Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-08-21
''Chiirps'' ~
from the
Democrats Pen

tV, that is spelled B-e-r-l-l-Il; ana II
you should happen to stop there at
any time, l warn you to be very care
full how you pronounce it; its pro-
nunciation is a matter of very great
Importance to the people who live,
move, and have their being therein
The name is divided into two syl-
tables thusly: BERLIN" Now if you
put the accent on the first syllable
it will be proof positive that you are
to the manor born; but if you put the
stress of voice on the second syllable,
you'd better keep going, get to Sci
byville as quick as you can, and claim
safety with the Blue Hens Chickens.
The reason of this is that a second
syllabled Berlin hooks it up too close
" with the hang-out of Herr Kaiser,
Herr Hitler, and the rest of the Mas
ties. They don't want nothin' to do
with such, no way, and they amt
a-goin' to be called in no such way.
Better first syllable that word when
YOU have occasion to use it.
And, indeed, some of the denizens
Il might say lots of 'em, think the
name comes too close to the German
burg, anyhow, no matter how you say
It. So. from time to time, there has
been some talk of changing it. Some
thought it would be nice to call 1t
after that naval hero, Commodore
Decatur. This, however, has not, as
vet taken-in the sense of small pox
because, as was explained, there is
a Decatur in Illinois. This being
settlement of only about 10000 peo-
ple. our Berliners (did pronounce
it rightly didn't want to cause the
Illini any inconvenience by reason OF
diverted mail packages. So that idea
disappeared in thin air. The people
content themselves by gazing proud
" on the grave marker of the dead
sea-fighter, and think themselves rich
in Importance by having his body SO
near.
Then, there was another name sug-
rested. | don't know how to pro-
nounce it, and if 1 should make a mis-
take. it wouldn't be so fatal as II l
had mispronounced-well, the other
name. The new proposition came
from a war-devastated spot across
the deep ditch. AS near as can
come to it, it sounded like, "Ill-I-see",
the name of that Inflated city where
not a soul was left alive after Hitler
and his gang paid it a visit.
Howlsome- ever, no matter how ap-
propriate it might be, the idea of
dead city didn't exactly appeal to the
residents. And if the people were
not all dead, they might succumb
with cognomen suggesting so
strongly the idea of illness. Hill
see", might soon be followed by
"Dead-I-see".
| am not sure whether there was
a real desire to have the name chang
ed. The whole discussion might
have been sort of publicity stunt;
an endeavor to let the people know
there was a town hereabouts worth
knowing. That it was near Ironshlre,
Box Iron, Showell's, Whaleyville, and
Salisbury. And who blames 'em 1T
is really so located, good luck to 1t.
And, then there was that story OF
the grave stone which grew up over
night; no one knew whence it came
nor whether it might go, until the
mystery was solved by one of Pc
comoke City's historians of antiquity.
/ don't mean the historian is antique,
altho' he does confess to being pref
ty nearly hundred. So, the attempt
to publicize still goes on.
And the latest? What do you
know about this? A man lies down
on a railroad track, allows the train
to pass over him, arouses and COM
plains about being disturbed in his
siesta. Now, if that doesn't get the
name of the place in question chang
ed, 1 don't know what will. But
that's some tall story, and maybe its
reputation would be better conserved
by retaining the old Germanized ap-
pellation. To tell the truth, it
wouldn't be a bad idea to call it
"Parsonsburg'' and give notice to
that other burg to get off the track
and let somebody run that can run.
No member of that other Parsons
burg family ever had such an illus
trious ancestor. And, Pm here to
tell you, that far from being an ag-
gregation of i'll people or dead people,
you can't kill 'em, even tho freight
train does its level best. Wonders
will never stop ceasing!