;" "You must
not expect to always have things as you would like to have them,"
instead of, "You must not expect to have always things as you would
like to have them." It is claimed by some writers, however, that it
is not only correct to separate the infinitive from the verb, but
that such construction adds force to the sentence; as, "A pure heart
is necessary if we wish _to thoroughly enjoy_ the beauties of nature,"
in place of to _enjoy thoroughly_, etc.

Many errors are also made by incorrect _application_ of punctuation
marks; as, for instance: An auctioneer, who had a buggy for sale, placed
the sign, "_Buggy! for Sale_," on an old bedstead near his door. In a
short time his attention was drawn to the blunder by the laughter of
some who passed. He readily perceived his error, and promptly made the
correction. Examples of this kind are countless, of which I here give a
few: "Woman, without her man, is a brute," should be, "Woman,--without
her, man is a brute." A child being asked, "Why should we love God?"
replied, "Because He makes preserves, and redeems us," when he should
have said, "Because He makes, preserves, and redeems us." A blacksmith,
passing by a barber's shop, observed in the window an imprinted placard,
which he read as follows:--

"What do you think?
I'll shave you for nothing,
And give you some drink."

The son of Vulcan, with a huge black beard on his chin, and a little
spark in his throat, accepted the invitation and entered the shop. After
the operation had been duly performed, he asked for the liquor. But the
shaver of beards demanded payment; when the smith, in a stentorian
voice, referred him to his own placard, which the barber very
good-humoredly produced, and read thus:--

"What! do you think
I'll shave you for nothing,
And give you some drink?"

Another example of the ludicrous will tend still better to show the
value of correct punctuation:--

"Every lady in this land
Hath twenty nails upon each hand;
Five and twenty on hands and feet.
And this is true, without deceit."

The true meaning of the passage will at once be made clear by correct
punctuation; as,--

"Every lady in this land
Hath twenty nails; upon each hand
Five; and twenty on hands and feet.
And this is true, without deceit."

The following request was once presented to a clergyman: "A sailor
going to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congre