99. Informing a Mother of her Son's Illness. 100. On a Journey to Marseilles.... 101. From Lord Byron to his Mother... .... EXERCISES FOR TRANSLATING ENGLISH INTO GERMAN. 1. The Sensible Child. A bishop once1 said to a very sensible child, "My child, I will give you3 an apple if you tell me where God is." The child answered: "And I will give you3 two if you tell me where he is not." 2. True Politeness. When President Jefferson was once walking3 on the street, he returned with the expression of civility the salutation of a negro who was passing3 by. "How!" said a merchant who accompanied him, "Your Excellency condescends to salute a slave?" "I should be really sorry,' answered the President, "to allow myself to be surpassed in politeness by a slave." 3. Ariosto. Ariosto built a small house for himself. Being asked by his friend how he, who described fine palaces in his 66 'Orlando," could content himself with so small an edifice? "Words are cheaper than stones," replied the philosophic bard. 4. Young1 Napoleon. Napoleon already in his youth often gave very striking answers. When he went for the first time to the Lord's Supper, the archbishop scrupled to administer it to him, because his Christian name, Napoleon, was not in the calendar. "What!" cried Bonaparte, promptly, "there is a very great multitude of Saints, and the year has only three hundred and sixty-five days!" The archbishop, astonished at this exclamation, administered the communion to him. 5. The Good Excuse. Sheridan being once on3 a visit at a friend's in the country, an old maid had taken it into her head to accompany him on a walk. First 10 he pleaded the bad weather. But soon afterwards1o the lady caught11 him in12 the attempt to13 steal14 away without her. "Aha!" said she, "I see verily 15 it has cleared up." "Yes, indeed," 16 rejoined he, "it has cleared up enough for one, but not enough for two." 6. The Traveler and the Boatman. A traveler came to a ferry, and hired a boat to take him across. The water being3 rather more agitated than was agreeable to him, he asked the boatman if any person was [ever] lost in the passage. Never," replied the boatman, "never. My brother was drowned here last week, but we found him again the next day." 66 |