P.—What old fools they must have been?
S.—Those Egyptians who discovered the alphabet, were the wisest linguists of the human race. And those Arabians who discovered the digits, were the profoundest mathematicians. And, as you can neither spell nor cypher well, I advise you to defer your arithmetic and grammar lessons until you learn orthography.
P.—I don’t know what you mean by linguist, nor by digits. And what on earth do you mean by orthography?
S.—Orthography means spelling.
P.—Ah, yes, I thought that was it. Now, Mr. Branch, I am in public life, as you know, and I am very anxious to make a good speech and write a good letter; and, in order to do that, I must understand Grammar. And I think I can spell well enough to study Grammar, Mr. Branch. You have only examined me in a few words, and because I slightly broke down on them, you must not suppose that I can’t spell well enough to study Grammar. Just try me in a few more words.
S.—Spell alderman?
P.—Oldermon.
S.—No.
P.—Olldermone.
S.—No.