The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-09-24
NOTHING TO DADDY
INTRICAclES OF CUBE ROOT
MERELY A JEST.
Yet In the End He Came to the Con-
clusion That Son Would Better
Work Out the Problems
for Himself,

Citizens young son came home the
other evening with two or three books
tucked under his arm and his face
as long as that of an adult moose. he
said he had to review a lot OF things
for examination, and he knew he was
going to funk on his arithmetic no
matter how much reviewing he did, be-
cause he never could get that cube
root business through his head, and
what was more he didn't see any
sense in such stuff in the first place.
Citizen looked at him sternly. My
son." he said, there is no study n
the world so fascinating as nlathemat-
les. l could appreciate it ii you had
difficulty in history or grammar.
where 1t is simply a question OF re-
membering a set of facts, but there is
absolutely no excuse for you getting
stalled at arithmetic. lkcause there
you can reason things IT. 1t all lies
with you. There is mott chance to for
get your facts. The pr6blem IS placed
before 9 and you teason it out.
That's all there Is To It. Nothing
could be nicer.
Son looked at parent in amazemsnt.
It was the first time he had ever
heard anybody waxing enthusiastic
over any of the obnoxious things In
life.
"D'yuh s'pose you cd help me with
the stuff, dad?" he suggested.
Citizen was 1attered. No man ever
becomes immune to thrills OF pride on
being asked for information. and Git
tenn appreciated having a on who
was willing to admit that he didn't
know as much as his father.
why, certainly, my boy" replied
Citizen. "Of course I'll help you. Huh.
It won't be the first time I've helped
out somebody on arithmetic. l stood
at about the head of my class In
mathematics all through school, II
do say it myself. Everybody used to
come to me when they wanted any
assistance on a real p~estery problem
He picked up the book and turned
over to the opening passages on the
subject of cube root. For a long time
he continued to look intently at the
sample problems and the rules IN
such cases made and provided. In the
meanwhile his son and heir sat at his
side drawing a picture of a house OF
his tablet. "Can'tchuh do 'em, dad?
he asked after awhile.
Certainly l can do them" replied
Citizen, frowning with quiet dignity
81 was Just glancing over these page:
in order to find what Is the best wa!
to explain the subject to you, SO tina
you will be able to grasp the prob
lens just as we'll as l can. You g
ahead and be studying something els
while l go into this thoroughly"
After an hour or so Citizen JUNO
began to grow sleepy and Citizen per
told him he'd better go to bed as b
had some papers to read and wouldn'
have time to go W his lessons wit
him before morning anyhow. The
would get up bright and early in tn
morning and son could master tn
cube root proposition then in a jiff
under fathers tutelage.
It was about midnight when Citizen
with brow deeply corrugated and
half score of envelopes covered wit
scratchy little figures-to say nothin
of the margins of the evening pape
/, decided to retire. At the breakfas
, table in the morning the fond and d.
, ting father addressed himself to hi
son as follows:
! "My boy" says he. IT have though
!. this matter over carefully and Will,
, as you well know, I am deeply int
, ested in your studies and willing
, give my time to aid o in any wa,
, yet l feel that It will be better for yo
!, in the long run to dig these problem
. out for yourself without any assis
) ance. 1t may seem a little difficult
! the time, but once you have mastere
your. subject you will be the strongt