house,
and from her apartment to nature
there is q vast distance; because, az
you must very well know, nature Ia
vigorously excluded from well-built
towns. Her own reatives have not
troubled to introduce her to nature,
and assure you that she. Elizabeth
Pionoff. would nnd 1t quite impossi-
BILE to tell you where nature is, and
what sort of thing she'is.'
Indeed? That is all very strange
But what do you want?"
"Set Elizabeth another theme.
promise you will not write the COM
position"
Another theme? That can do.
Wait please"
He took from his table little
book on the cover of which read
'Paulson,' and began to turn over
the leaves"
Here we are! Let her write, The
Sea and the Desert.
looked at him kindly and implor-
ingly.
The Sea and the Desert" he re-
peated. IAN admirable theme"
"But my dear sir! She has never
seen the sea or been in the desert
I exclaimed in despair.
Then she Is very backward girl.
But try this; THE influence of Ma
ture-'"
Again. nature!"
"Yes, yes! Well, The Baltic Sea,
Its Commercial, Economic, Cultural,
and Political Aspects"
'She is not merchant, or poll
tician; she is too young, she takes no
interest in"
"An impossibly backward girl.
What more can do? Suppose l sug-
gest, What is there in Common be-
tween the Characters of Khelestakoff
and Tehatsky'?"
Like most men l am kindly and
humane up to certain point. But,