title: The 80 Best American Expressions: Idioms for Understanding and Speaking English
author:  Alice Scordato 
description: Alice Scordato is an experienced English as a Second Language teacher. She loves teaching adults English and has a Master's degree in T.E.S.O.L. Her teaching philosophy is to incorporate words with pictures or music whenever possible, which facilitates right brain learning.
zlib_text: ![](images/00001.jpg)
  
  
  # MELISSA'S TOUR
  
  
  ### GRANT ALLEN
  
  
  This page copyright © 2002 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com  
    
  
  Lucy looked across the table at me with a face of blank horror. “O
  
  
  Vernon,” she cried, “what are we EVER to do? And an American at that!
  
  
  This is just TOO ghastly!” It's a habit of Lucy's, I may remark, to
  
  
  talk italics.
  
  
  I laid down my coffee-cup, and glanced back at her in surprise.
  
  
  “Why, what's up?” I exclaimed, scanning the envelope close. “A letter
  
  
  from Oxford, surely. Mrs. Wade, of Christchurch—I thought I knew the
  
  
  hand. And SHE's not an American.”
  
  
  “Well, look for yourself!” Lucy cried, and tossed the note to me,
  
  
  pouting. I took it, and read. I'm aware that I have the misfortune to
  
  
  be only a man, but it really didn't strike me as quite so terrible.
  
  
  “DEAR MRS. HANCOCK: George has just heard that your husband and
  
  
  you are going for a trip to New York this summer. COULD you manage to
  
  
  do us a VERY GREAT kindness? I hope you w