Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1911 — FOR THE CHILDREN [ARTICLE]

FOR THE CHILDREN

He Wouldn’t and He Would. He wouldn’t eat the breakfast food Nor say “Please" at the table. He wouldn’t speak to Cousin Nell Nor s|ng for Cousin Mabel. He wouldn't wear a mackintosh. Though It was raining hard. He ran. out with no rubbers on Into the muddy yard. He tracked the kitchen floor all up And didn’t care at qil. He took grandmother's knitting work And threw it in the halt I know you think him naughty—yea. As haughty as cah be— But, then, he’s not a little boy. But a little dog, you aee. Bees That Went to War. One would have to look far before finding a more terrifying and demoralizing method of repelling besiegers than that employed by the people of Themlseyra, an ancient city of Asia Minor. A Roman historian tells that when the city was besieged there were great buildings put up to be pushed toward the walls so that the attackers might advance uninjured But the Themiseyraeans were a capable people, and they chopped holes in the tops of the buildings and cast down on the heads of the advancing army whole swarms of bees and aii tlfb wild and ferocious animals that their municipal menagerie contained. Likewise in England a few hundred years later the Danes and Norwegians were attacking the ancient Roman city of Chester, then held by the Saxons. After all the ordinary methods of warfare had failed to drive away the Norsemen' the bee-, hives of Chester were brought to the city walls and overturned on the heads of the enemy, who retired in haste.

About the Piano. The piano is the outgrowth of hundreds of years of invention. In earliest times it was simply a harp with two or three strings. As time went on more strings were added, and the instrument came to be known as the cithara. This instrument was in the shape of a “P” and had ten strings. In time musicians thought of stretching the strings across an open box and so made a dulcimer. The strings of this were struck with hammers and so Continued to be struck until some genius invented a keyboard. In Queen Elizabeth's time this was called a virginal. Then it was called a spinet because of the quills which caught the strings of wires and produced the sound. In 1700 people began to call this a harpsichord. In 1710 Bartholomeo Cristofoll invented a keyboard such as is now used.

Five Geese In a Flock. In “five geese in a flock” the children sit on a bank or bench in a garden side by side. One stands as market woman opposite the row of players. She walks along the row and touches each child, beginning when she pleases and saying one word of the following rhyme to each as she touches her: Please, good farmer, cut the com. Keep the wheat aDd burn the thorn. Shut your gate and turn the Ipck; Keep the five geese In the flock. As soon as she says the word “flock" the ode first touched jumps up anfl runs off. The market woman pursues her. But while she is catching her the other geese have fled away, and she has to.catch each player and reseat her in her plade before the game recommences. The one first daught becomes in turn market woman.

A New kind of Bain. Here is a new kirid of rain—nothing: less than sand. When a storm swept; over Massachusetts recently there was] not much rain at Pittsfield, but there was a shower of fine sand, which fell; for several minutes. It fs supposed! thht the skhd was sucked tip into the fiifr by h whirlwind as the Storm passed oVer the Cheshire sand pits near by. But Cheshire did not get off easily. It had no rain of sand, but it bad a shower of hailstones. Scarcely a house; in town escaped without at least one window broken. The Ancient Northmen. Do you know where Normandy got its ndmfe? if you have studied Euro-' pean history you remember that the Normans were really Northmen or Norwegians who invaded what is now northeastern France in the tenth century. William, the conqueror of England, was one of their descendants, and so is the present king of Eng-, land. The Normans were great sailors, and they ventured out into the ocean, even across to Greenland and; to the coast of New England, in long; rowboats.

Conundrums, Why are washwomen frequently silly? Because they put out their tubs to catch soft water when it rains; hard. „+* i What word by taking the first letter! from it makes you sick? M-usic. What is that debt for which you cannot be sued? The debt of nature. What time should an Innkeeper visit an iron foundry? When he wants a barmaid. Whispering Feet. Baby was asleep, and Ben was cautioned to be careful and not waken her while he played soldiers. "Aw wight,” he agreed; “I’ll make my foots whisper when they walk,” and he tiptoed softly. Ready Rhyme. Two. four or more words that rhyme are written on a piece of paper and given to each. A complete verse most be written from these.