[Sidenote: _Possessive and no noun limited._]

67. The possessive is sometimes used without belonging to any noun
in the sentence; some such word as _house_, _store_, _church_,
_dwelling_, etc., being understood with it: for example,--

Here at the _fruiterer's_ the Madonna has a tabernacle of fresh
laurel leaves.--RUSKIN.

It is very common for people to say that they are disappointed in
the first sight of _St. Peter's_.--LOWELL.

I remember him in his cradle at _St. James's_.--THACKERAY.

Kate saw that; and she walked off from the _don's_.--DE QUINCEY.


[Sidenote: _The double possessive._]

68. A peculiar form, a double possessive, has grown up and become a
fixed idiom in modern English.

In most cases, a possessive relation was expressed in Old English by
the inflection _-es_, corresponding to _'s_. The same relation was
expressed in French by a phrase corresponding to _of_ and its object.
Both of these are now used side by side; sometimes they are used
together, as one modifier, making a double possessive. For this there
are several reasons:--