"yon' is an archaic way of saying "that one over there", so "yonst" may have
the same meaning in this sentence. Seems like it might fit in the dialect
this person is speaking.
"Michael Meric" <mmeric@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:BBAC347E.CF114%mmeric@earthlink.net...
> "Yonst" is the word I am asking about. It is quoted in F.L. Olmsted's,
The
> Cotton Kingdom. A white southerner, possibly from Alabama, regarding the
> idea freeing slaves says:
>
> "Well, I'll tell you what I think on it; I'd like it if we could get rid
of
> 'em on yonst. I wouldn't like to hev 'em freed, if they was gwine to hang
> round. They ought to get some country, and put 'em war they could be by
> themselves......."
>
> It sounds like "yonst" means "elsewhere, not here". Can anyone take this
> further?
>
> Thanks much,
>
> Michael
>
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