The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-11
ny DOLLY DALRYMPLB

| and learned person that embodes his
 ideal of a father"
 It must be terrible thing to get rusty, especially when there is a growing crowd Of children around" I blandly suggested.
 That .eads me to observe" said the
 fond parent. that there is a crying need of a parents club which would add ma- terially to our positions if properly man.
 aged. A club where parents could get to- gether and exchange views and discuss
 the questions which youngsters are apt to propound."
 But wouldn't it be difficult to amalga-
 mater 1 said. 'All over this broad land of ours, bright and budding children are
 asking their parents embarrassing ques-
 ticns as to why the sea is salt. and what
 causes the phases of the moon, whether
 Hamlet was crazy or only playing off, and what is the periphrastic conjugation <, of 'amo.'"
 That's just it" said the fond parent. "All these things we might have had in the back part of our heads in our time and generation. but it is not to De ex-
 pected that we would carry the dead weight of them on our shoulders all through life.' h,re lanupountie cmfwyCMFWY 1 T suppose you are right" I replied.
 for I can't imagine any parent particu- larly female one. who is largely con cerned with the rise and fall of pork.
 and eggs, and butter. to be. interested in
 the rise and fall of the Roman empire i;
 about which her children are studying '1ts wonder that teachers do not realize this,' said the fond parent. and not put books into the hands of their pupils that will lead to abstruse and troublesome inquiries"
 And at least when young misses of seven or more summers, who know the exact point of divergence between the cardlnal and the summer tanager, should give their parents notice to study up before they are subjected to cross-exam- ination,' l said.
 Even so simple and inocuous a oues- ton as Where is the Vale of Cashmere2' fired at random at a father calculating how he would meet his current expenses, or to an unsuspecting mother busy bak- Ing perfectly good cake for the Sun day dlnner comes as such a surprise that the calculations come to naught and the cake IS an utter and unqualified failure. . was the suggestion. And thus the family
 menage is threatened with dissolution" Tt appears to be a terrible state of af- fairs l mildly replied
 As l have already hinted, no child ought to be allowed to grill his parents With questions, which put them to stam- mering and flounderng in unknown realms said the fond parent feelingly.
 Tt inculcates disrespect and irreverencc. Now what father can be relied upon as
 an authority as to the rising hour, who cannot tell the difference in minutes and seconds between San Francisco and Bir- mingham, or hesitates when asked to ex- plain why day is lost or gained when your ship crosses the international date liner
 All of which reminds me of the funny
 little story" l answered, about the
 small boy who said to his father: Is Jup- iter inhabited?' I don't know, my son,
 was the truthful answer
 Father are there any sea serpents?' I don't know, my son. Don't interrupt
 me again
 The youngster, taking heart after a few moments silence, suddenly asked: Father, what does the north pole look likeT T don't know, my son, I've never been there.'
 At last, with whitening emphasis, the small boy propounded the question which stumped the old gentleman quite as much
 as the others: Father how did you get to be an editor?"