The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-23
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY e. HOUSE.
(From PhiIadeIphia Public Ledger.)
a Famous DiaIcct's Last Stand.
Springfield. Vt. Aug. Is.

Vermont, from which we hope to
escape some time tomorrow forenoon,
is the last stand of the famous Yankee
dialect. One hears it elsewhere, OF
course. But in New Hampshire the
common speech of a people shows the
influence of summer boarders. In
| Maine the patios of the French Cana
dian has crept into it. In Massachu-
it has been corrupted by an infusion
of foreign tongues. But in Vermont it
continues to bethe native and heredi-
tary vernacular of a people. They all
Yankee dialect falling naturally from
the.-lips of a siX-year-old child is a
fascinating thing.
esteem in which the Yankee dialect is
held. 1t is the most grammatical and
precise of the American vernaculars.
Yet those who speak of it do so with a
sort of a good-humored contempt.
And those who write of it do SO only
that they may refer to it in biting
phrases. In a manner of speaking, I
was reared on it. About half the folk
in the Kansas county community in
which 1 grew up had pioneered from
northern Massachusetts. They spoke
1t fluently and well, and transmitted it
to the second and third generations
And SO I never could see the joke,
assuming there is one. The southern
y
woman who goes south to visit "a
school friend acquires-iS a soft and
musical note in the babel of tongues.
but its forms are slovenly and careless.
The vernacuIar of the middle west and
the far west Is a grievous and agon-
izina thing. 1t has neither grace nor
beauty, nor a sense of mood and tense.
1 don't think it is necessary to go as
far as the New Englander goes in the
matter of information, but his virility
and precision of phrase might be imi-
tated to advantage in many other Sec
lions of the country.
In referring to Vermont as tho
Yankee dialects last stand, 1 do not
wish to convey the impression that the
stronghold is on the point of capitu-
lating. You take a state that still is
breeding spotted coach dogs, and the
probability that its form or manner of
speech will undergo revolutionary,
changes is very remote. 1 am rea-
sonably familiar with this country.
having slept in badly ventilated and
poorly furnished American-plan hotels
in thirty-nine states. So far as I
know, Vermont is the only state
which. by comparison, makes the City
of Philadelphia a radical stronghold.
Most of the laws in Vermont were
passed in 1871, the year congress took
that segment of New Hampshire lying
west of the Connecticut river and
made a commonwealth of>it. Only
few of these are enforced. Vermont
is pretty nearly free. 1t regards that
section of the constitution which pro-
vides that the right of a citizen of this
to carry arms may not be
abridged as sacred, and has never
passed a law in conflict with it. Up
to the time it became necessary to
adopt Strengthening act in con-
fornity with Mr.. Volstead's legisla-
ton, anybody in Vermont could make
all the liquor he chose so long as he
didn'f sell it. Not that I imagine he
ever gave much of it away, but he
gould have done SO had he been SO
1t may be Vermont is not
as careful as I imagine. I got such
Impression as have of its thrift while
hanging around the garage in Wind
sor. 1 was hell bent for telephoning
to Springfield, Mass. about the miss
ing accessories ordered for the Blue
Swallow. kept the garage man on
the wire all day Monday He called
Springfield every time I asked him to
do so, but he was reluctant about it. |
Every time asked him to get Spring
field he muttered something about
The frightful expense of long-distance
1t occurred to me that
L man who was interested to that ex-
tent in the rockies manner in which |
spent my money would be pretty |
careful of his own.
spent the day in the garage watch !
ng mechanic tighten a nut in the |
lifferential of the Blue Swallow. To |
ne it was tedious process. but it |
seemed to be a passion with him. |
lust before 6 o'clock this evening he'll
got the nut frightened to his liking
Ind turned the car over to me. mi
he space of time which the mechanic |
devoted to that nut nations have been
BORN and dynasties have rallen. was
determined to get out of Windsor. I
lad been there SO long the rival po-
itical factions Were soliciting my vote
n the forthcoming primary 1t was
tinted to me by both that if I lined
sD right 1 could pick myIOwn job.
Ny fear that 1 may become involved |.
n politics is so great that we hur-
iedly left our comfortable hotel and
lrove to Springfield. twenty miles
Instant and in the right direction, for
he purpose of passing the night.
Probably the privilege most highly
'rized by the people of this grand and
-lorious country is the right to say.
I told you so.'' 1t is, all things con-
idered, the sweetest phrase in the
lite OF self-anointment. Next most
tightly esteemed is the privilege OF
cling people what they ought to do.
live the average individual chance
o tell somebody what he ought to do
nd you have made the,day for him.
'retty nearly universal motoring has
red another pest who is as perni-
ious as the two hitherto mentioned.
nd more persistent than either. He
the one who tells one where he
ught to go. Since leaving home 1 .
ave encountered more than seven
undred persons, all strangers to me. ,
rho have told me where 1 ought to
o. And each indicated a different
quite. 1t is nothing to them that
m perfectly capable OF picking my
'ay about and know exactly where 1
amt to go. It is nothing to them. |
ither, that, except to inquire the
pad, I never ask information of any
Itizen on foot It is worse than use
,sS to do so.