THE misapplication of English words by foreigners is often very
ludicrous. A German friend saluted us once with, "Oh, good bye, good
bye!"--meaning, of course, "How d'ye do?" It is said that Dr. Chalmers
once entertained a distinguished guest from Switzerland, whom he asked
if he would be helped to kippered salmon. The foreign divine asked the
meaning of the uncouth word "kippered," and was told that it meant
"preserved." The poor man, in a public prayer, soon after, offered a
petition that the distinguished divine might long be "kippered to the
Free Church of Scotland."