138 MEMOIRS NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [vol.xv, 



(h) John was saddling his horse one day and thoughtlessly put the saddle on backward. When told of his mistake, 



he said, "How do you know which direction I am going to ride?" 



(t) A mistake is much worse than a lie, for all people make mistakes and only liars tell lies. 



0) The wind blew strong from the west and carried the smoke over the roof of the house straight toward the setting 



sun. 



Series 2. 



(a) A man had smallpox twice. The first time it killed him, but the second time he got well quickly. 



(6) A bicycle rider being thrown from his bicycle in an accident struck his head against a stone and was instantly 

 killed. They picked him up and carried him to the hospital, and they do not think he will get well again. 



(c) The poor sick man lay flat on his back six weeks in the month of August and suffered terribly. 



((f) While walking backward the man struck his forehead against a stone wall and was knocked insensible. 



(e) Though armed with nothing but his pocketknife he killed the robber with a single shot. 



(/) A man said to his friend, "I hope you will live to eat the chickens that scratch sand on your grave." 



(g) Just before sunset we sat in the shade of a tall tree and amused ourselves by watching the shadows as they 

 gradually grew shorter and shorter. 



(h) A man said he liked the moon better than the sun, because the moon shines at night when we need the light 

 while the sun shines in the day when it is already light. 



(i) When the price of food is high, wages ought to be low in order to make things fair for everybody. 



(j) There was once a man so strong that he could lift himself high off the ground by pulling up on his boot straps. 



Series 3. 



(a) One day we came in sight of several icebergs that had been entirely melted by the warmth of the Gulf Stream. 



(5) Yesterday the police found the body of a girl cut into eighteen pieces and they believe that she killed herself, 

 (c) A father wrote to his son, " I inclose ten dollars. If you do not receive this letter, please send me a telegram." 

 ((f) A man wished to dig a hole in which to bury some rubbish. He could not decide what to do with the dirt 



from the hole. A friend suggested that he dig the hole large enough to hold the dirt too. 



(e) At the crossroads was a guidepost with the following directions: "Philadelphia, 3 J miles. If you can not read, 

 inquire at the blacksmith shop. 



(/) The reason why winter is colder than summer is because in winter there is a large amount of snow, while in 

 summer there are only warm rains. 



(g) Walter came to school tardy only one day last year, and that was Christmas morning. 



(h) With an umbrella under her arm and a purse in her right hand the daintily dressed woman walked slowly along 

 the road in a heavy rain. 



(i) When wages are low, laborers should get their pay in gold rather than in silver, because gold, being more precious 

 than silver, will buy more food. 



(j) It is safer to travel in an automobile than on a train, because a train wreck may kill a hundred people while 

 an automobile wreck never kills more than a few. 



Series 4- 



(a) Walter now has to write with his left hand because two years ago he lost both his arms in an accident. 



(6) An engineer said that the more cars he had on his train the faster he could go. 



(c) A well-known railroad had its last accident five years ago and since that time it has killed only one person in a 

 collision. 



((f) They found the young man locked in the room with his hands and feet tied behind him. They think that he 

 locked himself in. 



(e) I read in a paper that they fired two shots at a man. The first shot killed him, but the second did not. 



(/) An old lady says that God is very good, because He always makes the largest rivers flow past the largest cities. 



(g) An Irishman called at the post office to get his mail. "What is your name?" said the postmaster. "Why?" 

 said the Irishman, "you will find my name on the envelope." 



(h) A kind-hearted man who was taking a heavy bag of grain to town on his horse, sat on his horse and lifted the 

 bag to his own shoulder in order to make the load easier for his horse. 



(i) A gentleman fell from his carriage and broke his neck, but received no further damage. 



(j) In some States there are laws to prevent a man from marrying his widow's sister. 



Series 5. 



(a) It has been found that the last car of a train is damaged most in case of accident. It therefore seems best to 

 leave off the last car. 



(6) There was a railroad accident yesterday, but it was not very serious. Only forty-eight people were killed. 



(c) A wheel came off of Frank's automobile and as he could not get the wheel back on he had to run his automobile 

 to the shop for repairs. 



(if) A boy who was asked where Mr. Smith lived, said, "The first house you come to is a barn. The next is a 

 haystack. The next is Mr. Smith's." 



(e) The storm which began yesterday has continued three days without a break. 



(/) Henry's dog has three puppies, so when Henry builds a little house for them he will have to make one large 

 door for the mother dog and three small doors for the three puppies. 



