P.—I begin to think you are crazy; for, do you think you can humbug me by saying that there are only nine different words, or parts of speech, in the English language? I shall consider it to be my duty to have you put in the Lunatic Asylum, if you talk in that way.
S.—I still assert that there are only nine parts of speech, which are: a noun, article, adjective, pronoun, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.
P.—Ah, yes, I recollect.
S.—Well, what part of speech is iron?
P.—As near as I can recollect, iron is the seventh, and it may possibly be the ninth part of speech.
S.—No, sir,—it is one of the nine parts of speech I just mentioned.
P.—Ah, yes, excuse me,—I understand. Well, iron must be a conjunction, because it can be heated and spliced.
S.—Iron is a noun.
P.—Ah, yes, I recollect perfectly well that iron is a noun, and I am surprised that I did not remember it, as I have long dealt in fron, and know all about it.
S.—That will do for to-day, and I will resume your grammar lessons to-morrow. Good day, sir.