The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1901-01-11
Euphonic Westinghouse.


BY f Glegg, an itinerant newspaperman
ana was published recently in the Soutl
Bend Journal. on which paper the autho
was, or is now, employed as printer
Early in life he was a reporter on tn,
Cincinnati (O.) Post and later filed edi
torial positions on different papers; but h,
wandered away from the straight pathway
and the tide of fate swept him to tn.
Pacific coast. The poem was called fortl
by the following skit on the nomenclatur,
of Washington state:
People at Stillaguamish, Skookumehuck
SAoKomlsh, Wahkiakum, Puyallup, Kittitas
l9uln and PesEastin say they don't see why tn,
Clnlnese nave such queer names for places an(
things. South Bend Journal
A problem true, but really not hard one.
~ CnO0Se DetWeen Chinese and Chinook jargon
Inc nrst's lnscrutable occasions useless bothe
"niie mere we ali take kindly to the other.
Here in this glorious state whose bent is sure
FOR winnie sound in geographical nomencla
We've names unique, yet mellifluous aud eu
phOnic 800 "
Which after wrestling with Chinese act like
tonic. S
Indigenous, too, they are, and whether grown
On Kllckltat or Siwash SOIL are all our own
So, the shrewd siwash, tho untutored, finds
foetlc Smiles for brooks and sloughs; his
Quite easy o',r what editors may reject. for he
Can always work his poems into some big state
directory.
Commence, say. with Yakima
Come then. n TapOmo-
III Inc accent is wrong lay the blame on the
Or transpOse the lines and accent It Yaki-ma,
Sling In Puyallup Sumas and Claquato,
SooyOo and Shuwah, Tanwax and Wapato:
Then TatOOsh and Satsop,
And Pilchuck and Clatsop,
And Kitsap (not Catsup).
And ring off with Muck, or with Muckilteo.
Of rivers and lakes just see what he can do
From the pebbly beach of the Sammamish
To the grassy banks of the gravish Samish
SnOhomish, Skokomish and Swinomish, too,
The Stillagaumish; also the Duwaumish,
Ana lot OF others that end with -amish,
And -omish,
And -awnish,
10 the wide mud flats yclept Semiahmoo
See the Chin-chin- charlie-mouse brighten the
lea
See the Wishkah uncorked pour down to the
Then glance down the Cowlitz. where Kalams
Dubs cage of stuffed wildcats a kalamazoo
Fen natures best, though, hath its crosses
Ana And soon. despite umbrelP or macintosh.
VIII rains WashOugal and Washtucla, Wash
Way down to their goloshes.
Unconscious of his gifts of college cries,
The gentle Siwash hears with some surprise
while lolt'ring in the neighborhood of quaint
Pe-ElD
His pet names shouted with vociferous yell:
Hoppe! Who-are-we p
Weenatchee! WynOoche!
Pialochie! Kamichie!
COwitcbie!-( Ah-tchooD--
Stuck!
Sank!
Squak!
Squakinr"
Through narrow Sits in disc of reddish-brown
Two dull-black beads peep out on PROSPEROUS
towns,
Then muttering something sounding much like
Homeward he sadly turns to tide-washed beds
of clam.
Now, see with what grace these come
Newaukum, Chimacum,
Salkum and Steilacom,
And old Wahkiakum,
But, cumtux. tillicum,
And tell WhatcOm's next.
Why, Nicomen and Homework,
NOoksack and Kapousin,
Duckabush and Quillayute,
Kittitas and Quillacene,
Nisqually, Pataha,
TOppenish and Chewelaw,
Chuckanut and Enumclaw,
Skamania, Willapa,
Utsaladdy Olequa;
Walla Walla, Wallicut
Wallula and Walluda;
The IlwacO and NahcOtta,
(Dif'rent meter now we've got toy,
Hoko. Elwha and Dewatte,
Muckleshoot, also Tulalip,
Naxwai, Quiniault, Humptulips,
Neuchachamp and Docewallups;
Come we. then. to Skamokawa,
Wawawai and Penawawa-
Hiawatha isn't IN it,
Bet he's sorry he began it:
NO-goOd names near rising sun
Siwash beat 'em ten to one.
And here's Salal -beautious Salali
Was she bred in Skookumchuck, Ell?
Oh, SkOOkumchuck,
Sweet Skookumchuck,
Skoo-o-ookumchuck!
Sweet vale!
Val-ay!