From 8-year old Hilda’s diary:

I wish I could see England. Alma tells me that the grass is greener there than it is here and all the houses have hollyhocks around them and everyone has beautiful manners like she tries to teach me. She says that the English people speak a prettier English than the American ones do. That is why she is always reminding me to say “A” like “Ah-h-h” not like “A” in “cat” but then when I ask her why we don’t pronounce “cat” like “cot”, she told me not to be silly. But why don’t we?