Page 196 - tourism 2nd term 2021- 2022

mutter [v.] to speak in a low voice, lips partly closed {often to oneself and almost
always in a negative way}; [n.] a mutter – something spoken in a low voice

scrawl [v.] After his wife died, Mr. Dougherty got in the habit of going around muttering
to himself.

to write quickly and carelessly; {n} a scrawl – something written
hurriedly and carelessly {such as a signature} {see scribble, Lesson 45}

Although she could neither read not write, the old woman was able to scrawl
her name on the document.

ANECDOTE:

Before her marriage, Cora's well-to-do parents had given the girl money whenever she
needed it. During the five years she had been married to frank, her husband had taken care of the
couple's finances. As far as money matters were concerned, Cora had lived in ignorant bliss all
these years.

Now, Frank was way on business, and Cora had to take care of everything herself. One
morning, seeing that her supply of dollars was dwindling, she went to the bank to cash a check
that Frank had left for her.

"Very good, madam," said the aloof bank teller, "but you'll have to endorse the check
before I can cash it."

Cora startled by this request, protested. "But my husband has been patronizing this bank
since before we were married; he's well known here. It's a perfectly good check, as anyone can
see."

"Yes madam, it is, as say, a perfectly good check, but you have to sign it on the back so
that your husband will know you got the monitor's a quite normal formality".

"Oh, very well, I won't quibble about it, although I do feel that this is something strictly
between my husband and me." She took out her pentad quickly wrote on the back of the check.
"When an old fuddy-duddy she muttered to herself.

The teller, accepting the check again, turned it over and found scrawled, across the back,
"You loving wife, Cora."

WRITTEN EXERCISE:

Die?" One day the relatives of the old woman were startled by the sudden announcement that she
was going to marry a much younger man. Percival's hopes for his aunt's fortune, and the
accompanying bliss, dwindled. Percival decided he has to do something, but what? The

37