perish-die-of

Updated: June 19, 2025

She made an excuse and disappeared into her own room. Later I, feigning sleep, heard the following: "Mees Adams, I was almost to perish-die-of monotony w'en your fair and beautiful face appear in thees mee-ser-rhable house." I opened my starboard eye. The beard was being curled furiously around a finger, the Svengali eye was rolling, the chair was being hunched closer to the school-teacher's.

O. Henry - Waifs and Strays: Part 1