LESSON CXXVIII

One misty, moisty morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
I chanced to meet an old man
Clothed all in leather;
He began to compliment,

And I began to grin,

"How do you do?" and "How do you do?"
And "How do you do?" again.

'I WRITTEN This is a difficult rime, and it will require close study if every point is mastered. Note the series of two words in the first line; the when-group in the second line; the comma after the independent statements at the end of the fifth and the sixth lines; the dash showing a break in thought; the six quote-marks; the alinement.

There is only one new mark here, the accent over the second syllable of clothed. Usually this word. has but one syllable. Why should it have two here? Write from memory, and verify.

Rule 33 Use the grave accent to mark an extra syllable, not usually pronounced.

II WRITTEN Write from memory the rule for descriptive groups of words loosely connected. Is the group clothed all in leather so closely connected that we think of it together with man? If so, it is restrictive also.

III ORAL Recite the rime of today's lesson. Perhaps someone will sing it for you.

To the teacher: See Appendix note.

LESSON CXXIX

Thomas of Tattamus took two tees
To tie two tups to two tall trees,

To frighten the terrible Thomas of Tattamus—
Tell me how many t's there are in all THAT.

Study till
Read the

I WRITTEN This is another catch. you see how easy a question is asked. new rule. There are two new things today, the plural form of a letter, and capitals for emphasis. A tee is a piece of iron or of wood shaped like the letter T. Tups is an old term for rams. Notice the sudden break shown by the dash. Write from memory, and verify.

Rule 34 Show the plural form of letters, characters, and marks by adding the apostrophe and s. Plural means more than one.

II WRITTEN Look thru your readers to find other examples of the use of the apostrophe and s to show plurals. If you succeed, read in class the examples you have found. It is better to write out in full the names of all characters whenever space allows. III ORAL Read the following sentences:

1 Be sure to dot your i's and cross your t's.

2 You have left out two %'s and one $.

(Better: You have

left out two per cent marks and one dollar sign.)

3 She had one a, two b's, and three c's.

4 He got the 's and X's mixed. (Better: He got the minus signs and the multiplication signs mixed.)

LESSON CXXX

There was an old man from Tobago,
Who lived on rice, gruel, and sago,
Till, much to his bliss,
His physician said this:

"To a leg, sir, of mutton you may go."

I WRITTEN Notice the parenthetical expression, much to his bliss. A parenthetical expression may always be omitted. Is sir a term used in direct address? The word this makes the quotation formal and the colon necessary. If this were omitted, you might use a comma instead of the colon. Write from memory, and verify.

The colon is also used after the salutation, before the body of the letter.

Rule 35 Use the colon before the formal or long quotations.

II WRITTEN

the following:

Point off the parenthetical parts in

1 John it seems to me is in a great hurry.

2 She tumbled wholly by accident into very good hands. 3 He was now at the age of ten already a musician.

III ORAL Read these sentences aloud, being careful to show by the inflection of your voice that there is a parenthetical part:

1 This rime, of itself, is not complete.
2 That is, of course, quite unnecessary.

3 Rabbits, for example, make good pets.

4 Most boys, on the other hand, like arithmetic.

5 I am sorry, you know, to go away.

6 Well, you see, I had to go home then.