New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-02


d the inevitable emendation:
Then ope thy window and begin TO ya"n
| The same remark applies to that rendei'"'
as was made on ms-heard refrain OF al
old English song. The correct version was;
otis dabbling in the dew makes the mix
maids fair"
but one Of the audience insisted afterward OF
knowing why "dabbing in the dew make'
the milkmaids swear" A friend remarked
that, whether correct or not the latter was
far more probable.
Again, when we were coming over th'
roble ode "To Althaa: from Prison." | felt
sure that some of the class were out OF toucr
with the poem and had not caught its drift
So after explaining that the lover-prisoner
when he had sight Of his lady forgot ms cap
tiyity, asked what the lines meant
Enlarged winds that curl the Mood
Know no such liberty"
"Such liberty as what or whose?' The youth
who stammered. puckered his brow and after
n long pause with the utmost gravity an
swered "Such liberty as his when he'd got
rid of her"
Rash Attack Upon the Septuagint
To revert to ecclesiastical subjects, we'll
grown and very industrious lad Of seventeen
in his SUNDAY Questions" thirty years ago
faced the question Of the origin Of the Sep
tuagint and thought somewhat rashly that
Dean Stanley would be a safe guide. The re-
suit Of contact with the Deans wide range
and abusive style was the following: "A long
time ago Thucydides Lord Clarendon and SIT
". Raleigh sat down at a table, and the re-
suit of their aborious toll was the Septua-
gint." Yet all the rest Of the paper was quite
well done
Il is only very rarely that public school
master has the pleasure Of being RECALLED
with remarks indicating the premature Wis
dom which smacks Of priggshness. Such
would be more likely to be culled from
youngsters who had been brought up alone
that is, mainly in the company of adults.
What sounds priggish from their mouths is
couched in abnormally good English.
One young hero of the age OF eight was
walking to church on Sunday morning along
with a youthful female cousin. The parents
were in front. one of whom was a keen
member Of the excellent society known as the
Mothers Union. SO the little lady cousin,
aged seven, was heard to ask: as Aunt So
and-So a member Of the union? She ought
to be. you know, COS she has five children.
I he other answered, ooh, but the number
read that Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria,
but never heard that Jezebel was member
of the Mothers Union"
ANY general paper is likely to be productive
Of mirth if the boys are young enough. To a
low division in fourth form at Eton in 1882
set concluding question designed TO give
scope to the greatest ignoramus among them:
What has been the happiest day of your
life" One boy. trying TO say the right thing,
answered: "My baptism" Another with far
more mundane view of the matter and leav-
ing abundant scope for conjecture, replied:
The day my aunt was married" This leaves
one bordering whether he was thinking OF the
back view of the disappearing bride or re-
calling the ample store of wedding cake; or
perhaps both. We shall never know.
Seasoned Thoughts at Thirteen
An appealing "reminiscences was given me by
the late Dr.. Hornsby. who about ten years ago
had been looking over the papers Of the
entrance scholarships at Eton. The short
essay took the form Of prospective nara
tive: Write an account Of your life you
foresee it up to the age of forty-ive." The
writer, with the SHOWS of thirteen winters on
his head described the prosperous finish 10
his school and university career, the entry
into a profession and the rewards OF labor
Then at twenty eight years of age | married.
and when | was twenty nine my wife present
ed me with a son and heir. No one can pos
sbly know the full joys OF fstherhood save
one who has been father"
IL is sincerely 10 be hoped that these thrill
ing words may have their due effect on the
rising generation after the days Of peace
have begun.
- r -, ,,,t
was demanded occurred the great names of
Copernicus and Calico. The view of these
worthless taken by one youthful writer was as
follows: "Coperncus is a mixture of copper
and nickel Calico cared for none Of these
things
About 1903 a piece of French was set for
translation narrating incident connected
with tired traveller arriving at a country
hosiery. The host suggested that he should
without delay have some supper and go to
bed. According to the text, al ne Sc fit pas
rrier." but according to the translation, "He
did not see nc 70 say his prayers"
IL will be felt that the above contributions
to the gayety of life have nothing to do with
the large and difficult subject of the humor
Of boyhood. Is there, in short, such thing
as a boys sense of humor which differs ge-
nercally from a mans? If so, do the above
mentioned alterations from correctness of
statement throw any light on the difference
should say none. The very essence of the
funniness of schoolboy mistakes is their being
undersigned. The slightest suspicion Of in
tention in them makes them dull. Indeed,
nothing. as a rule. is duller than young per-
sons labored wit. Among schoolboys such
wit is elaborated against masters who are
poor dsciplinarians and before an adult can
laugh at it he must think himself back into
the childish mind. diyesting himself of the
adults Interpretation OF the gravity of life,
except as a background 10 the comic incident,
which must not be rudey obtruded.