Beginners' Book in Language Part 17

"I'm sure I put it back in the bookcase," he said.

"Isn't it there now?" asked his mother.

"No!"

"Then Mr. n.o.body must have been reading it," she answered. "He always forgets to put the books back where they belong. Perhaps he left it on the lounge, where you were reading last night."

And there, to be sure, in a corner of the lounge, was the lost book.

In Tom's house Mr. n.o.body was always doing mischief. He was always mislaying Tom's things. He was always tearing his books, leaving doors ajar, and making finger marks on the doors. Now and then he spilled the ink on Tom's desk. He usually forgot to put Tom's boots where they belonged. He was so careless and forgetful that he got Tom into trouble nearly every day.

Does Mr. n.o.body visit your house, too? If he does, you will understand the following poem about him:

MR. n.o.bODY

I know a funny little man, As quiet as a mouse, Who does the mischief that is done In everybody's house!

There's no one ever sees his face, And yet we all agree That every plate we break was cracked By Mr. n.o.body.

'Tis he who always tears our books, Who leaves the door ajar; He pulls the b.u.t.tons from our shirts, And scatters pins afar; That squeaking door will always squeak For, prithee, don't you see, We leave the oiling to be done By Mr. n.o.body.

He puts damp wood upon the fire, That kettles cannot boil; His are the feet that bring in mud, And all the carpets soil.

The papers always are mislaid, Who had them last but he?

There's no one tosses them about But Mr. n.o.body.

The finger marks upon the door By none of us are made; We never leave the blinds unclosed, To let the curtains fade.

The ink we never spill, the boots That lying round you see Are not our boots; they all belong To Mr. n.o.body.

UNKNOWN

=Oral Exercise.= 1. Read the poem again in order to see which of the four stanzas you like best. Can you tell why? Look through the poem and tell all the things that Mr. n.o.body does. Which of them has he done at your house?

2. Did you ever see Mr. n.o.body at your house? Do you think you could catch sight of him if you looked in the mirror? Make believe that you did see him at your house. Tell your cla.s.smates exactly how he looked.[52]

=Group Exercise.= As each pupil gives the cla.s.s a picture of Mr. n.o.body the cla.s.s will say whether this picture looks like the pupil speaking.

Then the cla.s.s will point out what they liked and what they did not like in that pupil's way of speaking. These questions will help in this work:

1. Did the pupil stand squarely on both feet, or was he so weak that he had to hold onto a chair or desk to keep from falling over?

2. Did he speak so clearly that every one in the cla.s.s could understand him?

3. Did he make a stop at the end of every sentence and drop his voice there to show that the sentence was finished?

4. Did he use too many _and's_?

=45. Making a Little Book=

Would it not be pleasant for you and your cla.s.smates to make a cla.s.s picture book? Perhaps you do not know how to make one. This is the way.

Every pupil writes a few sentences that tell how he looks. These give the reader a picture of each writer. Then these pictures are all put together in a little book.

One pupil might write this picture of herself:

I am a short little girl with straight yellow hair, blue eyes, and red cheeks. My mother says I am always giggling. So my picture would show my round face covered with smiles.

Another pupil might write as follows:

I am a boy with black hair that is curly, brown eyes, and a long, thin nose. You would know me by my size, for I am the tallest pupil in the room.

=Written Exercise.= Write a picture of yourself. Write what will help a reader to see you as you are. You need not say that you have two eyes, two ears, two arms, and two legs. But if you have only one leg, or only one arm, say that. If you wear your hair in two braids, say that.

Perhaps you will write twice, using the first writing as a help for the improved second writing, as Tom learned to do when he wrote letters.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

=Group Exercise.= 1. When every pupil has finished his picture of himself, all these should be given to the teacher. Then the teacher will read one after another aloud, and the cla.s.s will try to tell whose picture each one is. You see, this will be like a game. If the cla.s.s cannot guess a picture, the teacher will read the name of the writer.

Then the cla.s.s will explain what should be added to the writing, or changed in it, so that it may give a true picture of the writer.

2. You and your cla.s.smates should now rewrite your pictures, making them better. After that they should be neatly copied. Then[53] all these pictures should be fastened together to form a book. A cover should be made for the book, on which may be written words like these:

+----------------------------------+ PICTURE BOOK OF THE THE PUPILS OF MISS SMITH'S ROOM

=46. Correct Usage--_No, Not, Never_=

_I haven't_ means _I have not_ _you don't_ means _you do not_ _he doesn't_ means _he does not_ _never_ means _not ever_

It is a common mistake to use two _not_-words in a sentence when one is enough. Each of the following sentences is correct. Each contains only one _not_-word.

1. I have _never_ seen your father.

2. I _haven't_ ever seen your father.

3. I have _no_ money in my pocket.

4. I _haven't_ any money in my pocket.

5. I _don't_ see any mistakes in this example.

6. I see _no_ mistakes in this example.

7. I _don't_ ever go down that street at night.

8. I _never_ go down that street at night.