Morning journal and courier., 1890-08-09
THE FLEETING SHOW.
Some of Its Facts and Fancies.

Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIER.l
"oUT OF TUNE AND HARSH"
'The American voice" has become, with
some reason, "a reproach and taunt
among the nations" across the way. 1t is
called nasal, cackling, uncultivated, unmu-
sical and everywhere we go our speech
betrayeth us. Said a well known literary
man of London when asked what were the
American traits SO disagreeable to the Eng
lish mind: "In the first place the Ameri-
can pronunciation is, even amongst your
cultivated people, most unmusical and dis
agreeable to u.s." But he had the grace to
add: 81 dare say ours is to you" There
is no charm more Subtitle than that of
sweet, clear voice; it atones eftentimes for
lack of beauty and grace, but really musi-
cal speech and laughter is rarely heard, for
few cultivate this attraction or even realize
that their tones are harsh and grating and
their enunciation imperfect
And now even the poor little Edison
dolls must be criticized for their disagree
able accents. At the Savoy hotel, Lon
don, on the night of July %, a
large number of representative people
were present at an exhibition of the Edison
Photographic Toy Company which is being
floated for subscription of three hundred
thousand pounds. Every one was aston
ished at the marvellous abilities of Mr..
Edison and delighted with the wonderful
talking dolls, but uncomplimentary re-
marks were made and published in next
mornings papers upon their marked nasal
accents ''Evidently," they said, ''the
cylinders reproduced American voices,
particularly voices affected by climatic in
fiuences." Therefore the unmusical tones
of the dolls may prove detrimental to the
l.
an unlocked for mischance, and
one that must affiict every ad-
mirer of our American wizard, how
ever, he can probably arrange to have the
cylinders talked into by English maidens
of melodious voice, the twang obliterated
and disaster averted. But it is to be hoped
that none of them will acquire cockney
accent, and being sent back to their native
land will repeat in our nurseries, "Mary
'ad a little lamb" or '''Ow doth the little
busy bee."
Let this be warning to everybody. We
must study the art of clear and pleasing
articulation, put music into our tones,
overcome climatic influences so that even
our English cousins may say, "Thou art
unto us q very lovely song of one that hath
pleasant voice" ''let me hear thy voice,
| for sweet is thy voice." "thy speech is
comely."
CONCERNING FADS.
Who can trace that mysterious thing
"a fad"-to its source, or who discover
the originator thereof, or even favor us
| with the derivation of the word which is
defined as hobby, triaing pursuit. The
attraction of some fads is inexplicable,
some are expensive and many of them alb
surd. Witness the Friendship cane" SO
/ IL. &c -,A an1,
begged or given in exchange, tied in pert
bows upon slender cane from head to
| ferrule, each'of different color, arranged
in screaming discord," and of NO
| earthly use If the owner of the cane
has exchanged ribbons with each giver,
though this is not likely, the cost of this
monumental affair may amount to 50, fol
which she might have purchased two oil
three good books for her library or pro-
vided herself with some article of taste ol
utility.
st. Paul girls of all grades are reyeling
in fad which they claim originated in
that city, and not in the ''effete east.
The center is cut out of silver dime
leaving the milled edge for a finger ring
to which the center, engraved with the
monogram of the givef, is attached by {
slender chain Since December one Jew
eler has made 1, 800 of these tinkling orna-
ments This is but variation of the dime
bracelet and necklace craze, for having
outgrown which the east may be happy to
be called effete.
Exalted above the fads in point of ex
cellence is the sensible, though rather ex
pensive fashion, of giving Friendship
spoons" A solid silver teaspoon, marked
with the initials or monogram of tn
donor, is well worth keeping, and happy ii
| chn xy1,a fria do 1ar1,h
in this pleasing way. Handsome
serviceable and durable, the more on'
has of these the better, therefore it is t.
hoped that this fashion will be of long du
ration.
This suggests ''the Matching chest" tn
large and ornately carved oaken ches
J which the German god-mother gives he
little god-daughter on her first birthday
In this gradually accumulates the store o
| full friends provide on birthdays and holi
days, -, king forward to the time when
new home may have to be furnished an
all these articles of utility and value wi
| be essential to the brides outfit. This car
| for the future is to be commended t
American mothers, and, indeed, the valu
of the custom seems already appreciate
here, as the Matching chest has made it
/ appearance and been received with favo
upon its own merits. One need not b
rich to start the Matching chest, since th
money that is spent upon fads and fancie
would go far toward stocking it wit
things of real use, beauty and value.
WANTED.
There was once hopeful and ingeniot
youth who invented method of adjustin
difficult matter. He proposed to stud
the long column of swants" in the dali
\ papers and then to bring the persons nee'
Q ing servants, capital and the like into con
a munication with those who advertised
: supply just such requirements, thus a
commodating oil parties and replenishir
his own pockets.
:. There are in this and in all cities tv
4 classes of people who need to be brougl
into direct communication: The peop
Q who own and use horse and carriage al
Il those aged, feeble, or poor people, who q
i. rarely found beyond their own gates, b