The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-04
HE soft voice of the southern wo.


distinguished characteristic, is
probably the one thing upon which she
puts very little stress. In the south the
soft voices OF its women are considered
as the natural result OF the climate. the
dangerous south producing the charm
ing drawl that is so characteristic, and
which has suffered only too frequently
at the hands Of imitators in stageland.
But the women Of the south, conscious
| though they may be of personal charms,
seem to attach less Importance to this
most inimitable one. Let a northerner
call attention to the soft voices of the
! fair women of the south and they are
inclined TO undervalue the compliment.
to treat 1t so lightly that the northern
man especially is no doubt mystified by
the southern womans attitude. And her
indifference and apparent lack of in
terest in the subject is not due to any
studied affect, or from a desire to ap-
pear unconscious. She is perfectly unaf-
fected when she accepts as a matter
of course, neither feigning surprise nor
delight, the comment that the voice of
southern women is one of their greatest
charms.
As often as her attention has been
called to this distinguishing character
istic. as often as she has had evidences
that a soft voice is a most excellent
thing IN woman, she continues 10 resent,
In a measure. the singing out of the
southern women with the soft voices f."
And other sections are somewhat respon-
sible for the attitude.
Only a northerner who knows very lit
tie of the south can place the proper EN-
phasis upon the inqulring.
All you are from the south?" The
southern woman Immediately knows that
1t is her voice that has betrayed her,
and yet she is so unconscious of the low'
distinguishing tones that she frequently
wonders why 1t is that she IS singled ous
from the women of other sections, and
why to her and her alone is so often made
the assertion, you women or the south
would be known anywhere by your soft,
southern accent"
While in the north the southern accent
always causes comment. II IS noticeable
that in the south the northern sccent Is
seldom discussed. The southern woman
WOulu no IIofe pl sdytn6 " lin
northern woman, 81 knew you were from
tho north by your voice." than she
would deny that she was southern. She
distinguishes northern woman by other
characteristics. and while the accent of
the latter is of course wholly different
from the southern, the northern woman
does not have the same experience south
that the southern woman does in the
north, where everybody from a chaffeur
to her attendant at the Turkish bath
singles her out as southern" In this
southern woman would construe 1t prop
erly. Without, however, drawing COM
parsons, it may be said that the women
of the south have the sweetest voices III
the world, and incidentally that the soft
accent is not alone their distinguishing
charm; but as long as the world acKnowi-
edges the influence of the delicious drawl
of the southern woman. she should feel
that to her has been entrusted the rarest
Inheritance of the south and she should
not undervalue the remark so frequently
addressed to her by her friends IN tn.
north, "Ah, you are from the south" 1t
is equivalent to drawing picture of a
southern balcony atloom with honey
suckle. or of fragrant garden paths
checkered white and silver in the NOON
light.