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Literary
March 15, 1929
Clinch Valley News
Tazewell, Jeffersonville, Tazewell County, Virginia
What is this article about?
Irvin S. Cobb introduces two humorous anecdotes about Swedes stereotyped as slow-witted: a Wisconsin farmer who prefers the Ringling Brothers circus over presidential candidates, and a Minnesota farmhand who belatedly realizes his companion's death by train.
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My Favorite
Stories
by
Irvin
S. Cobb
Two
With a Swedish
Background
PERSONALLY, I do not know a great many persons of Swedish birth. But those Swedes I have met struck me, nearly always, as being unusually keen-witted. Nevertheless, it is customary among after-dinner speakers, when telling a yarn purporting to deal with slow thinking, to make the central character of it a Swede, and preferably a Swede farmer.
For instance, there is the classic of the Wisconsin politician who, in the Presidential campaign of eleven years ago, toured the back districts of his native state to electioneer for his party. In a remote neighborhood he came upon a tall Scandinavian sitting on a log in a clearing. The stranger hauled up his team and greeted the resident, who replied with a nod.
The politician explained that he was sounding out the sentiment in the district.
"What do you think about Wilson?' he asked.
"Aye don't know," drawled the other
"Well, how about Roosevelt?"
"Aye don't know."
"Maybe you like Taft?"
The alien shook his tawny head, dumbly.
"Well, now, look here then, you must have some opinion," said the visitor "You and your neighbors must have talked things over among yourselves Who do you think has the best show?'
The simple Swede gave this question lengthy consideration. Then, with a faint tinge of expression, he said:
"Aye tank Ringling Brothers got the best show.'
Then there is the time-honored yarn of the Swede farmhand up in Minnesota who, on the witness stand, was called upon by the attorney for the railroad to furnish details touching on the tragic death of a companion
"I tell you," he answered "Me and Ole, we bane walkin' on railroad track, Train come by and I jump off track. By and By, when train is gone, I don't see Ole any more. So I walk on and pretty soon I see one of Ole's arms on one side of the track and both Ole's legs on other side of the track And then pretty soon again I see Ole's head but Ole's body is not there So I stop and say to myself, 'By Jupiter some thing must a happened to Ole!"'
(By the McNaught Syndicate Inc
Stories
by
Irvin
S. Cobb
Two
With a Swedish
Background
PERSONALLY, I do not know a great many persons of Swedish birth. But those Swedes I have met struck me, nearly always, as being unusually keen-witted. Nevertheless, it is customary among after-dinner speakers, when telling a yarn purporting to deal with slow thinking, to make the central character of it a Swede, and preferably a Swede farmer.
For instance, there is the classic of the Wisconsin politician who, in the Presidential campaign of eleven years ago, toured the back districts of his native state to electioneer for his party. In a remote neighborhood he came upon a tall Scandinavian sitting on a log in a clearing. The stranger hauled up his team and greeted the resident, who replied with a nod.
The politician explained that he was sounding out the sentiment in the district.
"What do you think about Wilson?' he asked.
"Aye don't know," drawled the other
"Well, how about Roosevelt?"
"Aye don't know."
"Maybe you like Taft?"
The alien shook his tawny head, dumbly.
"Well, now, look here then, you must have some opinion," said the visitor "You and your neighbors must have talked things over among yourselves Who do you think has the best show?'
The simple Swede gave this question lengthy consideration. Then, with a faint tinge of expression, he said:
"Aye tank Ringling Brothers got the best show.'
Then there is the time-honored yarn of the Swede farmhand up in Minnesota who, on the witness stand, was called upon by the attorney for the railroad to furnish details touching on the tragic death of a companion
"I tell you," he answered "Me and Ole, we bane walkin' on railroad track, Train come by and I jump off track. By and By, when train is gone, I don't see Ole any more. So I walk on and pretty soon I see one of Ole's arms on one side of the track and both Ole's legs on other side of the track And then pretty soon again I see Ole's head but Ole's body is not there So I stop and say to myself, 'By Jupiter some thing must a happened to Ole!"'
(By the McNaught Syndicate Inc
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
Political
What keywords are associated?
Swedish Anecdotes
Humorous Stories
Political Satire
Farmhand Tale
Stereotypes
What entities or persons were involved?
Irvin S. Cobb
Literary Details
Title
Two With A Swedish Background
Author
Irvin S. Cobb
Key Lines
"Aye Tank Ringling Brothers Got The Best Show.'
"By Jupiter Some Thing Must A Happened To Ole!"