The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-13
SOUTHERN DIALECT WRITERS.

SOUTHERN DIALECT WRITERS.
1t Ia to be regretted that the dialect craze
has fastened itself upon SO many Southern
writer's.
The other day was talking with an old
gentlemen who had a good deal to say about
his son. a promising youth who has nearly
finished his course at college.
| Il have given him the best educational
advantages" said the proud father. "te-
cause he has decided TO make literature his
profession. 4"
what does he propose to writer" l
asked.
"Dieleot Stories" was the answer. "iic
will mako n special study OF the dialect OF
the crackers and the negroes"
| turned the matter over In my mind n
moment and then vcntured an opinion.
| Il am sorry to hear It," said. There Ia
too much dialcc, writing. and most OF It Is
sorry stun, People write stories with
nothing Of interest In them simply because
they want to spread a lot OF dialect on pa
per with their names signed TO II. After
awhile there with be revolt on the part
OF the reading public and there viii be n
dcmard for good stories written IN decent
English, "
My friend looked at me In surprise.
Why" he said. Harris. Page and others
have been very successful"
| Very true l replied, but they have
stories 10 tel, and tho dialect Ia only n
necessary incident and not the chief thing,
" your boy Is TO devote HIS life to dialect
writihS. why should hc waste 80 much
time and money In learning Grecls and
La,n What use VIII no have for rhetoric
ana other branches or q finished educa-
'ion
| bens my soul, Just hear him. cx-
oiaiihcu INC ola man
,,.
| "'orary eouoauon' continued. rs
designed to at our young people for dialect
| v,ritinv or.rx coi,,c. .,a,,,a ,.,,
rroos and cr.,..r, ~ MI a,,,aa,
-, :" va "'''''' '""he'
lhfow bcllcs-lcttrcs and the higher
branches to the dogs. and make every lit
crary nspirant s,udv the lo,~u.c, a, IN.
.,,,,,. A.. .,..., Wv
' Wv ''""'"'''"s an" mo Liou''"'ns'
what would You suggestY' asked my
| COMPANION My boy wants TO write stoI les
VI sou'nsrn me,
-. Al right. answered. let him do II.
''as uau Sehoralons OF people who were
thing rho sSvant,,r, "u w., ~, o,a, SOY ".
| chivalrio sons and beautiful daurhter, in
love and war afford plenty Of material for
| storiea ana novels In fact. IL would be
| impossible 10 write many Southern novels
WWlthou' more than page Of dialect In each.
| What hehhc Is mere In turiAng out tons OF
uinIect trash every Year, u IL is not
e,oppeu the outside world VIII como to the
, ,i 'hat All inc people south Of the
| ",uul'w hponN queer )afBon "A sort OF
'''S'n i,utHpn.
| uchcN" ,hht you arc mora than half
| llgh', sa'd the old gentleman and will
.aIh 10 my son about H. hut he becms de-
'u. ,,'i 70 % dialect writer or nothing"
,, n,s 10 ohiy ono instance In tbo Last
"y y."s ! nave seen n iong procession
p',sn. YOUNG men ana women wreck
, ,nu'' n,u'''s p"'hS upon this hideous dIa-
~, .o.n'
| Ihe uiAieot W" nee IN PRINT is rarely ever
| o'rno' i.pohuVtioh OF thc talk or tue
| nes'os "nu oaekers' ana when II Is 1t
van "o, us fnau oy anybouy except an ex-
pere voo' Nnhhuior Harris mas found It
necessary 10 modiiy ma dialect TO make II
readable 10 round that when he took
painH 70 trhnsler inc genuine article TO
| napcr ,nc Nortnerh ana EhBlish readers,
VINO hto h's pSt customers. could not
| ro'u IT,
Know hcholhriy Virgininn who has
had negroes about him all his life, and yot
| he is unable TO read md understnnd thar
| u.,.o, .,., y, 60. 4, a., -,
M, ~. 80, a., ~ ~, ..,,,.A =
ILL. ~, $500, u,a'.. ~, whoh
l