Now
I want you to brush up your ideas about everything, so you can
answer the endless questions I am going to ask you."
"Why bless you, child, you take away my breath. Rome wasn't built
in a day."
"The way they built Rome will never answer for me. I must grow like
one of our Western cities that has a mayor and opera-house almost
before the Indians and wolves are driven out of town. Speaking of
Rome reminds me how little I know of that city, and it's a burning
shame, too, for I spent a month there."
"Well," said Mr. Mayhew, with kindling interest, "suppose we take
up a course of reading about Rome for the winter."
"For the winter! That won't do at all. Can't you tell me something
of interest about Rome this evening?"
"I've already mentioned the interesting fact--that it wasn't built
in a day. I think that's the most important thing that you need
to know about Rome and everything else this evening. Why, Ida,
you can't become wise as an ostrich makes its supper--by swallowing
everything that comes in its way. You are not a bit like an
ostrich."
"An ostrich is a silly bird that puts its head under the sand and
thins its whole great body hidden because it can't see itself,
isn't it, father?"
"I've heard that story told of it," replied Mr.
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