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If I personally did not arrive at that delectable condition the fault is with the immortal gods rather than with myself; for in my eagerness to learn the gorgeous tongue of Calderon and of Cervantes, I placed myself purposely in circumstances where I thought the darts of young Cupid could never fail to miss me. But finally I was reduced to Ollendorf's Grammar.
Besides being unfair, it would be impossible to give their conversation. It would read like a section from Ollendorf's French-English exercises. De Plonville, as has been said, was very proud of his English, and, unfortunately, the Hon. Margaret had a sense of humor.
His sisters, who were taught French from Ollendorf's grammar, were able to speak the language after two years' study; but the college boys could not say a single sentence after six. Ollendorf was a name which they pronounced with pity and contempt. It was the essence of all that was stupid.
"Phelps had an idea you were making music," he explained; "and, for the untidiness, I suppose he remembered that I was used to it of old." "Yes, it's just the same. It is an untidiness of years, and it is hopeless to cope with it. What have you got there?" He turned the book round to acquaint himself. "Ollendorf's 'Elementary German Grammar," he said with a smile; "it's an interesting work."
"I will call you Philip. I suppose that is the English name. Will you lay down your violin and draw up to the fire?" "I am not cold," said Phil. "He is not cold, he is hungry, as Ollendorf says," said Edwin, who had written a few French exercises according to Ollendorf's system. "Is supper almost ready?" "It will be ready at once.
Had any one demanded of Peter or Jane what they meant by the art of conversation, they would probably have replied that it had something to do with Ollendorf's method. 'How 's Toffy going to afford a motor? said Jane, with interest. 'Is it going to be "the cheapest thing in the end," like all Toffy's extravagances?
It was about this time that an official whose duty it was to swear in the election inspectors, not finding a Bible at hand, used a volume of Ollendorf's "New Method of Learning to Read, Write, and Speak French." The courts sustained this substitution on the ground that it could not possibly have vitiated the election!
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