Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-06-13

for another year in case the instructor
could not teach the pupil how to con-
jugate the verb Ito love" I would do
so myself.
For a year Julian Trowbridge came
and went for his lessons, taking no no.
tice of me whatever. The next spring
I asked father II he thought his pupil
would be able to enter college that
year.
Possibly he replied. 'by hard
boning, but he has no taste for the
classics. don't see why his father
wishes to send him to a university"
"Has he learned to conjugats the
verb to lover" I asked.
Father gave me a quick glance. l
had changed a good deal within the
year and might now have passed for
a young lady. But he saw no con-
sciousness Of double meaning In my
demeanor and replied:
"Oh. he's got beyond that. Of course
but he couldn't yet pass an examina'
ton on Caesars Commentaries"
"He must be very backward" re-
marked carelessly, and as I left the
room father called to me, You're far
ahead Of him."
This gave me an idea. had met
the "blockhead' many times. and he
was beginning to treat me with more
consideration. One day said to him:
81 think father is too impatient with
you. If you'll let me read Latin with
you I'm sure we'll be help to each
other"
He accepted my offer. and I told "a
ther that he might spend the time he
was devoting to Julian in his library.
turning his pupil over to me. Father
was very glad to get rid Of him. and
the very next day Julian and were
seated on a rustic bench under a tree
with copy of Virgil between US.
have boys Of my own now. and
surely would not consent to have one
of them fall under such an influence
as Julian Trowbridge experienced al
that time. / had no more Intention
of teaching him the dead languages
than I had Of teaching him to fly IN
the air. Fortunately for him, how
ever, i had inherited my fathers abil
ity to learn and to teach them. My
object was to teach him to conjugate
the verb ito love"-"I love. thou lowest
he or she loves. we love, you love. they
love-" In short In my code Of instruc
ton every one loved, and that's al
they did. But since Julian's mind was
bent especially upon getting into col
lege and he found in me more Sc
ductive teacher than my father the
lesson resulted more to his eruditior
than might have been supposed.
didn't care how much Latin he learned
provided he didn't fail to master the
verb "to love-" Girls between. say
twelve and sixteen are usually fal
more capable of learning than boys
This gave me an advantage. l taugh'
Julian Latin and at the same time deft
ly wove in that other instruction
which was far nearer my heart. pre-
pared him to enter college and to bt
nv future husband Mt the same time
In learning the first he was not a.
stupid as my father considered him
as to the other I confess I had very
hard time with him. He would conju
gate the verb "to love-" saying II love
with no feeling whatever. One day
while he was doing so in this perfume
tory way sat very near him-so near
indeed, that few loose strands OF my
hair brushed against his cheek. Sud
denly there came q feryor into his
voice that had vainly expected fol
weeks. Then I felt IN arm stealing
around my waist, and l knew that my
pupil was prepared both for college
and to be my lover.
He passed his entrance .examinauol
| without a condition and gave me al
the credit for enabling him to do 80.
"But you do father an injustice"
demonstrated. "You must admit
"What! That old bookworm? He may
know a lot. but he has no ability what
ever to impart knowledge to any one
else. Why. do you know. he spen'
months trying to teach me to con)u
gate the verb to love- without my be
ing able to catch even the mood. Al
for 4 am loved didn't know any
| thing about It"
I laughed and remarked that l wai
the only one Of the three who at tha'
time knew all about that mood.
have said that. having boys OF m!
own, I would not like to have then
fall under the same influence that thell
father fell under at eighteen. Thii
needs to be qualified. 1t depends OF
the girl. II any Of my sons should a
that age fall in love with girl wht
would have in her the traits to hole
his affection when he has grown oldel
and to make him q valuable life help
meet I should be very glad to have
him do so. I believe that early mating
is not only natural. but beneficial. pro
vided the persons mating are fitted FOL
q life partnership.