The Twin City star., 1918-07-06
We ALL SPEAK It
Young GridIey's Letter the Real
'United States"
Expert In English Composition May
Have Had Some Criticism to Make
But She Could Not Misunder.
stand the Meaning.

had filed out of the recitation roo1n'
with the exception of Gridley, who,
by special request, was now standing
at the teachers desk.
To the casual observer, Gridley was
a boy of about fifteen, with wiry
frame, well-shaped head thatched
with straw colored hair, large mouth
and gray-blue eyes.
81 am surprised that you should Of
fer this as an exercise in English COM
position" Miss Stanhope said with
note of sarcasm in her voice, point
ing to, several sheets Of paper that
lay on her desk.
"You told me to take any subject
that 1 was interested in, If it was
worth while, and then put plenty OF
time into it, and I did. 1t took NE
more than two hours" protested Grid
ley.
II should hardly call the subject
worth WHILE" began Miss Stanhope.
.'It was the best game there's been
this season." said Gridley. ...s.
eve will let that pass" the teacher
continued. "Ehat I object to is the
language that you have used. What
am I to make of such expressions as
these: The south paw artist "a free
ticket to the initial bag Duffy was
nailed at the plate two of the Wis
itors crossed the pam? Really, Grid
ley, do you call that EnglishT
Gridley's mouth widened in q grin.
T don't know about English, Miss
Stanhope, but guess it's United
States" he said.
Miss Stanhope smiled herself, al
though she would have preferred not
to. She took her speciality, which was
English, very seriously, and it panied
her when her pupils did not.
1T might be Choctaw, as far as I
am concerned" she said. 1T conveys
absolutely no meaning"
"Why, didn't you ever see base
ball gamer" exclaimed Gridley.
mo, believe not" she admitted.
and she perceived at once that her
confession of ignorance was far more
interesting to Gridley than any dis
play Of her knowledge had ever been.
The happy thought occurred to her to
take advantage of the fact. NO." she
repeated, II know nothing about base
ball, but should like to learn. Sup
pose you try being the teacher and see
If you can make this all clear to me.
You will have to begin at the begin
ming and be very patient with me-"
"Do you mean it?" said Gridley, with
the Joy of the enthusiast in his eyes.
Then for more than an hour he ex-
pourded baseball, while the English
teacher faithfully groped her way to
an understanding. .-.., ..s...
"You must think me very stupid"
she said more than once, and Gridley,
although he did not dispute her. re-
doubled his efforts to express his mean
ing in words fitted to his pupils capac-
ity. At the end Of the hour Miss
Stanhope was pretty well versed in
the rudiments of the game, and, Incl
dentally, Gridley had gained little In
English and good deal in his liking
for the teacher. ..
"Ill hand in a better composition
next time" he assured her as he finally
went his way. g..
The promised composition was duly
received, although after the lapse OF
some four years, and it came from
somewhere in France"
"Perhaps you have forgotten me-"
Gridley wrote, ''but I haven't forgot
ten you, or the hour that we spent
one Friday afternoon, going over my
baseball piece I little thought that
I should not see you again, but we
moved from the city quite unexpect-
edly the next week. Now ! am far
ther away than ever from the old
school. But here Is the composition
that promised to pass in, not about
baseball this time, but about the big
war over here. I'm in harder school
than Bayport High and there's no
chance to play hooky. But I'm glad to
be here and It's up to me to make
good"
Miss Stanhope accepted the state
ment, not for its elegance but as evil
dence Of the serious purpose OF Grid
ley-little Gridley Of the straw-colored
hair and the contagious grin.
"There will be something doing when
we fellows get into the game" wrote
Gridley, "and, take 1t from me, we
will hand the kaiser his all right"
The thought was badly expressed
but Miss Stanhope thrilled at the spirit
behind the words.
'It won't be long now before 1t Is
all over and am back in little old
America again." the letter went on.
The tears came to Miss Stanhope's
eyes. "Ah, soldier boy" she thought,
ut is we'll that you over there have
faith, while SO many Of us back here
have only hope. Perhaps your faith
will help to make your prophecy come
truev'
II guess" said Gridley, at the end,
"that this won't take very high mark
as English. but" and the teacher, al
though her own eyes were a little dim,
10 %wxyln nly In