The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-05-13

newcomer eyed his yisa-vis. Perhaps
Mr.. Robert Bertram'
he drawled.
"Ocurus-tbe ove-tauri-of the bull.
Bulls eye" said the freckled one, with
a grin I'd heard Of your exploits
through Bertram. and thought prob
ably you'd follow the bait contained IL
my letter TO him
Now that I'm here, where IS l..
Liyius And-so-forth?'
Elegantly but uncomtortably housed
with col Ridgway Graeme in his an
c.,,ral barrack on Carteret street.
rs this Colonel Graeme friend OF .
yours:"
Friend and foe, tried and true. We /
meet twice week, usually at ms .
hgus- to sGuabble over his method Of
Latin pronunciation and his consTuc- .
ton Of the ablatiye absolute said
Warren with a scowl tit to fetch Tao
ius bowling from the shades.
A scholar. them"
A very fire and finished scholar,
though a fadd!st Of the rankest type.
Speaks Latin as readily as he does
English"
Any family?"
no. Lives with two ancient col
ored servants who look after him"
How did our friend from b. c.
connect up with him."
"Oh. he ran to the old colonel like a
]
| aren't so very many Latinists in town
during the hot weather. Perhaps
| eighteen or twenty In all came from
about here and from Washington TO
see the prodigy in the Park OF the
| Boar after the advertisement appear
ed He wouldn't have anything to do
with any Of us. Then came the colonel
and fairly grabbed him. SO sent for
youth my artless professional way.
Why such enthusiasm on the part
of Colonel Graeme?"
Simple enough. Livius spoke Latin
with an accent which bore out the old
boys contention. ! believe they also
agreed on the ablative absolute"
Yes-er-naturally drawled Aver
age Jones. Does our early Roman
speak pretty ready Latin
Hes fairly fluent. Sometimes he
stumbles a little on his constructions.
and he's apt to be-well-monkish-
rather than classical, when in full
course"
Doesn't wear the toga virilis, | sup
pose"
"Oh, no. Plain American clothes.
It's only his inner man that's Roman.
OF course. He met with bump on the
head-this is his story, and he's got
the scar to show for it-and when he
= came to, he'd lost ground a couple OF
= thousand years and returned to his
former existence"
Now as to Colonel Graeme; has he
ever published?"
Yes. Two small pamphlets, issued
by the Classicist Press, which pub
/ fishes the Classical Weekly"
Supporting his fads, suppose"
Right. He devoted one pamphlet tC
each"
l. See here, Professor Warren: I'm 6
passionate devotee of the Latir
a tongue. | have my deep and dark sus
!, piciOns OF our present modes of pro
[ nunciation, all three of EN-. AS FOL
r the ablative absolute. its reconstruC
Il ton and regeneration have been thu
|. inspiring principle of my studious man
hood. Humbly | have sat at the fee
& | 80 oorp;pg In 10 PIT
Graeme pamphlets. | must NEE
Y Colonel Graeme-after reading tn
|. pamphlets. hope they're not long"
e Warren trowned. Colonel Graem
is a gentleman and my friend, MI
e Jones" he said with emphasis. Il won
a have him made a butt"
He shan't be, by me-" said Averag
- Jones quietly. Has 1t perhaps struc
D. you. as his friend, that-er-a clos
daily association with the psychic rem
z nant of a Roman citizen might conceiV
ably be nonconducive to his best il
d. terest?"
vi Yes, II has. | see your point. 70
a. want to approach him on his wea
o. side But have you Latin enough
m sustain the part?"
Il. NO. | haven't" admitted Averag
il Jones. Therefore. I'm a mute.
81 shock in early childhood paralyzed m
lie Centcrs of speech. | talk to you b
is sign language, and YOU interpret"
At the Graeme house Average JOnC
r. was received with simple courtesy /
a thin, rosy-Cheeked old gentlema
Ia with daggerlke imperial and
rn dreamy eye. who, on Warren's intr
ut duction. made him free of the unkem
nj old places hospitality.
bo Colonel Graeme led the way to
or lofty wing. once used as a drawn
IS room. but now the repository for tho
10 sands of books, which not only fill,
the shelves but were heaped up
Ir every corner
III Il must apologize for this confusiO
re sir" said the host. mo one is pc
ne mitted to arrange my books but N
tie self. And my efforts. | fear. serve on
To- to make confusion more confOunde
s." There are four other rooms even mo
tu- chaotic than this"
At the sound of his voice a man W
ad- had been seated behind a tumulus
volumes rose and stood. Avera
ed Jones looked at him keenly. He W
nil perhaps forty-five years of age. tn
he and sinewy, with a ClOse-shaven faC