Star-Dust by Fannie Hurst
page 27 of 533 (05%)
page 27 of 533 (05%)
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As a matter of fact, Lilly's resemblance to her parents stopped abruptly. Her first year in High School, a course in natural science revealed to her the term "botanical sport." "That's what I am," she determined, with youth's immediate application of cosmos to self, "a botanical sport." A spontaneous variation from the normal type. "Papa, I learned to-day that I'm a sport." MRS. BECKER: "A what? That _is_ a genteel expression for a young girl to apply to herself! That High School does you more harm than good." "But, mamma, it's a term used in botany. A term from Darwin." "Darwin! That's a fine thing to teach children in school--that they come from monkeys! No wonder children haven't any respect for their parents nowadays." "Well, just the same it is in the biology. We're on frogs now. You ought to see the way frogs get born!" "In my day children weren't taught such stuff. I'm surprised, Ben, it's allowed." Across the biology of life, as if to shut out the loathsome facts of an abattoir, a curtain of dreadful portent was drawn before Lilly's clear eyes. "When baby came," was Mrs. Becker's insinuation for the naked and impolite fact of birth. |
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