The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-02-08
SPEAKING DISTINCTLY.


A very long time ago, when all the
grandfathers were little boys, they
were taught to pronounce words cor
reetIy and distinctly. When these boys
(they were not grandfathers them had
anything to say, every body understood
them.
This habit is still useful in singing,
reading and speaking. But the best
singers have adopted other styles.
Some oli-fashioned people like to hear
and understand the words as well as
the music; but it is not now considered
necessary. There is always a delight
full uncertainty about the lang age
great singe are using which keeps up
an interest in the performance to the
last, 1t may be Italian, or any other
tongue with which the hearer is unac-
quainted 1t is certain, however, to
be the latest method invented, and no
critic will risk his reputation by sug-
gesting improvements In speaking, a
dstin ltterance is of more impor-
tance. A speaker is more enjoyable if
you know what he is talking about.
1t is possible that enunciation may
become one of the lost arts unless some
tonic for the vocal organs is discovere |.
At present no patent-reilecting, double
action ear-trt mpet could separate all
the sounds we hear, so as to convey an
Ineligible idea to an ordinary intel
lect. Even if they could be made pow
erfll enough, the expense of providing
awhole nation with these instruments
might equal that of the civil war, and
prove disadvantage.
The origin of this trouble is mys
terry. Our boys and girls seem to artic-
ulate perfectly, but they slide over the
last letters, or drop them entirely, and
let all the words run together and tum-
bic over each other. If you stick along
pin into a boy he will say ''ohl' dis
tlnctly and naturally; but ask him if he
has seen an elephant pass with shawl
aud umbrella strapped to his trunk, and
he will say; Observation-Disclosures
atdinner.' Then you don't know
whether he walked around the beast, or
never heard of him.
Teachers should encourage the study
OF languages; but the main object
should be to prevent the English from
being made over into Choektaw, OF
Chlnese, and cause such confusion oil
tongues and stagnat,on of business as
Babel.
lfsome future President who is now
growing up should dismiss an office
seeker W tn reply like this: "Nersir-
lherelsnovacancyandneVerwilbe,n the
uniortunateman would not know twas a
refusal. He would linger at the Capital OF
the Nation, living on hope, and daily ex-
bectng an appointment to Tartary, OIL
iimbuctoo; growing thinner and thinner
rom anxiety until he vanished alto
gether. The loss of one office-seeker
would not be public calamity, Of
course but the principle is wrong.
one reason for this habit of speaking
may be that we live in fast age. Rail.
WY conductors run their syllables TO-
gelner like string of cars, never think
ing that those who do not travel all the
llMe cannot catch flying sounds as
easily as those who live at the rate O
,nlrty miles an hour. | never heard q
ooy mention it, but l don't see how any
slllng SO absurd escaped the notice OF
every boy.
Little Milly caught the conductor
words, and repeated them until BEGAN
towonder if any one knew what he WAS
talking about.
-, Halloo. Griggs.n said Milly, as we
ssItoPped at Willow Bridge; "did he stop
'ue M u cars Just to sseak to that manP''
az .,v,, walnut Hill the conductor shrieked,
~ nat hill? as though he saw it fol
S9s, Sue Irst time, College Hill was 'Molly
1!' Ill or Powder Mill" or "Rowdy
Dill It might have been either. and
,I w. snould have kept on TO the end oil
me road and back again, if we had
t.usled TO our ears only. have
nearu boyiston pronounced like "Boys
Sone. and Cottage Farms like "Gor.
n if ~, parhS." 1t is of no consequence
81 . tIu ,S Know your way, but if the name
h. !. .Ie next station in large letters could
ne NJ SHOWN IN each car, il would save the
nerves M OF strangers. -
a. we alt knowthe indescribable cries o
.ag T, slreet-vendeIs, from the time al
..pnnree muck-reel far quarterr' Il
.r Ian4.aanas. Straw brees, Pi-app.ulls,
~. ~. honk.ud grapes.' One intensely
a o. uay 4 heard man on a side stree
~. atlnterEals: mercy sake alivepi
n ~. ne was only retailing some com,
"SIIy. Sy. One day you hear a man callino
va gold and cardboardI, - who carrie;
sonnds as I., and hardwood. The next Il
An anus o. IKE "Stackpole and Hapgood:' s
frr, figinal way of advertising a new
me.oh lou can never be sure wha,
less 0uanulse IAN Is passing the door un
~on, oS 51n see it A Sioux war-whoor
lSAs8 W % easily understood and no