The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-11-24
- - ----s-------'------=- ----.
TAKE MY HAT.

| Every one who has heard the phrase, bu
few, we fancy. know its origin. One Of oul
exchanges gives an account of it, which is
! good enough TO be true. 1t runs rs follows:
About nineteen years ago, fine looking
old gentleman from Western Virginia enter.
ed store in Nashville, Tennessee. Said
store was owned by bluff, honest old ira.
der, who knew II great deal more about the
quality of the liquor sold at the back end o
the counter than he did about the freness
OF the fabrics at the other, nevertheless, be.
tween the Two extrcmities of that shell. con.
trtvlng TO make both ends very comfortably
meet the necessity OF the case The old
Firginian cast his eye around the shelves
and finally remarked: ....
"Well, neighbor, ! see you hev got hats" !"
"a slight sprinkle" was the answer. and
then followed the query, "Whar yer from?"
"Old Virginia" was the response
"Right smart old State" replied the Ten
nesseean. "but getting rather too old to
keep her har on"
"What do you mean?'' inquired the Vir.
ginian. .4 .. ....-
"Well, just what say. uncle; it can't
keep her haf on---for instance, now should
think you hev been right healthy child Of
the Old Dominion but she has "shed" YOU
at last, and like Sampson of old, that's the
way she's losing all the best har off her ven
cradle head" 5.....
The old Virginian looked around the s ore
rather bothered with the liberty this Ten.
nesseean was taking with his mother State,
and finally remarked
81 came here to talk about hats, stranger,
not har." .. .#."s
."Well, well, uncle, don't get wrathy now.
| was only venturing political opinion a.
bout the population in general, and on that
We won't quarrel; but before we look at the
hats, as they are intimately connected with
heads, 'spose we take mig ght OF bald face"
The proposili OIL was agreed to, the liquor
was imbibed, and next followed the hats.
The merchant tossed down four or five
woolen hats of various sizes, and invited the
old gentleman to select one which would fit.
tie looked at them, examined the sizes, said
they would do, and requested the storekeep-
er to hand him down few more.
''That's all the sizes I've got," said he,
"but here is few more if you think you'd
like "e:s better" and SO saying be tossed
down three more. r.~ ss... III -sr. .srg p.
"fhem's all right" said the old Virgin.
ian, turning them arouRd, and the stout old
storekeeper blowing with exertion, descen-
ded from his perch, where he was straddiugI
from shelf to counter. AS soon az he reach
ed TIE floor, the old Virginian remarked that
lie had not enough yet. 'ea aa
20, you want 'em for your niggars?'
says the storekesper. "Weil, WHY didn't
you say SO when was up?" and again pro.
ceeded to perch himself up like mercantile
Colossus. When he had blowed himself
into his former position, the old man quietly
.g.lat. t.aa ,a .r='
''Why, stranger,I warn talking anything
about nigger." The fact is the old man
was rather enjoying the extra trouble he
had put the Tennesseean to. esla .
= swell, what do you want with so many
II want them for my sons" said the old
The storekeeper began to count them on
the counter. s''EightF' said he, ''a) pretty
big spread of boys already, I'll swear, butt
here goes" and added one and then anoth-
er, and yet further, and he picked up al
fifth. and finally seeing the old man inn
earnestly counting the hats, he
tossed down THEE more, and eas about toI
descend himself, when the old man told hin,
10 hold on and throw down few more. ~
I 20, come, uncle" said heyou are iok-
ing" but to please him he threw down
twenty.as 3 liai edna u p ID qlas l5w "a
'.That's just one too many" sa;t plJ
mhn with mach gravity. l ssq n ~.