Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

"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