287.  Large Circle for "ss," "sz," etc. - Two s or z sounds, when they occur with a single vowel-sound be tween them, are usually written with a large circle, turned on the same side of a stem as the small circle (278).

288.  The Name of the Large Circle is "Breve-sez." Its stenotype is "ss," "sz," or "zz."

289.  The Names of the Stems with Breve-sez are formed as follows: Chesses, Pesses, Fesses, Reeses, Erses, Elses, Leeses; Sesstee, Sesskay, etc.

290.   The rules just stated, governing the use of breve-s, also apply to breve-sez, except that the latter cannot be written inside of the hooks.

291.  Vowel-Signs within Breve-sez. - In practice it is seldom necessary to write the vowel included in breve-sez. But when it is desirable to do so, it may be done by putting its sign within the circle. The dot or dash may be placed in the upper, middle, or lower part of the circle, according as it represents a first, second, or third place vowel. A diphthong-sign is put in the middle of the circle without regard to the position to which it belongs. Examples:

Reading Exercise.

Writing Exercise.

Passes, races or raises, vices, masses, laces, opposes, taxes, dresses, prices, closes, spaces, sexes, necessary, excessive, subsist, basis, bases, recess, amanuensis, amanuenses.

292. Abbreviations with Circles. - Each of the following abbreviations contains one or more circles :

Key. -(1. i) As, has, is, his, possibl-y, because, horse, insurance, United States, special, spoke, speak, (2) signify, single, similarity, similar, remembrance, sympathy, something, somewhere, somewhat, December, (3) Massachusetts, misdemeanor, mistake, mistook, mistaken, domestic, aristocracy, savings-bank, circumstantial, (4) southern, suggestion, subjection, September, satisfactory, certificate, understood, San Francisco.

Reading Exercise.

Writing Exercise.

Miss Rose Hughes arose to accuse Miss Rouse and Miss Ives of making-a fuss in-the house ; but Sarah and Sam Snow sat in-their seats and said not a word. A wise man sometimes thinks he knows the news when-he sees it in-a newspaper. James and Thomas Fox, two cautious brothers from Elizabeth, who-were bound for Mexico, took an unsafe vessel which-has-not-heen seen since December.

The Misses Dos-Passos of Texas, nice lasses with beautiful faces and very (233) fine voices, have-gone (168) to-the (270) races with Ulysses, riding in chaises. The Misses Croesus, with their laces and gauzes and flounces, turn up their noses at-their nieces, the fascinating amanuenses, and all-their phrases and graces and vases of roses. The crisis that now exists in Mississippi causes a schism in-our party that may-be decisive of-the election this season ; and it is precisely that which-makes it necessary to-exercise (176) excessive caution to-sustain (176) those-who hold-the offices, until success blesses the country by reducing-the taxes.