Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-12-05

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 From the Nonsenaicai Custom.
 The Italian method of prefxing an to a word to give 1t damaging slgniH- canoe can be employed with good effect in christening that wayward and de- generate offag9ing of English known as slang. h saS present state slangnaga has attained e9 such Anxprious eoBss pietoness tl1sg St warrants serious treae ment. So e&saous and comprehensive has 1t beco1Bs chat there is hardly ilEs man want, feeling or emotion of tli< heart that cannot be translated into tfig vernacular of the bootblack. Ill study ing the philosophy of slang the first natural query is How and why did iG originate? To the first question one might give, with certain modifications. the same answer that would he given to tho question, Why do people swear? The hnmnn animal. like locomotive, seems to require escape valves for oeeaz sions when there Is too much steam in the boiler When man is oyerfioWing with admiration, anger or wonder, the ordinary adjectives do not tor he thinks they do not) meet the emergency. They do not relieve his pent ID fullness any moro than Il sip from dewdrop would quench man s thirst Tho natural man and the natural woman sometimes find relief under strong emotion in explosive utterances In the case of anger the es- cape valve expletiye is an oath unless tho man in question happens to bo a gentleman and sometimes, though YeFy rarely, when he is.
 It will thus be seen that slang, being of emotional ancestry, is first cousin to tho oath, and both arc used by those who mentally resemble the man whose nse of intoxicating drinks has made him forget or underestimate the attractions of pure water. Slang, ill sooth. Is q whisky distilfation Of language. 1t ia so strong that 1t may be taken only very rarely with impunity, and herein lies the chief danger in its use. Not only does tho slanguist find ordinary English tame, but he ends i'll not being able to find any English at all.
 Another fatal characteristic of slang is the very one which at first secures its adoption-namely, it's pungency. The same law that makes quiet colors and shades wear we'll in the world of fabrics has it's counterpart in the world Of speech. We tire very speedily of a start ling costume, in high eolors. and just as speedily do we tire of slang. which is startling, high oolored speech.
 Still another reason why slang can never gain permanent foothold in the language is it's utter lack of dignity. No subject can be seriously treated in slanguage Its sole function is to tickle by it's patness or its grotesqueness. It reflects fugitive irideseenoe upon cur rent wit and humor, as like the bub- ble catches prismastio eolors, but, like the bubble, it vanishes even while yop behold it. Naturally there are slang phrases of all degrees of goodness and badness, ranging from tho word which is only slight remove from a forcible but perfectly deeorous adjective to slang of the most daring, deep dyed or der. At one end of the scale, for in stance, one might place fetching" and at the othev end its spperlative rum ? Again, the injunction "play ball is gentle and seemly, i'll comparison with tho brusque command get q move on. P Along certain lines the sIanguist seems to reyel in extravagant synonyms and antonyms, especially in these expreas- ing some infrlnity in the upper story. The man who has "wheels" is also popularly known as 'nutty, " cracked or of his trolley" Again, if he eornes from the country, he is "corn raised, " has seed in his hair, or his ,faee doesn't fit him." Gall, ' nerve. '' cheek, " sand, , brass and "faoe'' are also nearly synonymous terms for qualities whose universality has made them target for popular satire Equally prolific is tho slanguist in coining terms for money. Dust, tin. !" "sand, '' rocks, " "chinll" and 'spon. dulicks' are only few of tho words that translate filthy lucer.
 Two of the slang phrases now in gallingly frequent use are, That right, and .'That won't cut 1auch ice" " The latter, it must be confessed, has certain cool figurative qualities which give it a saving color of grace But most of these phrases rely chiefly upon their condensed exnressiyf,i agea which is the tradenf- ,s..- s11esst ;ca,, ,nan,fact >suel1rk of their Amer tho ,e.srN.; lure. They are but one of 1essIs.any devices of the masses to com ,ass a crosscIt and avoid ciroumlocu- ions Thus snap and "oineh are ime economy for q moneyed sinecure nd an assured competence.
 One of the surest tests of the rapid mortality of slang is the extremely pain ul sensation produced by hearing anti luated slang phrases used-and there lre always people who are two or ;hree or ton years behind in their use if such phrases. When other people are aying "Not on your tintype, the ,ser of mildewed slang feebly eiac-
 es,ooo Fire at Peru.
 PERu. Ind, Oct. 23. - Inc 2-story brick hverybarn of c. ". BIulden was destroyed by fire with most of ita
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