The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-16

OUR contemporary OF the Peters burg met
Epencer continues what he facetiously styles
the Interesting Editorial Episode" with a
notice of our explanation of the word "gun-
ger" Immediately upon learning it, like one
reiuvenised and carried back "a very long way
to boyhood's happy hours, he exclaims af-
ter this fashion
We rushed at once into all the glorious reminiscent
csc this choice old compound of olasses and flour,
which, in our boysh days, used to be, to our palate,
princely delicacy. We devoured them all over again
in Imagination. and the phantom meal only made
US sigh for the realities But they were not called
"Gungers to the best of our recollection, IN those
good old times If our contemporary means that whaI
he styles ''gunger is dentically and ventaoly
the singer-cae of the first fifteen years of the pre-
sent century, which sold on court green 10,
cent" we join with him most cordially m ms e .b
memory of this sweet staple which CANNOT nc oe
scribed. But how it to assume the nanie vi
"Gunger"l 1t seems to u.s. if we may hazard con-
lecture to be a corruption of Ginger-the having
some how or other, been changed into "a we resIet
that we have not the space TO spare .o+aay bicb we
into the wide range of contemplation 10 which VIC
are strongly tempted by the charming assocatons-
the almost irresistible aurements OF the SUBJECT
Our cotemnorary in his enthusiasm, has touched 1t
off inimtably and could not hope 10 equai MN.
| Proceed we now to explain to him the meaning OF
phrase which we accidentally used in our former ar
FL Sb;c # seems is not so ineligible to him
might be. He calls on us to tell nm VIVA. a;u P 70
KIT ;d uar read Tom Moores rhymes about Tom
Crib that stawart hero OF the Pusihsnc rlng, VINO
figured brilliantly in England ABOUT Inc era OF tns
SIC phrase of his school, and, translated from ST
Giles's Greek into modern AngloSaxon, means con-
deraby above the common level ofinteligence-or,
rather the perfection of knowledge in the particular
line of its application. 1t is phrase denoting that
elevated conce pton-that complete comprehension
Which Crib and his disciples had of the graces and ac
| complishments of thorough training. The French
| have pretty much the same idea conveyed IN the
phrase taiand there is another saying OF similar
import that is very often heard-"up TO snuff and
| pinch over" Is our contemporary enlightened?
We are not so old as SYME is, be it remem-
| bered for we do not recollect when our pri-
| mitive forefathers cut wheat with reap
| hook; but when we were boy, the phrase
'gunger' was common.
| We thank our worthy and learned friend
for his lucid definition of the phrase sup to
slum." We are not much versed in the vo
cabulary of the Fancy, and though we have
read Tom Crib, it was many years ago, and
his elegant expressions had slipped our memo
ry If SYME had employed the Western
idiom of 'some in a bar fight" so nearly sy
nonymous with "up to slum, we should have
had no difficulty whatever in readily compre-
hending his meaning. We think, by the way,
that the slang of the Mississippi is greatly to
be preferred to "St. Giless Greek" and we
wonder that our contemporary is not of the
same opinion. There is an responsiveness in
| the boatman's English-a freedom from the
| trammels of conventional parlance-which
| we cannot too much admire. When he wish
es to express an idea, his language is exactly
| adapted to its perfect comprehension.
The conjecture hazarded by our friend, as
to the change of 4 into II, in order to arrive at
gunger, is certainly very shrewd one, and
shows depth of pathological attainment for
| which we had not given him credit. TRENCH
in his recent book on Words, does not give
clearer Transformation, and there is nothing
in the Diversions of PURLEY to touch it.
The suggestion of SYME on this head brings
to mind several instances wherein people
have taken this liberty in the substitution of
one vowel for another We are inclined to
think that his own name is a remarkable in
stance We can't give up the idea that
SyME has taken the place of SOME. The cali
bre ofhis mind, his indomitable wit and good
humor say as much. He is not only some
but upwards of - sight
New HOTEL IN CHARLEsTON.-We learn
from the Charleston Courier that the MILLS
HOUSE, a magnificent new hotel, will be fin
ished in that city by the 18th October next,
ready for visitors. Thomas s. Nickerson, a
man of experience, is the lessee. This estab-
iishment is at the corner of Meeting and
queen streets, is go feet front, and runs back
'oo feet on Meeting street. The whole de.
sign, finishing and furnishing, according to
the Courier, is on a magnificent scale.
rsople must not take it for granted that editors
san Ahow everything by intuition, VERY often
tney complain oi no notice being taLa, &c th;nys of
municatlng the necessary information.n
The above is very true remark az Rripadirr
General heAaAon, of the Memphis Eagle. HE
called the Alderman of the Dispatch cotons, short
time since.l
Inc county court Of Rockbridge has determin-
ed to grant no licenses to retail ardent spirits
Mics Appolionia Ludlam, the guitarist, il asnore
/ the yief3fuR of vel Ca Al