The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1878-05-25
A Very Much Abused Word.

This very small word is very often
used in the English language when q
sentence would be very much stronger
and the meaning very much more forci-
BILE without it. If DR.. Dio Lewis, now
that he has finished counting up the
cost of years sneezing, would set him
self to computing how much time,
tongue and combustion of nerve-cell are
wasted out of mans lifetime by need
lessly speaking the word "very," the
apostle of oatmeal would be again the
benefactor of his race.
II man has not much hair on the
top of his head, it is not enough for pee
pie to say simply that he is bald, but he
is very bald. A man is not stingy, but
he is very stingy, when the one good
strong word " stingy" would put the
whole point forcibly. A doctor of d.
vinity is not learned, but very learned
q doctor of medicine is not crotchety,
he is very crotchety, while lawyer is
not cunning, but very cunning. In the
same way, young lady is not hand
some, but very handsome. The quail
fer has become SO common that it is
weakening to the word it is Joined to.
In nine cases out of ten where very is
used to intensity human speech, sim
gle bold word without the "very"
would hit the meaning like hammer,
and drive it home with directness I'M
known to clogged and hampered ex-
preston. Brutus does not say, GAS
Caesar was very valiant I honor him;
but as he was very ambitious, I slew
him.
every" seems to be word designed
by Providence for young ladies to ex-
press their feelings with. This portion
of community probably could not get
ON without their adverb, but the English
of the rest of the race would be strength
ened if the little qualifier were relegated
almost wholly to the fair class to whom
it belongs. 1t creeps into our literature
as insidiously as the measles into fam
lily of fifteen, and once there it stays like
an ofice-seeker. 1t breaks out every
where, even in the most heightened and
f" cultivated" writing. A newspaper,
which is authority on the ar. of literary
composition, prints, for instance,
thrilling description of a brilliant party.
Every lady present was very much this
or that. Mrs. Blank, who was very
intimate friend of Mrs. General Dash,
wore a very handsome green satin dress,
and had a very handsome silver comb in
her back hair. Mrs. General Dash wore
an exceedingly becoming dress, which
was very deliberately made. Two young
ladies, whose dresses were exceedingly
becoming and very graceful, were &C.
conpanied by a young man who had a
very light mustache. Every body was
either every" or exceedingly" or
+" extremely" or "most highly" some
thing. The air bristled with superla-
tives.
1t combines instruction with amuse-
ment to count the "veries in a column
of newspaper advertisements. A"gen-
eral homework :" applicant is not con-
tent with being respectable woman
and good cook. She is very respect
able woman and very good cook. 1t
is enough, in all conscience, to be said
of woman that she is a superior |
waitress. Superior itself means better |
than good, but this uncommon waitress
tacks on the word every" too, and thus
becomes very better than good. Next,
a every honest and. extraordinarily
clean" chanbermaid, "whO is very
careful about her work, 4" wants place.
What treasure to have in the house in
these degenerate times, ga very honest
and extraordinarily clean person, who is
very careful about her work, !" would be. |
Then a "very careful young Scotch |
who has the very best city |
wants place. OF course,
she is far superior to the girl who is
only a capable young woman, with the
best city references.
The climax of veriness is reached,
however, by girl. She is "a very COM
petent cook understands waiting at ia
BILE in very efficient manner, and is in
all respects very first-class.' "In all
respects, very first-class qualifications "
is good. 1t is only equaled by the
young man who was very perfect
horseman and rode very black horse.
A fine example, too, of the redundant
very" is the reply of the old tar who
was blown overheard at Trafalgar and
rescued with much difficulty, and who,
long afterwards, being asked by SYM
pathetic lady how he felt on that occa-
sion, answered: "Wet, ma am, very
wet. "-Cincinnati Commercial.
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