The fact is, one can scarcely speak with any one, or enter any company, but the first utterance he hears is “I wonder.”
Persons wonder what the weather will be; they wonder what time it is; they wonder who is going to preach on Sunday; they wonder what the preacher’s text will be; they wonder what will be for dinner; they wonder who will be in the company; they wonder who is going to be married; they wonder who is dead in the next newspaper. In fine, this wonder is a wonderful word in almost everybody’s lips.
I wonder whether some other mode of expression could not be adopted, which would either be a substitute for it, or somewhat of variation: so that the wonderer may not be so common a talker in the circles of society.
But it is one thing to be always wondering, and quite another thing to wonder occasionally, when the statement made, or question asked, is of such a nature as to require or to demand a wonder. It is possible to get into the way of wondering so that you will not know when you do wonder. It is supposed that persons only wonder when things of great surprise and astonishment are heard, such as the fall of stars, the overthrow of cities by earthquakes, etc. At the reading or hearing of such things, it seems natural that persons should wonder. But why they should wonder at almost every trivial thing they ask in ordinary conversation is to me an inexplicable mystery.
There is another use of the word which I had nearly forgotten. In American society I remember this word is used in the opposite sense to what it is in this country.
“I have just come from New York by steamboat, and I saw Mr. Bouser on board.”
“Well; I wonder!” is the reply.
“I saw the moon in the sky as I came here this evening.”
“I wonder!” is the answer.
“Do you know I met a little girl of the Sunday-school in the street?”