Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-02

the same mode of expression. It seems to be .
mixture OF Anglo-Saxon, African, of the Virginia
type. toned down with the Eastern Shore idiom
The Is almost invariable substituted for e and
Length" Is pronounced Langth. .'sterling " d
called Starring -'strength" Is denoted BY the
word StrangM, DC. The letter r Is Of but very
little use to these people, as 1t is ever silent.
Before is, with them beto'-" more is mo,
aad similar words share the same fale-that Is,
have their Inter end" cut off.
Ono gentlemen Of considerable native wit, and,
as they would say there, "right-smart " of sense,
who hos recently taken up his abode OF Crisfield,
calls their manner of speaking "the bug-eye :"
language, and propose to form a class for the
purpose of instructing new comers to speak the
"bug-eye language. Some of the "natlyes >,
consider the proposition compliment instead of
q burlesque. He nlso talks of compiling die
tionary Of the "bug-eys" language, which, If
published, would doubtless have an extensive sale
In that locality.
Notwithstanding these people are unletterod.
asd Ignorant Of the customs OF refined society
know little and care less about eocia ethics they
ore thrifty, Industrious, ,enterprlslpg independent
citizens They are generally free from debt, and
almost every man that has wife has also, In ap-
there Is too often n lack of that respect for the
female sex that they have q right to expect; and
they are too often compelled to labor In the field
with the hoe, and prepare the fuel with the axe,
Many OF the men seem to think that 1t is the duty
of the women to do all or nearly all of the druid
gerry OF the household-such as chopping or saw
lng wood, bringing water, feeding the horses,
lout very few have horses) cattle and hogs, work.
ing the garden and potato patches, in addition to
the labor that egitimately tails TO their lot They
are strong believers 10 :" Womens Rlphts.'-
particularly their fright TO do all the work
them do
Nearly every man of marriagable age is am
bilious of owaing real estate. 1t makes but little
dihereHce how small the quantity, or how bad
the location-he must Town land" and be "a
lord OF the soil" Of personal property, the
most care is taken, Is the canoe-or in the
bug eye tongue, the "cunner." No Arab
on the desert plains of Arabia. ever
held his horse 10 higher esteem, than true An
labor nor expense In their construction and
many Of them, when nicely painted and fully
equipped with Sails masts and necessary rigging.
are models Of beauty, and no mean legacy from
q father to his son.. A good canoe. well taken
care of and kept painted, will last, 1t is said by
those whs have the means of knowing, for fifty
years; and Il does duty, and serves Its owner In
many capacities. He supports his family by oys-
terinR ln lL-lt serves MIN as horse aid wagon
to take the proceeds Of his labor to mnrket-as
cart, to haul or carry his frewood, aud as o car
riage to take bis wife and children TO church, and
TO see their friends and relatives who may reside
at too great distance to be reached on foot II
Is very useful article to have In the family and
one that 10 but seldom loaned. 1t Is considered
almost On insult In Annamessex TO ask man for |
the loan OF his canoe. If were young man, I |
would much sooner ask man for his daughter.
than for the loan of his canoe.
There Is prevailing sentiment in this locality |
---and believe 1t is indigenous to Annamessex- |
that every man ought to do his own work. No |
matter how INDECENT and needy one may be, he |
Will seldom be hired to perform any duty or |
labor for more fortunate and wealthy neighbor.
He seems to think that II is not very respectable
to do another's work-takes kind of savage de- |
light In seeing one that he deems few PAGES In |
advance of him In the road 10 wealth, compelled |
to stop and perform some menlal labor. The |
prevalence of this or these views, makes 1t next
to impossible to obtain help, either 10 the house |
or outdoor. They will work for themselves, as |
they term 1t, but not for others. They don't |
seem To understand that when they are catching |
oysters, they are expending their labor to tickle
the palate oil some Chestnut street dandy, just as
much as though he hired them to black his boots |
Catching oysters and ducking being the two
principal vocatloDs of these people, we will en-
deavor to write up their modus operaudi in our
next letter. MEMO.
CRIsFIELD NOV, 23d,