13. One of the ablest and most distinguished reporters that ever lived, has said: "In following a rapid speaker, the occurrence of a phrase or sentence which can be condensed into a convenient and familiar phraseogram is a god-send to the writer; and if two or three such occur close together, they enable him, if he is losing ground, to advance by leaps and bounds until he is close at the speaker's heels. The common phrases, as a matter of fact and in point of fact, have often, like good fairies, helped me over the ground when I have been running a hard race; and I felt really grateful for their intervention. In taking evidence, for example, the occurrence of such a question as, do you mean to say as a matter of fact that the affairs of the company could not be settled, will (because of the several useful phrases which may be brought into play) enable the reporter to make up any amount of lost ground, or if he has none to make up, will permit him, so to speak, to play with the speaker, and record his words with the utmost ease and nonchalance, however rapidly they may be uttered." (T. A. Reed.)