words. Note the added emphasis given the
following sentences by mere reduction in the number of words:

|It is well to understand that a high temperature of |
|heat, boiling or more, destroys the germs of |
|disease. |

|It is well understood that a high temperature, |
|boiling or more, destroys germs. |

* * * * *

|A pioneer living west of Solon blew his head off |
|to-day with a shotgun. Death followed the deed |
|instantly. |

|A pioneer living west of Solon killed himself |
|instantly to-day by blowing his head off with a |
|shotgun. |

* * * * *

|Miss Helen Goodrich, who is an aviatrix of note, was|
|arrested in Bremen this morning charged with |
|kidnapping. |

|Miss Helen Goodrich, an aviatrix of note, was |
|arrested in Bremen this morning charged with |
|kidnapping. |

Note that in the last illustration, in particular, the condensation
consists in reducing predication, in merely removing a verb and a
pronoun from the sentence.

=167. Repetition.=--The worth of repetition as a means of obtaining
coherence has been discussed in a preceding chapter. Its value as an
effective means of gaining emphasis is also noteworthy. Consider the
effect of the repetition of the word _blithe_ in the following two
sentences:

|A blithe young man met a blithe young woman at State|
|and Adams Streets Friday. Michael Hurley, a blithe |
|plain-clothes policeman, met them both. |

Great care must be exercised, however, in repeating a word for emphasis.
The usage may easily be a handicap rather than a help. More often than
not, repetition of the same word or phrase is the result of laziness or
paucity of vocabulary, and destroys the force of the sentence. An
instance of too frequent use of the same word--the adjective
_beautiful_--appears in the following:

|The bride was elaborately gowned in a beautiful |
|sky-blue messaline dress, with silk over lace, and |
|carried a beautiful bouquet of gladiolis, besides |
|having a beautiful bouquet of flowers at the wai