What Is Man? and Other Essays

by Mark Twain

To write the word “through,” the pen has to make twenty-one strokes.

To write the word “thru,” the pen has to make twelve strokes—a good saving.

To write that same word with the phonographic alphabet, the pen has to make only three strokes.

To write the word “laugh,” the pen has to make fourteen strokes.

To write “laff,” the pen has to make the same number of strokes—no labor is saved to the penman.

To write the same word with the phonographic alphabet, the pen has to make only three strokes.

To write the word “highland,” the pen has to make twenty-two strokes.

To write “hyland,” the pen has to make eighteen strokes.

To write that word with the phonographic alphabet, the pen has to make only FIVE strokes. (Figure 3)

To write the words “phonographic alphabet,” the pen has to make fifty-three strokes.