Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-10-29
Alefau0rla 6azette
MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 20.
Edverbs and Adjectives.

For example, I have Of late received no less
than nine cpistIes, one of them from the Pacific
shore, asking me to decide dispute whether it
is right to say to morrow is Sunday, or to NOR
row will be Sunday and am speaking within
bounds when | say that within the last ten
years that question has been put to me person
ally or by letter more than $50 times, and |
have lately received seven letters, three during
the last week. asking whether it is ''gramma'i
cap' to say feel bad, or | feel badly.
AS to the former momentous inquiry: Imleht
truly say don't know which is right, and
don't care. 1t is not worthy of Eve minutes
consideration by any reasonable human creature.
Either form of expression is perfectly lntelllgl'
bio, and both have the support Of good usage
AS to the latter, which, trifing as it is does
| to me no doubt that II feel bad' is right. l
cannot believe that any one Of my querists who,
rising in the morning, felt lowsplrited, would
say, ''I feel buely," but II feel blue" Nor
would any one who speaks Epgsh well'withou
| thinking about it land only such persons speak
well,) say "the grass looks grcenly," but 'Lho
grass looks greeu.' But we say. and should
| say that woman dresses badly" or the air
bites keeEly." When the verb expresses action
or suffering, 80 adverb is required; bat when
it expresses condition Of the speaker. as 81
| feel bad or an appearance to him, as ''the
grass looks green" an adjective is proper. But
even under these conditions good usage and
| good sense admit both forms. We may say
| either ''tbe sun shines brightly" or ''the sun
shines BRIGHT" "thc river flows darkly." or
"the river flows dark" There arc mapy such
cases in which the adjective is the better word;
aud solicitious use Of sdverbs is rather sign
of grammar dictionary style OF speech and
of writing than of one which comes of spon-
tareous conformity to good usage and an un:
conscious mastery of ones mother tongue. And
it should be added that 20 one can learn to
speak good English or "good grammar" by
fretting over such questions as these; that is
to be attained only by an unconscious conformity
to the usage of the beet speakers and writer's.
as / have had occasion to say before. .-RicjEard
Grant White in NJ Y Times.
BEWARE OF HAIR WASHES Indies, fair
ladies, beware of hair-wsshcs. A medical
friend informs me that it has lately been dis
covered that the active Ingredient Of all washes
for subduing gray hair is lead, which uniting
gradually with the natural sulphur OF the hair
forms black sulphuret OF lead which is really
the darkeuiug agent. We all know how dect
rious and even fatal is the application Of lead in
any chemical shape to tho pores Of the human
body; what, thea, must be the mischief pro.
duccd by its being continuously and often daily
rubbed into the delicate skin OF lady's sea lp?
Here, however is practical illustration,
vouched for BY Mr.. BrowoGeld, Of Norwich
The wash had been used for two years, but
only very moderately, aod during all that time
there was general malasc and loss Of muscular
power About three months sioce, two days
after an effectual application OF the wash, q
slight epileptic fit occurred, and SIX weeks al
terwards a similar application was followed by
palsy Of the extcDsor muscles cf the lett haud.
[n this case probably another dose might have
produced paralysis but by this time suspicion
| was aroused, and by the steady application OF
autidotes the symptoms arc now disappearing
The profits of selling these washes are said 10
be 30 tempting that, since the secret OF the
agent has oczed out, numerous hair dressers,
both 10 town aud country, arc manufacturing
them and pressing them upon their customers.
London World.
ANTS AS A BAROMETER .-Mr. IT, Z. WuIz
bach is DO longer disbc!iever in the lntulllvr
percpption OF Insects. A few days ago lot ot
small red arts made their appearance 10 one OF
! the rooms Of his residence in great numbers,
| many of them burdeued with eggs which they
had originally deposited in their subterranean
| homo in the yard. They were carefully watched,
and their object n moving was studied. They
were observed to 90 underneath large trunk
which sat 10 the room, and it was presently
raised to sec what the osccs were dong under
! it. 1t was found that they were leaving their
eggs there. They were not disturbed, and Nlr.
Wurzbach continued to study their movements.
| lie anticipated that the Intuition OF the insects
had led them to move their eggs to place OF
safety, fearing ran and this proved true. 1T
was pot long before heavy shower fell, and
| the ant bed in the yard was flooded, but the ln'
stinct Of tho little bugs had saved them from
any loss-lhey had moved indoors to keep dry.
] After the rain was over. and when tho skies
were clear, they returned to their outside home.
| Mr. Wurzbach has thrown away his barometer,
and will hereafter be guided By those little ants
in making his rain bcts.-S~ Antonio Er-
press.
| While he mechanically munchcd his mullins
and mantully wrestcd with tho juicy porter.
house 10 manner that proved he had both ap'
petite and reputation at stake, she read to him
aloud from the morning raper-'thc princess
dress is also much worn-in fact, it is the most
popular pattern that has been introduced,
though tho skirt is often so elaborately trimmed
it is very difficult to tell whether it Is princess
or poonaise," and then she stopped, but tho
mufins didn't. "Frcd" she coaxinsly contln-
ued, "don't you think your little wife would
become princess ?'' The mullins had mo-
mcntary respite. while the idiot INDUCED his
festive fancy, and criticised her shabby syntax;
Very probably, my dear, you might were l
once snugly sodded dowo, and some king son
fell 10 love with you - 1t was hollow pleas
autry, but, woman like, she fell 10 thinking,
and, absent.miodcdly, putting two spoons and
DO sugar iD bis third cup Of coffee, she wonder
ed how nice it must be to inherit the purple,
and what would be were she ever forgiven this
time.
WTOLFFS ACME BLACklNG.lts lustre
any other blacking. 1t is more projection to the