MSGID: 1:153/716.0 eab7d421   
   REPLY: 2:221/6.0 5ea17fc6   
   CHRS: IBMPC 2   
   Hi again, Anton!  This is a continuation of my previous message to you:   
      
   AH>  Folks often resort to pills when their state of health   
   AH>  or whatever is in doubt,   
      
   AS>  And all the readier because taking pills takes only a   
   AS>  negligible effort.   
      
      
              Yup....  :-)   
      
      
      
   AH>  When pigeons find something to eat on a public sidewalk   
   AH>  they tend to congregate there until something startles   
   AH>  them, then they "scatter".  Human beings tend to congregate   
   AH>  in pubs, restaurants, and coffee shops for similar reasons.   
      
   AS>  Well said!   
      
      
              Thankyou....  :-)   
      
      
      
   AS>  We scatter like a flock of pigeons when it is startled. But   
   AS>  how does your reading treat the complement "with pills"?   
      
      
              More examples:   
      
                   The dog retreated with its tail between its hind legs.   
                   The butler absconded with the family silver.   
                   The train departed for Montreal with Harriet on board.   
                   John left without saying goodbye.   
      
      
   I would describe "with [...]" as an adverbial phrase, however....  :-)   
      
      
      
   AS>  If "scatter" is intransitive, there is nothing to scatter   
   AS>  with pills, is it?   
                    |is there?   
      
      
              That's my take on it....  :-)   
      
      
      
   AS>  And what are "woes" and "ills" if not the objects of   
   AS>  "scatter"?   
      
      
              I interpret these "woes" and "ills"... which may be psychological   
   or physical or both... as what often motivates human beings to use pills.  The   
   way Bierce alludes to the former, however, implies a bit of poetic   
   licence....  :-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)   
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