Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-11-21
NO. IS

FAsHroaAALR SGANc.--That the dir
fy cesspools Of slang should empty them
selves into the clear river OF classical
English is a result Of our modern man
ner which Is much TO Be deplOred, aad
against which the leaders OF society
should set themselves as resolutely as
they do against other breaches ol deco
rum and good manners. The vulgar
among the middle and upper classes afA
feet exagxeFatiou in their expleiives -
VERY good" and every bad" are phra-
ses that are seldom heard, having been
superseded by such words ~ awful
and "dfeadful." A very pretty girl il
an Gscfufig pretty girl, or dreadfssily
iae wsmnn. Our golden youth, male
and female, as well as the lower grade
of people who ape their manners and
language, are al some times ''aWfal2v
Jolly, az other times ''dreadfuily bored"
~ was al an sgfRLly nice dinner party
last night, says one. "You should see
the new farce" says another; cit is
screGmingly funny" 81 am going down
TO Brighton next week" says a third;
sit is so jolly to be BY the brrny. -
While young lady accepting a boquet
from an admireT gfaciously acknowledges
the gift with the words, "0h, thank YOU
so much Ia! Glcfully tar II is am
other characteristic Of the present time
that young people--at least In company
or in the ordinary current OF conversa-
tion-never talk of Friendship" or
dove" Those honest old words are
antiquated, and il is almost as contrary
TO good manners to mention them as it
would be to speak Of the conmonest
functions ofnature. Fashion often dts
guises what il has to say IN this respect
under synonyms derived from the gut.
ter. IL am awfully bored in general
society,"" said a lady Of title, "but en-
jov myself Immensely AMONG my pals"
"Iie IS a great ally Of mIne," said ono
member Of Parliament TO another, as il
be were afraid ofbelieving in friendship
and 10th to utter its name. Love fares
still worse than friendship in the year
1878. Smith is awfully spoony upon
Miss Jones" says one. WELL" re-
plies his companion, "she is an im-
meRseiy fine girl, but she has no fin.'--
81 can't understand" says Snob the
second, how a fellow can go SDOoniag
about girl, that hasn't got a penny
TO bless herself with" and Snob the
second replies, "Nor either. Neith-
er can I understand how that arfm ass
Jones or Robinson, as the case may
be) can spoon about his own wife as he
does. after being married Two years y
stable are constantly heard from the
mouths of men who may have studied
at Oxford or Cambridge, who may hold
commissions in the army or navy, or be
high in the civil service Of the crown,
or who NAV otherwise raak honorably
m the estimation Of the world and So
ciety. These words are "groom" and
form" A fashionable newspaper, no
ted for its excellent caricstures Of the
notables Of the day, writes Of lady,
whose name shall not be repeated -
"She is fair, and splendid, and has D
profusion Of hair which she gToOms ia
the plainest way, without fringe. -
Look at that little FLY" says vulgar
man IN a ball room, chow nicely she is
groomed." Form" in the stable sig
nifies a state Of health and general con-
dition Of horse. The word is Of such
modern acceptance as TO be unknown
not only to Captain Grose in the last
century, but TO the compilers of Hot
tens slang dictionary, published so late
" as 1864. II is no longer confined TO
the race course, 20 Tattcrsal's or 10 the
stables " here il originated, but IS con-
stantly employed TO convey the idea Of
fashion, manners. customs and polite
observance. II is not good "foTm" 10
arrive too late 10 dinner, 10 dance with
animation, or TO applaud heartily at the
opera, etc. II is good form" hOwey-
er, 10 call hat tile, a child kid,
money dibs, father reIiering officer,
a mother or wife an old w0man, cigar
a treed, clothes fogs, pocket-handker-
chief a cipe, a cravat 4 ehOkeJ, shilling
a bob, 925 a pony, etc, etc. Thst men
OF superior culture, by freqnenting low
society, should pick up the words Of
their associates is ineligible, bu. that
when out of such society they shoul4
repeat and be proud Of the Vulgariiv
which they have caught as they would
catch fever, Is no more to be understood
than that gentleman should like 10 be
considered a conter-monger or chirs-
ney-sweep-[ Charles Mickey in go
ciGi .Nofes."