Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-05-03
" Not Drap More, 'Thout it's sweetened'
tFrom the MOntgomer! NALL


It is astonishing how firmly certain words
and phrases become Incorporated in our YER
nacular. by the chance telling Of al auecdote,
or anything OF that sort. \ very common
metaphorical expression is contained the words,
getting the hang" 1t is Of universal appli-
cation and convenience, and became popular
from the day Of its first appearance in the
New Orleans Picayune, ten years ago, as the
nub Of story of western gambler in steam
boat who refused to refund certain monies frau
duently obtained, although made fast to pis-
ton rod Of the machinery, and compelled. every
second. alternately to plunge and jnmp back
wards, TO prevent, in the one case, his head
from being ierked of, and in the other, bis
brains from being dashed out by the regular
powerful stroke.
'' Let me alone I'm just getting The hang
of the machinery" he exclaimed, when it
was demanded, 8 Won't you pay back, now =
And so in law, politics, religion and morals,
science and art, the American people have been
getting the hang ever since
q Not a drap more, riout is srectened, is
household phrase in part of Georgia aRd
Alabama 4 man declines, with it, to renew
a game Of cards at which he has been unsuc-
cesSful a rustic expresses, by the elegant
periphraSis, his determination TO drop the ac-
qnantance Of some cruel beauty the little
politician vows, in these terms. to abstain, in
future, from some particular course which has
proven Improbable and so on. through
thousand phases and cases of commonplace
life, it answers its purposes Of a playful, but
decided negat0n or decleaSiOn for the party
using it, Ia fact, it is rather liberal render
ing of the Shakspearean No more Of that Hal.
and tFou l0rest m1.' though mostly by those
who never read Shakespeare.
We believe that our friend, Col L. Haralsor,
formerly Of Georgia, is entitled to the credit Of
the story out of which grew the expression
He tells it about thus =
Twenty years ago, it was the custom in north
western Georgia, as indeed it was throughout
the southwest, for dry goods dealers to keep
barrel of =" sperrets III the back room, and 10
" treat liberal customers TO g glass whenever
desired"
Filens and Dewberry were such dealers in
one Of the small towns indicated and they
had for a customer clever, frollicking old fel-
los. named Joe Denny who drank whiskey in
preference to water, always, and whose wife
Vas flesh Of his flesh in that particular
The old couple would come to town, trade quite
freely. and quite IS freely imbibe the spirits
in tie back room Of the dealers ne have
named
On one occasion both the old man and old
woman continued their po;a:ioas inordinate!y;
and as Fliseus observed thar his goods weat
better the drunken the ole Woman became, lie
pressed her 10 drink
At last she refused unless be would sweet
en- il with l little store sugar" The am.aJIe
I l.. :. J.. - Il
people started home in the eyening late, the
old mau could scarcely mount his horse, aud
the good wife had actually to be Lifted and
placed on the pillion behind him Happily.
she leaned one way. and her husband the 9th
tber. 80 that the gEayitiag point was between
them ard IS Size c.gng TO him inSt.nct:Eelv
they passed olt Of the village safely.
Before reaching their home, however, they
hai TO cross small creek, and when their
horse stepped in TO drink, the old LADY having
reached UuceH>ciogsueSs, released her hold and
quietly IapSed in the stream below. Occupied
with bis thoaghtS, the old mau did 10: perceive
his loss but joEgc,. slowly homewag5. Arrived
there. the children inquired anxiousIy for
mamv.~ Lu; the old man could nnly >ay that
she had been on the " critter,- and the crit
ter hadn't kicked up uary time, 50 lie couldn't
say where she mOlt be and threw himself
stupid On bed
Girls and boys few along the road TIE old
nan had come, yelling uIRy-' 1s4-saeZ but Of
course 10 HE-y responded.
When they arrived 81 the creek, the oldest
girl shouted yonder she Is, sitting dova in
the creek = And there she vas, seated com
fog,aJly in the water, which came nearly % %
her mouth. a she svayed back and forth,
uow FIELDING 10 the imEerGoSity Of the stream.
2ad Los resisting L with some success, the
muddy ruid would OCCASIONALLY vet her lips,
and each time It GlI .. she would family ex-
claim w.;h & grim effort q smile =
" Not d-ap more, NJ. Fiiiegs, thou: Is
sveeteacd-~ And Il : 70 this romantic little
Incident in the life Of the venerable Ms Joe
Denny that We are Indebted for o-e Q; oar
uost popular co..oqai4l phrases
e. =" In oar Comfy Court writes sa Fs<-