_badness_

• Format: Manuscript
• Language: English
• Subjects: English language > Dialects > Newfoundland and Labrador; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/elrcdne/id/9682

badness n People dressing up to frighten others. JW. What sort of live people used to frighten people in the old times? M. Eh? . M. Oh yes, (they used) to dress up to frighten, so they wouldn't want 'em out around, and even fellers dressed up and frighten 'em. They used to do that for devilment! JW. Any time of the year, just for a trick? M. Yes, A bad.bad.it was badness they used to do that for! They was that bad! Now them people wasn't afraid, but that's the fellers should get a fright; - a feller goes out to frighten you! There should be something come then give he a damn good one! JW. What sort of things would he.would they dress up in to frighten someone at other times of the year? M. Oh they blacken their face and put on some kind o' old hat, you know, old long coat and.perhaps a big long nightdress and stand out there. Another feller [would] get in the graveyard; he('D HAVE) a flashlight stickin' down the snow, see. Stick the flashlight down the snow. He'd COME along, he('d) see the light.I see the light in the graveyard last night, and the bugger was a flashlight stuck down the snow, stowed away. They do that, you know! Used to do that here. Yes, the girls goin' over Spencer's Dock. Now the girls won't go over now, see. (THEY) Get a chance now to get off with 'em, see! They gets up and sees a light there in the graveyard! There's a fellow in there now, gone ahead! Ah, they will not go HOME (if) they see (a) light in the graveyard. Out jumps the fellar and away they goes! (THEY) can't go home! Stops over to another house all night! Used to do that. I come down here one night and there is a feller goin' to OVER [Reverse] (IT WAS). frighten somebody down here, and the road wasn't here then; that was a holler, see, down there. When I walks to come in through the gate I seed the light. Ah! I walks over; the light is covered over with the snow, a little bit o' thin snow. The flashlight's down in the snow, on the hill. I goes over an' looks at it. 'Tis a flashlight. I('M) not lookin' for the pla(ce).I sees ...