The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-10
WOMAN or MANY ACCENTs.
Experiences or Chicago Girl nj New
York Reception.


York Reception.
Chicago Tribune: People who are un-
der the impression that accent betrays
not only nationality but provlnelallsm
as we'll will perhaps be somewhat dis
illusloned by reading the following in
cldent:
The experience is that of a Chicago
woman who made u trip to New York
a short while ago. Up to the time of
her visit to the eastern metropolis she
supposed that she spoke fairly good
English. She read none but the best
authors, and as her friends We're all
numbered among cultured people there
really seemed no reason why she should
not couch her sentiments in pure, sub
stantiat Angto-Saxon. Neither did she
affect an accent, At least she was not
aware that she did After arriving in
New York, however. she learned that
she not only had an accent, but that 1t
was n many-sided affair that was truly
perplexiHg.
She attended reception one evening
where literary and artistic people pre-
dominated, The first person she talked
with was u man with u bushy red
beard and gold eyeglasses.
II am so glad, madam" he said, in
the course OF the conversation, "to
know that you are from my town. That
Boston accent is bound to betray the
speaker wherever 1t may be heard"
The Chicago woman flashed him one
keen glance; then, seeing that he was
in earnest, she said:
II fear you have made mistake
am from Chicago"
Soon after she began talking to an
elderly woman.
you are from Georgia, OF course"
said the Older woman. "T can always
tell q Georgian anywhere. There is
nobody on earth who pronounces as
and us like Il person born and bred In
that state"
And again was the Chicago woman
forced to proclaim the city Of her ma
tlvity.
Later young man commented on her
accent. From Nova Scotia, of course"
he said, pleasantly. II hail from there
myself and lt's a pleasurerto see come
one who speaks as they do ut home.
The minute you pronounced my name
knew you We're from my part of the
country. Nobody else could say It with
Just that accent"
Again she gasped out something
about Chicago"
a half hour later another man claim
ed her for kindred spirit.
1--WE been lonesome and out of place
tonight" he said. Nobody here from
my section Of the globe. You're the
first person I've met all evening that
halls from west OF the Rocky noun
tains. The minute heard you speak
west We never lose our accent. 1t
seems, wherever we may 60"
Just before the reception ended the
suave young man who had stood at her
side leaned forward and said:
"Ill drive over and see you some day
II you don't mind
you'll do WHAT"
Drive over and see you. III wager
we don't live more than ten miles
apart. My home is in Robinson, w.
Va, and you cannot live far away. An
accent such as yours and mine is never
heard outside our immediate vicinity"
They were on their way home at last.
You'll be apt to have cnller to-
morrow" said her cousin. THAT young
doctor from Montreal Is anxious TO
know you better. He feels confident
that you belong to his city, He says he
was attracted by your accent from the
very first He's homesick and would
like to talk to some one from his native
town. ] didn't tell him any difference.
YOU"
But the young woman gasped Chi
| cagO" and fainted.