The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
As TO CUSs Words.
The Influence of Modern Slang in Doing
AWAY with Profan- Swearing.

AWAY With Profanr Swearing.
Ero~ ne CAioaDo Time, H.rald
DO you swear asked a long visaged man
OF On applicant Tor work
mo. by - don t. was tho unexpected
anwser. which lost the APPLICANT situation
That swearing Is Q habit is e1empu6od by
the readiness with which II lie dropped when some
other habit forces IL aside The Labi, Of slang
has superseded that OF swearing: man being
talking animal uses a superiority OF words and
lie likes those which In the nature OF
epithe,s and carry conviction with them There
degrees OF profanity. and he suits his arrows
To his Outrageous fortune. The careful observer
must have noticed the absence OF severe profanity
from oar street and travel cIfcies very much les
~ that offensive use OF sacred names, an iuclna
ton on the pat oil men and boys OF the iuaIer
element To avoid loud scandalOus phrases and
has brought about 80 desirable a reform. %
companion hD4ct 70 tie street car command
,po no, s eSpef, ,,I hos sugsested DO not
the sensitive soul. swearing as habit ~ sensi
bly, decreasing
In our literature the dash. dash takes the place
Of literal swearing and some very funny stores
are told OF the effect authors who feel them
selves aggnevcd when their dOuble-aced ad leo
uves are soitened down 10 meaningless hypncns
TO sip in the blanks on a conscientious eciitor in.
perance wife kept a little brown Jug under the
side entrance TO his housc. which MAS screened
from observation. ana ali went well until one day
when visiting delegate called and Mr.. -
took HI out 10 view tho scenery anu have nip
from the Jug. But the Jug was Enln The
host got down on his knees and crawied far un.
der. and came back empty handed. Looking
ruetully at the man he intended 10 honor he said
It's Id seldom where that Jug isi- When
%hefs that Jug Is and when Mr. Humori ss'a aen,
turcd 10 remonstrate with the editor lie WAS told
70 be thankful thai, the seldom" was left in as
there had been doubts about that m a story OF
current date by a well.known army colonel this
peppery pnnctualed sentence occurs: 4 shouldn I
whiskey. still in full blast or a complete gambling
outfit dash. dashem 10 dash and dashna-
When Mark Twain sent ou, his new patented
acknowledged scrapbooli some years ago he
published series Of teetim malls from parties
one purpor,ed to be from ministers daug hter,
who wrote: Since owning your scrapbook have
neye, used a single oa,h." Mark can swear
and with the most ladylike form OF explosives.
ina Army r .aIs strict
Generals OF the Army are, almost without ex-
ception. men who accen,uate their conn nnds
swOre with such vehenence on occasions as TO
frightcn his subordinate officers into immediate
discipline II was the exception Of Washington $
conduct, and not the rule and for that reason
carried with II greater power OF persuasion. Gen.
Grant goes on record as a non-swearer.
cid lie, greeting his friends with a red,hot oath
OF welcome that was 10 him the very flower OF
speech. The army oath Is fearfully and won
derfuly made with dash OF mule talk, ingllnR
spurs and peculiar diableric Of its own tina, DO
longs exclusively 10 army circlea
In 1879 ouartermaster in tho English Army
had his sword broken over his head was dis
missed from the service and lad his tongue branded
with hot iron for using profane language
Kiplng's Soldiers Three would not DO taken
as fair samples Of the rank and Gle, and some
critic would be apt to write:
don't know,
II may he 40.
Bur It sou DIS TO me
Like u nH.biar ked lie.
Marjorie Fleming, that precocous child friend Of
Sir Walter Scott, wrote d poem on bcreaved
turkey which may be taken as a specimen OF
early profanity In poetical garb'
But she was more than usual calm.
She did not give single dam.
Fayonto authors OF past decades have gar
and In their own correspondence have not hesi-
tated TO use the emphatic language OF profanity.
Charles Lamb, In writing to Wordsworth, used
a familiar prefix, which Is illustrated with two
d. and connecting dash, but he explained that
he only meant "douccd" and soothed his friend 4
fcelings Dickens had one Of his tharacters
employ the remarkable oath, I'll be Gormed.
Pope and Byron swore POLITICALLY In rhyme,
without reason, and used the oaths OF pirates
A popularity OF those who accustom Themselves
to protane Language Ii that the smaller the provo
cation tho bigger tho oathA