Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-26

Since the days of Sheridan and his immor-
tai play, '"The Rivals Mrs. Malaprop has
been synonyme for the ignorant misuse Of
words. Yet how many people there are to-
day in real life who, attempting the use OF
words which are to them unfamiliar, err as
grieyously as she was won't to do. proper
understanding of words constitutes one dif-
ference between the ignorant man anu the
educated man and gives the latter an I'M
mense advantage. The proper understand
ing of words makes for happiness inteilectu-
ally anG morally; 1t removes tendency TO
4look FOR trouble and enables man to rise
superior to the petty misunderstanding TO
which the ignorant are liable.
This is admirably illustrated by well
known incident in the life Of Daniel O'Cea-
NELL the famous Irish political agitator. The
story is familiar, but is well worth repent
ing in this particular connection.
There was in Dublin an old apple woman
renowned throughout the city for her yio-
lent temper and for the vituperative genius
with which she enforced her remarks when
angry. Aperfect food of Billingsgate would
pour from her mouth on such occasions and
1t took very little to call 1t forth. O'Con-
nell's friends made wager with him that
in war Of words with the old woman he
would be completely outdone. In spite Of his
well known powers of oratory. He took up
the wager and on certain day repaired with
his friends who had staked their money
against him to the vicinity of the old wom-
ans apple cart. This, In an apparently acci-
dental way, he managed to upset, and was
assailed by perfect torrent of abuse. He
retortcd in kind and the battle was on. The
old woman's volubility at first proved too
much for O'Connell, and much to his friends
delight he seemed to be getting the worst
of It, when the tide turned In his favor by
his calling her an "isoscees triangle" That
floored her, but she was game to the last and
still fought on. But when he called her
neutrality-suspicious. her emotions overcame
her and she became speeches.. And so he
won Her Ignorance Of the meaning Of ordi-
nary harmless words proved her undoing,
for she read Into these polysyllables the most
outrageous meanings They were epithets
for which she could find no equivalents.
The misuse Of words is, of course. often
source of much humor. and funny stories
without number are told Of modern Mala-
props which Guido anything that that famous
woman ever uttered. There is we'll known
wealthy woman in Chicago to whom are at
tributed many humorous instances Of this
falling. The trouble with such people Is that
they do not realize the danger and the folly
Of getting beyond their depth, and In their
grandtloquence they seek for words Of which
they have very vague comprehension. The
folly Of 1t all In one sense is pathetic, but 1t
is always humorous.
The woman just referred to- once IN talk
very fond of dancing In my girlhood. In
fact, 1t was at fancy dress ball that first
met my husband I remember It so well
He was SO quantity dressed. He was in the
garbage of a monk" Had she stuck to the
word ''dress," with which she was on easy
terms. she would not have made herself
ridiculous but In CROPPING after the unusual
she got beyond her depth.
The following is also accredited to the
same woman My daughter you know"
she said, ''has been travelling in the East
and cruising about the Levant." "How de-
lightful!'' exclaimed friend. "And ala
she go to the Dardane1les7" eyes, Indeed"
was the reply. II think they asked her to
dine with them"
On another occasion. when some one took
occasion to remark that 1t was too bad her
daughter was SO delicate she replied :-"Not
at all: my daughter is very indellcate, very"
Another woman, a nouveau richie. had at
once decided. upon the acquisition Of wealth.
that some Of her money must be spent by
her son in extended travelling. She would
wax very enthusiastic upon the subject.
"Yes!" she would sey to her friends '.My