The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-09-19

bred aud wei educated people"
But doesn't everybody talk slang?"
asked Fanny. '.Pm sure all the peo-
pie in English story-books dc"
boys and young men do. l suppose"
admitted Aunt Eunice, land girls. too.
sonnet mes; but they don't do it without
correction, rs with us; and grown peo-
pie, as a rule. talk more carefully than
we do. and are far more particular as to
what expressions they use.
''What a bother it must be" said Ted.
mo. Tel, it's just as easy TO speak
good English as bad. if once you form
the habit. Now will propose a bar
gain. The one of You who uses the
least slang for the next month shall
have Bayberry Lodge. and the Others
shall live with him or her. will keep
a little notebook, with your names.
and whenever hear word that isn't
good English l w II note it down. What
do you think of the plan?'
The children were doubtful as to what
they thought, but Aunt Eunice was as
good as her word. She showed them
the note book with Ted" Tom"
Fanny" and "Df' written at the top
of four different pages. And though
nothing was said on the subject. the
children were conscious every now and
then. as they sat chattering about her,
aunty produced her pencil and made an
entry in the book. They could not tell
against which name the entry was made,
AMI the uncertainty rendered them more
careful.
"Aunty only caught one of us to
night" Fanny said to Di once after they
had gone upstairs to bed.
''Yes, aud that was you," replied OBJ
servant little Di; Il saw her take out
her pencil when you said 'hifalutin' that
time"
''Oh, bother! did / say that? l didn't
mean to-"
Gradually the four got into the habit
of discussing words beforehand, to make
sure if they were not slang, and liable
to be counted against them. And they
were somewhat surprised to find how
many phrases which they were in the
habit of using came under this objection
able head.
Its perfectly mizziable," declared
Tom. Were getting so pertikilar and
pernickitly that feel like deacon in
pew. I haven't said boss for three
days."
mo. but you did say bully yester-
day; you sa d it twice and aunty wrote
it down, retorted Fanny.
''Oh, botheration twice over! This is
vale of tears and I'm sick of it. !" Tom
was just eleven.
However, his pride was reused and
he much desired to be master of Bay
berry Lodge. So he struggled on. and
did his best, discovering, as all of US do
sooner or later, how much harder it is
to break off foolish habit than to form
good one.
At last the end of the month came.
It was beautiful, brilliant day in mid
July. Aunt Eunice had spent the
morning at Bayberry Lodge, mysteri-
ously busy, and the children had been
requested to play elsewhere till after
dinner.
About four she appeared and called
them. and when they reached the rock
house. they found 1t beautified beyond
their hopes. A little crane with tea
kettle hung above the fireplace, Chi
nese lanterns hung from the roof. four
rnstic seats had been added to the fur
niture; and on the platform, before the
entrance, appeared two long. narrow
boxes, planted with geraniums and gay
nasturtiums which had very orna-
mental and pleasing effect
s'It's ten times prettier than it ever
was before, I" declared Fanny.
Aunt Eunice sat down on rock, and
took out her notebook. The children
seated themselves on the new seats. and
waited in breathless expectation for
what she had to say.
Thomas Whittemore," began Aunt
Eunice, solemnly, s'between June 16
and July 16 used slang words. or ex-
pressions not belonging to the English
Languages, two hundred and thirteen
times.
..Auntyp' said Tom, in Mortified
tone.
Francis Mary Whittemore, went
on his aunt, lin the same time used the
same sort of expressions one hundred
and ninety-eight times
..sAuptyr'- exclaimed Fanny, in tho
same horror-struck tone as Tom.
9Th, odore James Whittemore, in the
same time, two hundred and four
times"
You're more than / am, anyhow"
cried Fanny. That's jollyr'
II now add one to Francis Mary
Whittemore's count" remarked Aunt
Eunice, immovably, (which makes it
one hundred and ninety-nine.
Fanny looked doubtful whether to
laugh or cry, but she deemed it wise to
say potsing.
''Diana Rockwell Whittemore, pur-
sued Miss Eunice, during the same
time, and under the same circumstances,
has used slang expressions one hun
bred and forty-six times. Di, therefore.
is the mistress of Bayberry Lodge"
This decision was, on the Whole.
easier to bear than any other could
have been. The older ones would have
found it hard to yield the precedence to
one another, but little Di was the gen.
praI NET She made a sweat it'll. mis-