Business English Part 58

_Direct_: "Why didn't he succeed?" I asked.

_Indirect_: I asked why he had not succeeded.

_Direct_: "When may I go?" she inquired.

_Indirect_: She inquired when she might go.

In the following change the italicized parts to direct quotations. Do not change the paragraphing.

1

THE SEAL'S LESSON

The baby seal said _that he could not swim_.

His mother answered _that he could try_.

The little fellow persisted _that he could never learn_.

His mother looked at him sternly, and said _that every seal must learn to swim_.

He replied _that the water was cold and that he liked the sand better_, but because his mother insisted, he slid into the water whimpering.

After he had gone a short distance, he turned around and called out _that the water was much pleasanter than the sand_.

His mother said _that she knew that it would be so_.

She said _that young people must do as they are told because they have not had enough experience to judge for themselves_.

2

A FAITHFUL SERVANT

A certain old time king said _that he needed a servant who could be depended upon_. He said he knew _that such a man is difficult to secure, and in the hope of getting the right one, he would hire two_.

When he had engaged them, he took them to a well and, showing them a large basket, told them _to fill it with water_. He said _that he would return at night to see what they had done_.

The men were very much in earnest when they began the work, but, after pouring five or six bucketfuls of water into the basket, one of them stopped and said _that he did not see any use in doing that because, as soon as he poured the water in, it ran out again, and his time was lost_.

His companion replied _that the kind of work that their master gave them was no concern of theirs; that they were paid to do the work; and, whether it seemed useful to them or not, they ought to do it_.

The first speaker said _that the other man could do as he pleased, but, as for him, he did not expect to waste his time on such foolish work_. Throwing his bucket down, he walked off.

The one that was left continued at the work until about sunset, when he had nearly emptied the well.

Looking into the basket, he saw something glittering.

Stooping to look more closely, he found in the basket a ring of great value which his bucket had scooped up from the mud at the bottom of the well. He said _that now he knew why the king had wanted the water poured into the basket_.

Shortly afterward, when the king came up with some of his officers and saw the ring in the basket, he knew that the man had obeyed him, and he said _that he knew he could trust him, and as a reward for obedience he would make him master over other servants_.

=Exercise 172--The Paragraph in Dialogue=

In conversation the words of each speaker, together with the author's words of explanation, form one paragraph. Whenever the speaker changes, the paragraph changes; as,

"Mimer," boldly said the G.o.d Odin to the gray old guardian of the well where wit and wisdom lie hidden, "Mimer, let me drink of the waters of wisdom."

"Truly, Odin," answered Mimer, "it is a great treasure that you seek and one which many have sought before but who, when they knew the price of it, turned back."

Then replied Odin, "I would give my right hand for wisdom willingly."

"Nay," rejoined the remorseless Mimer, "it is not your right hand, but your right eye, you must give."--Keary: _The Heroes of Asgard_.

However, when one speaker talks at length, what he says is formed into paragraphs according to the divisions into which it falls. (See Chapter XIV.)

When a short quotation is simply part of a paragraph, it is punctuated as follows:

This, however, was of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind. Often when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, "Don't give too much for the whistle," and I saved my money.

Paragraph the following:

1

On the next morning we had gone but a mile or two when we came to an extensive belt of woods, through the midst of which ran a stream, wide, deep, and of an appearance particularly muddy and treacherous. In plunged the cart, but midway it stuck fast. Then approached the long team and heavy wagon of our friends, but it paused on the brink. "Now my advice is,--" began the captain, who had been anxiously contemplating the muddy gulf. "Drive on!" cried R. But Wright, the muleteer, apparently had not as yet decided the point in his own mind. He sat still in his seat on one of the shaft-mules, whistling in a low, contemplative strain to himself. "My advice is,"

resumed the captain, "that we unload; for I'll bet any man five pounds that if we try to go through, we shall stick fast." "By the powers, we shall stick fast!"

echoed Jack, the captain's brother, shaking his large head with an air of conviction. "Drive on! drive on!"

petulantly cried R. "Well," observed the captain, turning to us as we sat looking on, "I can only give my advice; and if people won't be reasonable, why, they won't, that's all!"--Parkman: _The Oregon Trail_.

2

Rebecca walked up the lane and went to the side door.

There was a porch there. Seated in a rocking-chair, husking corn, was a good-looking young man. Rebecca was a trifle shy at this encounter, but there was nothing to do except explain her presence; so she asked, "Is the lady of the house at home?." "I am the lady of the house at present," said the stranger with a whimsical smile. "What can I do for you?" "Have you ever heard of the--would you like--er I mean, do you need any soap?" queried Rebecca. "Do I look as if I do?" he responded unexpectedly. Rebecca dimpled. "I didn't mean that; I have some soap to sell; I mean I would like to introduce to you a very remarkable soap, the best now on the market. It is called the--" "Oh! I must know that soap," said the gentleman genially.

"Made out of pure vegetable fats, isn't it?" "The very purest," corroborated Rebecca. "No acid in it?" "Not a trace." "And yet a child could do the Monday was.h.i.+ng with it and use no force?" "A babe," corrected Rebecca. "Oh! a babe, eh? That child grows younger every year, instead of older--wise child!"--Wiggin: _Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm_.

Change the following from indirect to direct discourse and paragraph:

When Whittier went on his first fis.h.i.+ng trip, it was a day in early summer. The long afternoon shadows lay cool on the gra.s.s. The boy said that the flowers seemed brighter and the birds merrier than ever before. When they came to a bend in the river, his uncle said that this was a good place to try. He told the boy to throw out his line as he had seen others do and move it on the surface of the water in imitation of the leap of a frog. The boy did as he was told, but he caught no fish. His uncle said that he should try again. Suddenly the bait sank out of sight, and the boy cried out that he had caught a fish at last. As he spoke, he pulled up a tangle of weeds. His uncle said that he should try again, because fishermen must have patience. In a moment the boy felt something tug at his line, and as he jerked it up, he saw a fine pickerel wriggling in the sun. In uncontrollable excitement he called out to his uncle, telling him to look at the big pickerel. His uncle said that the boy didn't have it yet, and as he spoke there was a splash in the water, and the boy's hook hung empty. His uncle a.s.sured him that there were more fish in the river, but the boy would not be comforted. His uncle smiled shrewdly and told Whittier to remember never to brag of catching a fish until it was on dry land. He said that he had seen older people doing that in more ways than one, and so making fools of themselves. He said that it was better not to boast of doing a thing until it was done.

=Exercise 173--The Comma (,)=

=Rule 1.--The comma is used to separate a direct quotation from the words of explanation.=

For ill.u.s.tration see the foregoing exercises.

Write the following from dictation; then compare your version with the original:

Literature, the ministry, medicine, the law, and other occupations are hindered for want of men to do the work. To test this statement thoroughly you need only hunt up a first-cla.s.s editor, reporter, business manager, foreman of a shop, mechanic, or artist in any branch of industry and try to hire him. You will find that he is already hired. He is sober, industrious, capable, reliable, and always in demand. He cannot get a day's holiday except by courtesy of his employer, or of his city, or of the great general public. But if you need idlers, s.h.i.+rkers, half-instructed, unambitious, and comfort-seeking editors, reporters, lawyers, doctors, and mechanics apply anywhere.--_Mark Twain._

=Rule 2.--The comma is used to separate the members of a series.=