Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-06-01
Cheek" /"

of slang phrases; but there are some of
them that seem so exactly expressive of a
habit or characteristic that the most fastidi-
Gus etymologist might be pardoned in the
use of them.
There is a:kind of guerrilla Eaqlish hav-
ing its origin on the streets, along the
wharves, among the newsboys, and else
where beyond the precincts OF the schools
1t annexes itself to the language in spite of
dictionary makers; 1t will not be frowned
away by the disapproval OF any LII. D; it
has its birth somewhere, somehow, because
there is need of it and presently it ascends
from the servants hall to the parlor, and
gets foothold on the tapestry; the news
papers adopt it, and thus We have it engraf-
ted upon the language. The erudite grad
uate will tell us this is all wrong; that we
ought to draw every expression from the
well Of English undefiled;' and that (for
instance) the word ckeck signifies nothing
else than part Of the face below the eyes
on each sIde.' But facts are facts, after
all and people will continue to use this
word in the highly expressive sense of ''un-
blushing impudenCe, or ''brazen effron-
terry" We have selected it from the great
stream of slang running through the speech
OF the people and perhaps better calculated
than any other to illustrate the wonderful
expressiveness of this guerrilla English.
What d ye think of young T-?' was
lately asked in our hearing.
"A cheeky boy" was the answer Could
volumes hsye spoken more accurately Of fast
ssucy young America than that?
At table lately, lean and hungry
looking person, whose appearance denoted
that square meal-" were with him as an
gels visits, cody appropriated the whole
contents OF az uncommon dish, of which the
supply was known to be limited. His op-
posite sat waiting for the dish TO reach him;
and as he saw it replaced, empty, upon the
table, after this Wholesale appropriation of
its contents, bis vexation and disappoint
ment found vent in the one word, uttered
with an emphasis that no amount of under
scoring here can reproduce
Check -
The other diners laughed and smiled ap-
proyingly, and the dinner-table private red
deued from his nose beyond his ears. The
lesson will not be lost on him.
We have all had some experience on the
railway trains with class Of people whose
conduct can only flow from plentiful sup
ply OF the quality named herein. We enter
a car, and The first view tells uy that it is
fuli--or nearly Sc. No vacant seat attracts
our eye. We walk on, and to US appears
the figure OF 4 spruce yOnng man, with a
look of hard decision about the angles of his
face, sitting by the window, while great
valise beside him occupies tie balance of
the seat. We stop, We hesitate; we don't
ike to address him, for we don fancy that
look but we DO want a seat. He looks
straight oct OF the window, and pretends to
be unaware of our presence.
Sir - say we. Sir
He turns his head, and contemplates US
with stony eye.
''Sir-is tie 3chole of this seat taken p
Yes, SIR !''
He hurls the words at US like charge of
shot. We murmur Indignantly, Cheek,
and pass on. No other word that we know
Of can describe such conduct
Here is the bill for that suit you'r re
wearing, Mr. Blue Jay, says the exasper-
ated tailor. do you propose to pay it, or
t, sir? If I We presented it once, have
eleven times, sill"
'Ah, indeed p blandly replies the Jere
my Diddler, We'll now, | think you'd
better present it again, and thatll just make
the even dozen, don't you see? | never
did ike odd numbers. y
Would anybody think of giving that any
such mild name as impudence? 1t is cheek
downright ct eek.
Got any four-?" asked fellow who
sauntercd into a country store. with his
hands in his pockets.
..Oh. yes, sir - answers the merchant,
with alacrity Extra and superine-''
ANY sugar
Certainly, sir; white and yellow coffee,
crushed, powdered
s'Butter?'
''Some just come in-sweet and nice. y"
Eggs ?"
Plenty of EN-, sir.
''Well IN glad to hear it, drawls the
Joker. These things are all useful in a
family, and | m glad you We got EN-. Hope
you Il not allow your family 10 be without
'em. Good morning.
Can this be called anything but ''cheek, :"
and that of the very checklist descrip-
tion?
The careless donkey who treads ON your
corns at an evening party, and then remarks
audibly that some people have feet as large
as school districts the young scamp who
proposes marriage to every pretty girl of his
acouaintance, ''iust to keep his hand in. so
he can do it gracefully when the right time
es;'' the blood sucker who offers to bor-
row FIVE dollars on the strength of as many
minutes acquaintance the adventurer who
energeticaIly courts a handsome widow, and
winds up his visits by an elopement with
her daughter the man who asks woman
her age, a politician hi; consideration;
opinion, girl if she ever had an offer, and
any one for the amount of his income-al
these are memorable examples of a quality
of mind that is and must continue to bt
known as cheek.
We are not advocating the use of slang
We only say that some of this illegitimatt
English is most pungently expressive.