"Sure!" Master Pierson cried. "The old Romans spoke it. So can we. And that's just what I will do. I will get up a book of conversational Latin—enough to make a Common Language for every-day use." And in point of fact that was what old Joel was doing, for four or five weeks afterwards. He had Theodora and Catherine copy out page after page of it—as many as twenty pages. He wanted us each to have a copy of it; and for a time at least, he intended to have it printed.
A few days ago I came upon some of those faded, yellow pages, folded up in an old text book of Æsop's Latin Fables—the one Tom and I were then using; and I will set down a few of the sentences here, to illustrate what Master Pierson thought might be done with Latin as a universal language.
Master Pierson's Universal Language in Latin, which he named Dic from dico, meaning to speak.
| 1 It is time to get up. | = Surgendi tempus est. |
| 2 The sun is up already. | = Sol jamdudum ortus. |
| 3 Put on your shoes. | = Indue tibi ocreas. |
| 4 Comb your head. | = Pecte caput tuum. |
| 5 Light a candle and build a fire. | = Accende lucernum, et fac ut luceat faculus. |
| 6 Carry the lantern. We must water the horses. | = Vulcanum in cornu geras. Equi aquatum agenda sunt. |
| 7 It is a very hot day. | = Dies est ingens æstus. |
| 8 Let's go to the barn. | = Jam imus horreum. |
| 9 Grind the axes. | = Acuste ascias. |
| 10 It is near twelve o'clock. | = Instat hora duodecima. |
| 11 It is time for dinner. | = Prandenti tempus adest. |
| 12 Please take dinner with us. | = Quesso nobiscum hodie sumas prandiolum. |
| 13 Make a good fire. | = Instruas optimum focum. |
| 14 This chimney smokes. | = Male fumat hic caminus. |
| 15 The wood is green. | = Viride est hoc lignum. |
| 16 Fetch kindling wood. | = Affer fomitem. |
| 17 Lay the table cloth. | = Sterne mappam. |
| 18 Dinner is ready. | = Cibus est appositus. |
| 19 Don't spoil it by delay. | = Ne corrumpatur mora vestra. |
| 20 Sit down. | = Accumbe. |
| 21 This is my place. | = Hic mihi locus. |
| 22 Let him sit next me. | = Assideat mihi. |
| 23 Say grace, or ask a blessing. | = Recita consecrationem. |
| 24 Give me brown bread. | = Da mihi panem atrum. |
| 25 I am going to school. | = Eo ad scholam. |
| 26 What time is it? | = Quota est hora? |
| 27 It is past seven. | = Præteriit hora septima. |
| 28 The bell has rung. | = Sonuit tintinnabulum. |
| 29 Go with me. | = Vade mecum. |
| 30 The master will soon be here. | = Brevi præceptor aderit. |
| 31 I am very cold. | = Valde frigeo. |
| 32 My hands are numb. | = Obtorpent manus. |
| 33 Mend the fire. | = Apta ignem. |
I have copied out only a few of the shorter sentences. There were, as I have said, fully twenty pages of it, enough for quite a respectable "Universal Language," or at least the beginnings of one. Perhaps some ambitious linguist will yet take it up in earnest.
CHAPTER II
CUTTING ICE AT 14° BELOW ZERO
Generally speaking, young folks are glad when school is done. But it wasn't so with us that winter in the old Squire's district, when Master Pierson was teacher. We were really sad, in fact quite melancholy, and some of the girls shed tears, when the last day of school came and "old Joel" tied up the melodeon, took down the wall maps, packed up his books and went back to his Class in College. He was sad himself—he had taken such interest in our progress.
"Now don't forget what you have learned!" he exclaimed. "Hang on to it. Knowledge is your best friend. You must go on with your Latin, evenings."