Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-21

Dialect writer's are numerous enough
these days, but those who can put
upon the printed page the dialect of the
FTench-Canadian are few indeed. Ed
! ward Cooney, of Great Falls, not only
knows the French-Canadiansof Montana
who nave came down across the border,
like a book, but he understands their
dialect as well.
Here is a realistic bit from Mr..
Cooney's pen, written for the Great Falls
Leader:
Joe Sylvester lived in Neihart a few
years ago, and for that matter ne lives
there yet, and is one of that silver min
ing camps solid French-American citi-
zenS.
In the statement as to where
Sylvester lives there is nothing start
ling, but the story hinges upon the fact
that at one time he was the proud pos
sesor of a brindle dog, and when the
dog outlived his usefulness and Mr..
sylvester was forced to put him out of
this life the trouble began. The story
is one no one can tell as Mr.. Sylvester
himself can, and no language can be
conjured up which will put the killing
of the dog and the trouble of Joe into
a form which will tell the tale in any
thing but the weakest imitation of the
original story as told by Mr.. Sylvester
himself.
The name of the brindle dog was Ma
poleon. ana the hair of Mr.. Sylvester is
streaked with gray. and thereby hangs
a tale-a tale of the time when Mrs.
Sylvester said she would stand for Ma
poleon no more. and Joe must kill him
forthwith.
His not lax for keel Na-po-le-au,"
explains Mr.. Sylvester. han Wen NAH
hop oman he's say, ''Seelves-tair, hail
not kip Nahpo le-au no more; she's
mus go;' hin fill bad for sure Long
tam his ben kip Nahpo-le-au, han
hill not lax eet. By Gar, hi"l teenk
Wen Nehpo-le-au she's look hup for
NAL face han wag she's tail, HIS goan
cry Xix hell, for sure! Zen NAH hor
oman es say hill not go queek Well
mah-bee hill better keel Nahpo-le-au,
han hill ben tex heem queek away.
His not lax for keel Nahpo-le-au.'
han for long tam hill teenk lax hell.
Bym-by his teenk JUS wat hi'll want,
zen hill &c call Nahpo-le-au for me,
His teenk hin ben blow heem up.-
gi-hant pow-dair hi'n mex Nahpo-le-up
up go hup-poof! She's not ben hurt
welt shoot 'heem, nor naw-ding-jus'
put Eat steek gi-hant pow-dair to hee's
tail weet string, light re metch to re
fu-see-so-by'm'b by poof! Nahpo-le-au
she's gon'!
"Mah-ddam Seelvestaire he'll be glad
lax hell, han S~eelvestaire she's no ben
keel she's fren-Sacre Bleu-hi'l ben
great man; beeg head-yes? Huh!
Com hon., Nahpo-le-au, HIS your
fren,; com hon.! By'm'by him geet
lo,1 M. t-,> 1,t,l JD-1
hup two hour-mebee so-huho
Nahpo-le-au she's ben glad, yes, huho
She's ben chas re chepmonk hare, re
wood-chock LAX re viviandier-yes.
huh? By'm'by hill say, Com
here, Nahpo le-au. Com here lax
good dog, hill not ben hurt you
no-huh?' Nahpo-le-au she'll com for
me queek, han mex she's tail veg lax
for joy; zen hill put re rope on she's
maxi, han tax heem hup to beeg tree,
for tie heem. Nahpo-le-au she'll veg
hee's tail lax for joy-yes, huh? Hill
tax bout one steek gi-hant pow-daire,
han tie Weet ze streeng YER strong to
re tail Nahpo-le-au. She'll not care
for me: she's teenk ahm hee's fren'-
yes, huh?
Hill TEX out re metch han mex
heem for light. Nahpo-le-au she'll look
hat me SO, lax for joy, mebbee-yes,
huh? She's not ben skaire, for sure!
Hill mex re light to re fu-see on re
steek gi-hant pow-daice hill been tie
hon re tail Nahpo-le-au; hill fill lax
cry for poor Nahpo-le-au; hill ben
laWve .heem so-yes huh? Re fu-see
she'll begin burn laS one lee'l star
PIT! PIT! Pish-Br-r-z-z-t. Poor
Nahpo-le-au! Hill pat heem on she's
haid for HI tam's SEX. Good by,
Nahpo lie au, hill say. Re fu-see shell
say, 'Squee-k-B-r-r-Z-t-han hi'Il start
for run away. Nahpo-le-au she'll start
for run ~too-Sacre Bleu! Hill be for
get tie heem to ze beeg tree! Bon Dieu,
Ventre St. Girls! DAM, What for hill