“Erskine.”
Very bad spelling is sometimes the best, as in the case of the English beer-vender, who wrote over his shop-door:
“Bear sold here.”
Tom Hood, who saw it, said that it was spelled right, because the fluid he sold was his own Bruin!
Not less ingenious was the device of the quack-doctor, who announced in his printed handbills that he could instantly cure “the most obstinate aguews;” which orthography proved that he was no conjuror, and did not attempt to cure them by a spell.
It was Punch, if we remember rightly, who told the story, some years ago, of a man who loaned an umbrella to a friend, a tradesman in his street, on a wet, nasty day. It was not returned, and on another wet, disagreeable day, he called for it, but found his friend at the door, going out with it in his hand.
“I've come for my umbrella,” exclaimed the loan-or.
“Can't help that,” exclaimed the borrower; “don't you see that I am going out with it?”