Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-03-03
Facts and Fancfes.
SLANG,

1t isn't pleasant word to speak, or q
pleasant thought to think, but slang is
as contagious as the measles, the
VIII Doping cough or the smallpox, as
hard to be gotten rid of when once
caught, and as disgusting in its effect
upon ones conversation, as the worst
of these diseases upon the person.
It's a mystery I've never yet sue
ceeded in fathoming, what earthly use
these by-words and slang phrases afford
in the expression of ones ideas. Yet
there seems 70 be some inexplicable
fascination about slang, that few peo-
pie are sufficiently original or culti-
waited to resist, wholly. Hearing these
expressions for the first time, we feel
justly displeased at their vulgarity, but
frequent repetition familiarizes them,
while by degrees they slip easily into
our own daily converse, and come out
of our mouths, as it seems, almost
without our volition, fairly startling US
at times by their unwelcome and in
appropriate advent.
OF what relevance is it, when you
happen to hear some unexpected news,
or perhaps a remarkable story, to pro-
nounce the name of a city more than
thousand years old-or that of an an
cient sage, lying centuries in his coffin?
And yet we have been Just SO silly,
time and time again yes. and been
thoroughly ashamed of ourselves for it
afterward.
"Oh, mercy !" Dear me !" "Good-
ness gracious - "Well never !" ''Did
you ever ?" "What under the sun ?"
''Of all things l"-are few of the COM
monest and least Objectionable of these
expressions that are in frequent use by
many who profess to be above slang
phrase. Nobody can say that there is
really any harm in these, but all will
admit that conversation freely inter-
larded with such, would be far from
denoting elegance or refinement. They
are decided vuigarisms.
But this is what you might call old
fashioned slang, and is very weak and
watery compared with later editions.
For instance, here is an example of
Young America at the present time.
"How is that for high ?" "Does your
mother know you're out ?" There's a
niger in the fence" "Let 'er slide"
"Keep cool !" "Draw it mild I" "Why
is this thus ?" "How does the land
lsy?" "You can't most always tell !"
"Cheese it !" "It's no go ~ ''That's all
CANNON. ''Going to see the ele-
phant. Skinner down." ''That's
nobby." "You'll laugh the other side
of your mouth. "Both in the same
boat" ''Dressed to kill" SCOT a
brick in his hat" Anything green in
stiff upper lip" ''That's o. K.'
'1t's all the CO." ''Mind your eye"
"You know how it is yourself" "What
a cheek" ''That's what's the matter. +"
'You're too fresh" "You know what's
what" whats your hand ?" ''Go it
blind" 1.-TWO can play at that game.
"Go it while you're young "He's
got the stamps" "You bet." "Put
head on him." "What's his racket ?"
"Give US q rest"
To the last of which we subscribe
heartily. It's a confusion of tongues
suggestive of Babel. But it's just the
way our boys talk, and girls too-a
good many of them-for that matter. /
am sorry and ashamed to say it, but it
is true nevertheless.
Ii you don't believe it, just let me
put down a veritable conversation /
heard at a church sociablenot long since.
A group of young ladies were together
in one corner of the dressing-room-
nice, church-going, well-educated, up
per-crust society young ladies, all
dressed In the latest styles, and assum-
ing to be CONNIE IL Jdut in all matters
of good breeding. And this-as near
as 1 can report from memory-is what
L heard the pretty creatures say:
"Oh Rosa, do come here where
have you kept yourself lateIy?' I've
been dying to see you for whole
week -
"'How d'y,' Minnie, Bessie, Ger
trude. Why, what's up girls 2 If
it's anything rich, rare and racy,'
you needn't count me out"
"Have you seen that lovely Miss
Mcclure? Isn't she too sweet for any
thing? Mamma says we're to call. 1t
Will be quite the proper thing"
every proper, but she'd ought to
know pompadour braids are out Oh !
girls, have You seen the last sweet
thing in hats ? Bessie what a hand
some silk Stand out and show your
SELF That's got up in style / had
new silk 'in my eye for this winter,
but it was mo CO. Papa wouldn't
come down. So that's gone up the
spout.
"Who told you that somebody went
home with me Sunday night? A little
bird whispered it p That's too thin.
1T won't wash l can see through a
milestone.
"Yes, 'over your left shoulder.
Minnie, shall i see you atthe Musicaie'
-you and "a person l won't mention'?''
"'Not if know myself. He's of.
I've another string to nay bow
"Do see Lou Briggs Don't she put
on the agony?' She's 'spooning' after
"Yes, hes a nice young man, and
there1l be 'slap-up' wedding-'when
the cows come home.
"Rose, do look at my back hair
Are those geranium leaves 'on the per-
pendicular p"
"'Ke-rect' ~
"Bess, you won't miss that masquer-
ade at the skating rink? It's going to
be big thing on ice'?"
"You can lust bet your life / won't.
Toms promised me new pair of
skates, and I'm Just going TO sail in. 3"
'Isn't that 'bully?' Charlie says the
prizes are perfectly elegant. I'm going
to try for it myself. Going, Min p
"Yes-'in horn.'"
"'Not for Joe,' eh? Come, now
don't put your head under your wing
Just because your right bower is laid
up on the shelf My dear, there's 'as
good fish in the sea, and so on"
''Stuff and nonsense !" / wouldn't
throw stones'-if 1 were you"
"What do You think of Fred Darling
honest Indian now?"
Erred why, I've known Fred since
he was knee high to a grass hopper,
and mot any of that in mine'-if you
please r
$50 you don't approve p well, maybe
hes naughty, but he's nice 7 He talks
beautifully p
Stupid plenty of soft SOAP no
-.