Deliberation, n.: The act of examining one's bread to determine which side it is buttered on.

STORY, n. A narrative, commonly untrue. The truth of the stories here following has, however, not been successfully impeached.

Every patriot believes his country better than any other country . . . In its active manifestation-it is fond of killing-patriotism would be well enough if it were simply defensive, but it is also aggressive . . . Patriotism deliberately and with folly aforethought subordinates the interests of a whole to the interests of a part . . . Patriotism is fierce as a fever, pitiless as the grave and blind as a stone.

DIAGNOSIS, n. A physician's forecast of disease by the patient's pulse and purse.

HURRICANE, n. An atmospheric demonstration once very common but now generally abandoned for the tornado and cyclone. The hurricane is still in popular use in the West Indies and is preferred by certain old- fashioned sea-captains.

PIG, n. An animal ("Porcus omnivorus") closely allied to the human race by the splendor and vivacity of its appetite, which, however, is inferior in scope, for it sticks at pig.

RUIN, v. To destroy. Specifically, to destroy a maid's belief in the virtue of maids.