The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-17
A RULE TaAT CUT BOTH WAYS

ing:
RULE TaAT CUT BOTH WAYS.
On Thursday, June Sd, 1853, was in the Office
of the Lawrenceville Herald OF Freedom, when q
boy came in with the report:
There has just been Hght up town."
This was such an everyday affair that did not
look up from my writing: A moment afterward
another messenger entered and said:
"There's man killed." .t,
Even this excited little attention in those times
of violence. But suddenly o voice was heard nom
the street:
"Jim Lane has killed Gaius Jenkins, and q moi
has gathered around his house to hang him.
There was no more indifference; the unarmed
ran for revolvers; and we all fastened to Lanes
house. half mile away. Around 1t were two OF
three hundred excited men, few proposing to
lynch Lane, but the majority declaring that he
should be tried by due course OF law. Among the
former was the notorious ex-sherlf Jones, who
had led the border ruffian horde in sacking Law
renee two years earlier During the comparative
quiet which now prevailed, he frequently visited
the city. In the midst OF his loud talk, sheriff
Samuel Walker quietly remarked:
ssLook here, Jonos; bo careful how you recon-
mend hanging These people are good deal ex-
cited already, and if they hang anybody, will BIZ
very likely to begin with you |"
The visitor instantly apologized for his intru-
sion into Lawrence affairs and took the first stage
for Lecompton.
wEsTRRN PRovNCIALIsMs.
In Kansas one heard the slang and provincial
isms of every section OF the country, beside some
indigenous to the soil. The importations were
chiefly from Missouri, which had furnished more
have heard Ohioans spoken Of as Buckeyes,
from the buckeye tree,) Ilinoians as Suckers,
indianians as "Hoosiers," and Michiganders as
''Wolyerines" Early Californians christened as
''Pukes" the immigrants from Missouri, declaring
that they had been yomited forth from that prolific
.Ioo1 10 10
the appellation has adhered to them ever since
Missourians transplanted into Kansas many oi
their pet home phrases. One morning at break
fast squatter host of mine remarked:
'These molasses is sweeter than any maple mo-
lasses ever seen."
This unique use of the national saccharine only
in the plural, not uncommon in the Southwest
originated in Pennsylvania. / heard another Mis-.
sourian reply to inquiries touching his health:
81 had the shakes last week, but now have got
shut of them"
A third, asking concerning his crop Of corn, re-
sponded:
eyes, raised power Of it. have fed heap
to my cattle and got right smart chance left
Rural Missourians never carried burdens, but
alwsys "packed" or "toted them. Among other
provincislisms through the Southwest, the use OF
''crapped" IA corruption OF cropped) is sometimes
droll and startling. General Marcy tells Of an Ar
kansan who, pointing to little man with huge
wife, inquired:
"Cap, don't yot reckon that that thar little man
has BIT over crapped his self?"
The use of 'beef" as the singular Of "beeves,
obsolete through the East, is COMMON the West
ern farmer usually saying, 81 have just sold
beef"
The New Englander shouts to distant friend:
"Hallo--a, John!" The Southerner or West
erner cries: 10000, Johnl"
Immigrants from the East were very merry al
the expense Of their Missouri neighbors. In 6
street discussion lounger was defending q!
correct the rural Southern phrases-"We 'uns'
and "You 'uns." One Of the bystanders asked
him:
care you grammarianp"
"Whichpn was his bewildered inquiry.
"Are you grammarian?"
'Why, no, I'm Missourianl"
1t was distinction with difference. But TN
| fun is not all on one side. I remember an OLE
NIissourian who was brought in contact with man.
Eastern men by the establishment of new stag
line through his neighborhood. Said he:
"rve lived on the frontier all my life. know
English and the sign-langnage, and have plcke'
up smattering Of French, Spanish, ChoctaW an,
| Delaware, but one language can't understand
and that is this internal New York Ian guage