The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-13
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY =. HOUSE.
{From Philadelphia Public Lsdgar.)
The Pennsylvania Dutch" Column.

Sir-I have been interested in what
have read in your column about the
Pennsylvania Dutch and other peo-
pies. 1t has been my lot to travel in
many parts where the mannerisms of
speech are very amusing. This was
told in part of Pennsylvania where
/, I once sojourned: Jake Baums
father lad been lying in a critical
condition for several weeks, sup
posedly at the point of death. Every
day when Jake came to the village
for the mail he was greeted with
anxious inquiries about his fathers
condition At length. one night, the
/ elder Baum died, and when Jake arr
rived at the village the usual question
was addressed to him: rs your
father alive yet?" Jake's reply, diff
( ferent than, heretofore, was: mo.
not yet
| I find that Philadelphia is not ex-
empt from peculiar mannerisms of
speech. One that impresses me is to
refer to those who are employed in
! clerical capacities as business peo-
pie" On the basis of experience in
| other parts, l may have accepted an
erroneous definition, or one too mar
row. But 1 have always supposed a
| business person" was one who had
invested capital in some enterprise
and employed other people.
A very common Americanism that
(
| lady" Yet Americans do not speak
! of eS-gentlemen''~ and "fore-gentle-
men, The term lady" is so over
| worked I should think women who
think logically would dislike it,
Sir-HeFe is a little contribution
| toward the day on the links. An old
man used to go about doing chores
! in our village. When asked what he
charged he would reply: well, If you
| pof
it's dollar and a half" Also he
would say: 81 can say horse. but I
can't say souse worse a damn"
E. W. w.
fielder, born and reared on a so-calIed
PENNSYLVANIA Dutch farm, 1 just
couldn't keep my pitchfork out of this
collection of "colyun" straw you are
going to spread out collectively, agree
ably and vicariously.
once heard this inquiry On a
Perkiomen Valley train: "Cheorge,
! we're iss PIankville % Amt sure yet,
Chake, but 1 think it's unter the hill
behint Reading up
| A German woman, not even a Main
streeter, described the opening of a
village store with an enterprising dry
goods and nation counter as follows:
Dot here SO schnell shpool mates fer
ikouft doss es recht gedunment hut"
Which interpreted means: They sold
spool thread SO fast it actually thun-
dered. H s. A
sir-A propos of recent references
to the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, the
| following announcements were made
by the brakeman on a North Penn
Railroad train as the village of Heller
town was approached: DER nexdt
sthop ISIS Hellertowni' shouted the
brakeman at the front end of the car.
Same at dis endt!' announced the
brakeman at the rear end.
A citizen of Reading i'm a
barber-shop on Penn street, that city.
While waiting his turn to be shaved
he decided to attend to some business
in a neighboring store. ON returning
to the barber-shop he found he had
lost his turn and angrily exclaimed:
IF 1 come in and go out, did vent ?''
To which the barber replied, We'll,
you vass, but you amt
B. o. NJ.
sir-This is probably too late and
also beside the mark, as its interest
does not depend on dialect corruption
of dialect, but as bit of native ignor-
ance 1t seems to mo unequaled. We
had a Pennsylvania Dutch farmland
who, upon seeing a shooting star, re-
marked: "Ain't strange it vent in
that direction ven de Wind ISIS blow the
) other way?" A NJ. c.
Sir-The Pennsylvania Dutch dia-
lect is a constant source of tolerant
and affectionate amusement to their
| iiO46hgOlS VI a QilLSESAL
would like to add these gems to your
collection:
} MON, amt her whales hanging
8 loose at her hat
: A lady having enjoyed a meal at d
) country inn, suggested coming back
shortly with some friends to spend a
week-or longer. She received the fol
! LOWING startling reply: ut makes me
not shoost SO sure-I would eat you
5 easy, but it makes me trouble how
) shall I sleep you" S. e. S.
, OuaIifio,l