By JAMES J. KILPATRICK

By JAMES J. KILPATRICK

Universal Press Syndicate

Bob Rolfe, a senior staff writer for The Leader in Corning, N.Y., fired a shot the other day at the Speech Police. He identified them as “■tile folks who, if left unchecked, would happily hang an offender with his own dangling participle.” Nice line.

Mr. Rolfe had written a column about going shopping with someone who made purchases with food stamps. He said, “That made little difference to my friend and I.” A reader chastised him for the grammatical error. He was unrepentant.

“Tell you a secret, folks. The style of this column was developed after a considerable period of experimentation and several prototypes more than a year ago. But the key point was a dictum of an old journalism school prof of mine, who said the greatest ability in the field was to be able to ‘speak fluent peasant.’” ■ Mr. Rolfe explained that he sought to write his column in conversational style, as if he were sitting next to somebody in a coffee shop, bar or restaurant. Speech Police don’t hang out in such surroundings, he said, unless they’re doing a really deep-cover gig “and even then you can usually spot ’em.” He advised his critics to lighten up. “The Hassle just ain’t worth it.”

Let us think about style. Mr. Rolfe intentionally pitches his column to those “who speak fluent peasant.” He addresses them as “folks.” He shortens “professor” to “prof.” He writes “’em” instead of “them.” Hassling over grammar “just ain’t worth it.” This he believes to be peasant-speak.

Maybe this works for Mr. Rolfe. If so, more power to him. It works for columnist Lewis Grizzard, who speaks fluent Good 01’ Boy. He writes naturally about his Mama Willie, who is suspicious of them satellites. Lewis’ style comes from within. He IS a good ol’ boy.

By the same token, William F. Buckley Jr., speaks fluent aristocrat. His elegant style bespeaks his elegant life. Bill IS an aristocrat.

Let me get in the fray. I have se