t into independent
clauses, the ideas of least value into dependent clauses or phrases.
_Other things being equal_, be it understood, for by a too strict
observance of this rule one may easily make the sentence ludicrous. Take
the following as an illustration:

|We were to raid the hall precisely at midnight, and |
|we set our watches to the second. |

Here the thought-value of the two clauses is not equal, no matter how
the writer may attempt to make it seem so by expressing the ideas in
clauses grammatically equal. The second clause contains the main idea;
so the first should be subservient. Thus:

|As we were to raid the hall precisely at midnight, |
|we set our watches to the second. |

In the corrected form the sentence is given greater force by having the
reader's attention directed specifically to the thought of prime
importance, the setting of the watches. And so with the following
sentences. Note that the second in each case is made more forceful by
centering the attention on what is most important in thought.

|The saloons were not allowed after January 1 to keep|
|open on Sunday, and half of them gave up their |
|licenses. |

|As the saloons were not allowed after January 1 to |
|keep open on Sunday, half of them gave up their |
|licenses. |

* * * * *

|He fell from the sixth story and was able to walk |
|away without assistance. |

|Though he fell from the sixth story, he was able to |
|walk away without assistance. |

=156. Ellipsis.=--Ellipsis is the omission of a word or phrase necessary
to the meaning of a sentence. An ellipsis is poor when the words omitted
cannot readily be understood from the context. Pope's line,

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

is an illustration of good ellipsis because the word _is_ can readily be
substituted from the context. The following ellipses, however, are not
good:

|Louis Flanagan is helping his brother Silas cut wood|
|and numerous other things. |

|He shadowed Laux longer than O'Rourke. |

|Standing on each side of the door, a fat and tall |
|man looked suspiciously at them. |

Ellipsis is ofte