The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-04
y -
MANY LANGUAGES
SPOKEN HERE.
The Population Of Richmond Remains.
Stratifed,
A COSMOPOLITAN CITY.
Germans, Frenchmen, Italians, Creeks,
Chinese and Many Other National
tiles May be Discovered Here.
Their Impressions
!, C0sM 0P OLIT AN CITY.

Richmond Is, as Is the entire United
States, in fact, cosmopolitan The dis
tinctiye features of the American nation
is its observation-disclosures and thus It IS
with Richmond.
Should We seek them it Is probable that
representatives Of every nation Of any
Importance are right here in Richmond
Germans, Italians, Spanfards, Greeks,
Frenchmen. Chinese, Sryians and many
other nationalities may be distinguished
if not by their personal appearance. at
least by their language.
In the course of an hour one can near
several languages, for though they all
try to speak English, the nationality re-
mains strongly marked.
The German over his "Sweulage' and
Limberger will tell you HIS history in an
entirely different dialect from that of the
F'renchnan, while the tongue of the
Ehinaman as nc argues over the money
due him for washing six collars, is as I'M
like mat OF the Italian as is the Spanish
and Syriac. And it 1t is all English.
The Germans are probably most num-
crous and when 4 German emigrlte. to
America, he usually comes to stay
ITALIANS Make MONEY!.
In this he differs from the Italian, who
comes here, sells enough gods to pay his
way back, and gets him hence.
1t is true a number of them spend their
lives here but they will tell you that it
is only because they did not make enough
to justify their return to Italy. And
though this may offer he the case, they
never fail to get along. The secret of
his success is probably hidden in his
Under whatever circumstances he ar
dict.
rivcs. he is rarely seen to go back with
out his pockets full. Give him a banana
stalk and 4 quart of peanuts and in a
week he will have a f1ourishing stand.
He is q good business man and full
Of energy.
The Germans though they rarely re-
turn to FatherIand, retain their national
C aracteristics and they never cease to
love with touching devotion the old
country.
They smile at the youthful faces of the
warriors Uncle Sam sends to the front.
and refuse to believe TINT it takes less
than three Englishmen to whip one Ger
man.
The Italians are different. They grind
chestnut rooster and look wise. They
realize that Italy consumes a very small
portion of the eartlls surface and that
she is by no means the leading nation on
earth They like America fairly well.
but they are constantly long or the sunny
shores of the land of their birth. To
eyes that have seen the beauties of Ven
ice and Florence. have Gaved on the
architectural and artistic efforts treasured
at Rome, and have taken in the at1nos-
pheric splendor of the caInpagnia this
country seems indeed only a substitute,
and their aim in life, as they will tell
you, one and ALL is to accumulate a for
tune. return to italy. and live in luxury
the remainder of their days.
OFTiTN1ISTIC IHRI1NlCFHNTAlN.
Spaniards and Frenchman are by no
means so numerous as the Germans or
Italians. In fact one seldom sees a re-
preventative of the former; but they are
here. nevertheless.
Little can be said of the Freinchman's
views on this country. He looks at every
thing with an optimistic view. and does
not seem to worry over the disagreeable
occurrences of his life here. Urbans and
deboraire. he has a fine way of listening
ito everybody's troubles, without ever
intrudinG his own. OF them all he is
most Bohemian and seems to live alike
in all atmospheres. Two Syrians were
married here some time ago. They are
probably the only representatives of their
race, and appear 10 be eUinentlJ SATISFIED
with their lot in life.
The Chinese are too busy ironing COL
lars to think or say anything.
John Chinaman is a terror to bad chill
dren and n mention of his fiat iron to
wayward little boys is in itself enough to
proudce magic effect
There are no Beers here, but South Al
ricans are present in great numbers Ihelr
language is Babel in itself. Each negro
has his own particular dialect and he Will
suffer no change in his vocabulary. Ian
guage does not trouble him.
If he can't pronounce a word one way
he will another. and provided he gains
his object in making himself understood
he doesn't worry about the proper use OF
phrases.