Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1892 — A Strange Animal. [ARTICLE]

A Strange Animal.

Miss Hannah Bascomb, a native and resident of Huckleberry, was one of those people who have a firmly rooted objection to displaying or even admitting their ignorance on any point whatsoever. She always held that “folks that liad good sense could gen’lly make out t’ get along ’thout lettin’ on what they wa’D’t quite as you may say, downright cert’in ’bout, in matters that they hadn’t took no special ’count of.” This belief of Miss Bascomb’s occasionally Involved her in difficulties, and often led her to make amusing mistakes; but as she was happily unconscious of this latter fact it did not in the least disturb her theory, or her peace of mind. At one time she was making a visit to her niece, and took the niece’s little 8-year-old daughter to the Art Museum on a tour of inspection. Her comments and criticisms on the various works of art displayed there had at least the merit of originality. At last she stopped before the sculptured figure of the “Dying Gladiator.” “Well, Mattie,’’she said, addressing her grandniece, after some minutes of silence, “this is the greatest piece o’ oversight I’ve found here yet. I persume t’ say these art things have come in so fast the committee have grown keerless; for I persume likely there is a committee t’ look after ’em as they come in!” “Wbat’s the matter, Aunt Hannah?” asked Mattie. “Matter!” said Miss Bascomb, indignantly. “Matter enough, I sh’d say. Here’s this piece o’ -sculpin’ called ‘The Dying Gladiator,’ an’ there aint no sign of a gladiator in it! The man that sculped it must ’a’ been tryin’t’ play a joke on the committee, an’ a pooty poor joke I call it.” “What is a gladiator, Aunt Hannah?” asked the little girl, doubtfully. “Somethin’ very much the same as an alligator, child,” replied her aunt. “Jest about the same as an alligator; you’ve got the picter of an alligator t’ home, you know, in one o’ your books!” *