Every-Day Errors of Speech Part 28

The invalid came from _Bremen_ to America and hoped to be soon _acclimated_, but was stricken down with a disease that was not _amenable_ to treatment, although he had many physicians: _allopathists_, _hydropathists_ and _homeopathists_. He said that the aim of _allopathy_ was to poison him; of _hydropathy_ to drown him; and of _homeopathy_ to let him die unaided.

One of the _combatants_ struck his _opponent_ in the _abdomen_ with a club, cut off an _alder_ tree; he was carried under the shade of an _ailantus_ and immediately expired.

_Sophia_ found the egg under a _piony_ near the _shumac_ tree; but she broke it in carrying, and spilled the _alb.u.men_ all over her _alpaca_ dress.

The dose for an _adult_ is a _dessert-spoonful_.

It was a plain supper--nothing but _aerated_ bread, _Bologna_ sausage and _radishes_.

He told his _demonstrative disputant_ that he did not wish to _get_ into an _altercation_, but it only appeared to arouse his _combativeness_ still more.

Why do you accent the _antepenult_ of _espionage_?

He _ill.u.s.trated_ his proposition by cutting off the _apex_ of the figure, and then exhibited his _apparatus_ for the production of _statical_ electricity.

Two-thirds _gum-arabic_ and one-third _gum-tragacanth_ make a good mucilage.

The _archbishop_ dreamed that an _archangel_ came to him and told him to have his _architect_ send to an island in the Grecian _Archipelago_ for white marble for the _pilasters_.

Search the _archives_ of history and you will not find another such _prodigy_ as Admirable _Crichton_.

When, after _traversing_ the ocean, you find yourself in the _arid_ desert of _Sahara_, where there is no _aroma_ of sweet flowers, or anything _at all_ to regale your exhausted energies; where there is no _herb_ nor _herbaceous_ plant near you; where you are almost famished for want of some _potable_ fluid; where you are in constant fear of being _hara.s.sed_ by _truculent nomads_--then will you realize that there are no joys _comparable_ to those that exist around the _hearthstone_ of your humble home.

When the contents of the _museum_ were sold by _auction_, the antiquary bought a roll of _papyrus_ filled with _hieroglyphics_, a kind of _bellows_ used by the ancients for starting their fires, and a fine collection of _trilobites_.

The attempt at a _reconnoisance_ in force had been unsuccessful; immediately after _reveille_, the commander of the _fortress_ _put_ it to vote amongst his officers, whether or not they should surrender.

The _ayes_ carried it, although some _vehemently_ opposed on account of the excellent _morale_ of the garrison.

The _heroine_ of the _melodrama_ sent to her _betrothed Seignior_ an _exquisite bouquet_, composed of _catalpa_ flowers, _dahlias_, _marigold_ and _thyme_, and prayed his forgiveness for not allowing him the promised _tete-a-tete_ at the _trysting_ place; she had been suffering with the _tic-douloureux_, she said. He generously forgave her and sent her a _sonnet_, in which he said that her voice was sweeter than that of _Piccolomini_, or any other _cantatrice_; that no _houri_ could be more beautiful than she; he called her a fair _florist_, and after _extolling_ her _navete_, _roseate_ cheeks and _nymphean_ graces, he swore eternal _homage_ and that he would love her forever and for _aye_.

The judge _bade_ the _desperado_ cease his _badinage_ and answer his _inquiries_, and threatened that if he did not, he would punish him for his _contumacy_.

The _vicar_ was one of the _notable_ men of his day; his wife was a pattern of _industry_, a _notable_ housekeeper. While the birds were chirping their _matin_ song, she might be seen with her _besom_ in her hand.

Is this a _bona fide_ transaction, or is it a _Machiavelian_ attempt to _inveigle_ the _prelate_ into an _imbroglio_?

A _booth_ was erected at the fair where the _pretty_ Misses _Agnes_ and _Rosalind_ with much _complaisance_ dispensed _gratis_ to the visitors, _soda-water_ flavored with _orgeat_ or _sarsaparilla_.

General _Silvester_ and his _protege_, _Reginald_, met with a _casualty_ that nearly cost them their lives. The horses attached to their _Brougham_ became frightened at a _yacht_ and made a _tremendous_ leap over a high embankment into a _creek_.

At the _zoological_ garden was found nearly every animal _extant_, from a mouse to a _camelopard_.

The _rendezvous_ of the _topographical_ surveyors was at the camp of some hunters on a _knoll_ near the banks of a _canon_.

The monk concealed his features with his _capoch_ and would have been _irrecognizable_ if his _discourse_ had not betrayed him.

The _etagere_ stands _cater-cornered_ in a _recess_ and contains many beautiful ornaments that his _predecessor_ _gathered_ within the last _decade_ of years; amongst which may be mentioned the heads of _Beethoven_, _Beranger_, _Goethe_, Percy _Bysshe_ Sh.e.l.ley, and many other celebrities, cut in _onyx_.

The _Caucasian_ races obtained their name on account of originating near Mount _Caucasus_.