The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-09-18
MISTAKES IN LANGUAGE.
An Interesting Lesson In Grammar
and Rhetoric.

bhry f. vsndyne In Good Cher
my dear nephews and nieces, you
charming inhabitants of glass houses,
don't throw any more stones.
Why, Uncle Phil, you don't mean to
say that 1cc speak incorrectly p
Uncle Phil showed his spectacles mp to
TO the middle of his forehead, and proceed
ed as follows
It's all very well for you self-suficient
graduates of colleges and seminaries to
find fault when Uncle Joshua wants the
well-bucket 'h'isted,' when Debby rem
ses' the clothes. Aunt Maria 'ketches'
cold, COachman John doctors Dobbin's
huff, Pete feeds the 'creeturs,' the cook
'biles the cramberries,' Bridget asks for
'jolup, Farmer Grey 'reckons' its 'ruther
cold for plantin' but concludes to 'resk
it
Now, Uncle Phil, you know we were
not talking about such mistakes. It was
when Annie Hughes asked the clerk for
these kind of gloves, and then informed
Us that DR.. Burton always preached 'ex-
tem-pOre,' that May and began to won
der how people who pretended to be ed
ucated could be guilty of such blund-
ers.'
That's nothing, girls, this from
Jack, a graduate of Harvard asked
one Of the teachers at the High School,
this morning if he ever played base bali,
and he said he used to could Fancy
that !"
Uncle Phil looked severely down upon
the group of critics assembled in front of
the fife
so you really think, young people,
that you are exempt from the weakness
OF misusing the English language. What
rr-TNH Z
than six mistakes made by you three, in
utter unconsciousness. since You entered
this room this morning"
Try it, Uncle try it. We haven't
been studying rhetoric and grammar this
last four years for nothing. Remember,
you are to find six mistakes made by the
three Of US within three hours"
"Ahem %
Uncle Phil iudulged in something that
was almost but not quite a wink, as he
looked at Jack.
" Wen begin with you, Jack 1st
This last four years.
" Oh that's too mean.
" Is its Then I won't call attention to
the three Of rs. -
s. You mean, Uncle, that Jack should
have said these last four years. and us
three ?"
I do, my dear And I also have in
mind n young lazy who criticised her
friends way of asking for gloves. and
that, when she handed me an orange
sked me to cut it in half''
a should have said, ia halves -
Yes, or in two One can scarcely
cut thing in one haE'
What else did say -
Well Whose dress was to be trimmed
'lengthways instead of 'lengthwise .
Who discovered that it was very cold last
FEBRUARY and not last February ? Of
whose class at Sunday-school did { hear
that every one was to have their and not
his or her reward p"
"Stop, Uncle. That is three for me.
and Of the six mistakes You have only left
one for May"
Perhaps haven't made any"
Uncle Phil smiled
Where did yea go this morning,
May 2"
"To the depot"
"Ah Do you know that depot is a
French word, and means simply store
house, OF place of deposit, and has moth
ing whatever to do with a structure for
the shelter of passengers, built at points
where a railroad train stops. You never
hear the wore depot used in any such con
nection in England Our language sup
pines the word station or Station
house and only a very cultivated ~
American who prefers foreign language
he doesn't understand TO his own better
supplied tongue. would ever replace it by
a French word that is entirely a misno-
mer"
Il wonder how many more mistakes
are current among rs, Uncle Phil p
won't call your attention to any
more today. Think over these, and III
see how many more I find you guilty of
anrr,a OF her tina