Morris tribune., 1917-09-21
She Won
Two Prizes
By SADIE OLcOTT

deavOring to stamp anything on their
memories, she beat her breast with her
right hand and rocked to and fro.
"Amo, 1 love. Amas, thou lowest.
Amat, he loves. Amamus, we love.
Amatis, you love. Amant, they love"
Now, this girl was anything but
child. She was eighteen years and six
months old. She was petite, and the
fashion for women's dresses was that
the skirt should not reach much below
the knees Her father was colonel and
quartermaster of the army and station
ed in a city where supplies were being
collected to be sent to France for the
use of the expeditiOnary force there. A
young soldier had come to the coloneIs
house before Office hours on army bust
ness and was waiting to see him in the
living room, which adjoined the library
where the girl was studying. She knew
of the young soldiers proximity, but
she was pretending that she supposed
herself to be alone.
When she corrugated the present
tense of the verb ito love" second time
she did it in this wise:
"Amo, I love. Amas, thou lowest.
Amat. she loves. Amamus, we love.
Amatis, you love. Amant, both love.
Lieutenant Bob Blackstone sat wait
ing for Colonel Henderson to come
downstairs and listened to what he
supposed was a little girl studying her
lessons. He was Of the senior class in
- university and was one Of the
large number Of graduates who had
donned khaki uniforms before grad
uation. He did not need to be good
Latin scholar to know that the pupil
had corrugated the verb wrong. Step
ping to the portiere, he raised 1t and
saw the child, as he supposed, study
ing. She started at seeing him, but
the action was feigned.
IT say, little GIRL" he said, you're
conjugating that verb wrong. Amant
doesn't mean both love. 1t Is they
love-"
Dear me, how could have made
such a mistake! Are you sure it isn't
both loveT'
Il ought to know. took a prize in
college for thesis written in Latin. 1"
Miss Henderson's eyes, which were
large and expressive, were brought to
bear ON Lieutenant Blackstone in a
sort Of wonderment Presently she
said:
Didn't the Romans have any ex-
preston for both lover
81 don't see," said the lieutenant.
what that has to do with your les
son. I take it your task is to learn to
conjugate the present tense Of the
verb to love. You have it right except
the last word, amant, which means
they love instead Of both love-"
What does amat meanw
HE loves"
II thought 1t was she loves"
"It means either he or she loves"
Doesn't 1t. mean he and she lover
Hardly. It means but one person.
"And does amant mean they love
each otherT
"No; it means several persons love.
1t doesn't mean that they love each
other. 1t means that each person
lOfSE 5OLnC O11S c1Sc.
How do you know that"
II can't say l do know it. I confess
that I don't remember ever hearing
the question brought up. They might
love each other, mightn't they"
IF they were both very NICE"
He looked at her searchingly. Her
glance was fastened to her grammar.
It was beginning to dawn upon him that
he was not teaching schoolgirl, but
that a schoolgirl was chatting him.
LET me see the text" he said, bend
ing over her shoulder. This brought
his face very near hers.
Then a heavy footstep on the stairs
betokened the approach Of the colonel.
Blackstone beat a hasty retreat into
the other room, closing the portiere be-
hind him. The child In the library
went on conjugating the verb ITO love, +"
but when she came to Rmant she In
variably gave it both love-"
When Blackstone had transacted his
business with Colonel Henderson he
took his departure, receiving at the
same time an invitation to dinner the
gtung him, and when he returned to
camp he had forgotten all the colonel
had told him. What nonsense! To be
turned topsy turvy by a kid studying
the rudiments Of LatinI
Bob got himself up In evening dress
for the dinner, taking as much pains
to beautify himself as If he was to meet
woman instead Of a kid. When he
was formally presented to "our little
Billy" she looked more like Miss VII
helmina Henderson, which she really
was. Bob didn't know what to say or
what to do. But the colonel led the
way to the dining room, and there was
nothing for Bob to say or to do till they
reached the board, and then Miss Hen
derson made it very easy for him.
"Have you been graduated this year,
Mr.. Blackstone" asked Mrs. Hender-
son.
II have-only a few weeks ago."