East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-09-29
wTHINGS ARE CHECKERED.n

Whenever "things" are dubious and
uncertain, they are, IN the slang OF the
day, "checkered." The expression is a
very common one. Almost everybody
has heard it, but few know its origin.
One night, while going up the Hudson
in company with the renowned Dick
Sands-who is as great yarn spinner
as he was daring performer and as he is
manager-some half dozen of uswore
gathered in the freight clerks office,
chatting and discussing the quality OF
some Bourbon which was nothing else, "
when Dick, who is occasionally in the
habit of "making few remarks when he
is in voice." gave the following as the
origin of the popular expression we have
alluded to. 1t is impossible to write the
story as he told it; his "stylc" can't be
put into print, and the story must, OF
course, lose something at our hands in
consequence:
"Just after the great fight between
Hyer and Sullivan" Dick commenced
'the friends of Tom were in the habit OF
meeting in Dick Platt's saloon, under
what is now Wallack's theater, while the
partisans of Sullivan congregated farther
up town, at another saloon. At these
places all, or nearly all the fighting men
and "sports" might pc found nightly and
all the news Of thcday in which ''fancy'
was particularly interested might be pick.
ed up. One evening, when the party at
Dick Platt's was unusually large, Hyer
himself being present, and while they
were talking of various subjects of inter
est, over an occasional tod, the door sud
denly opened, and small man neatly
dressed, in the flash style of the day, and
with a wildncss of expression in his eye
entered the room and slammed the door
after him; walked up to the bar, hardly
noticed by the crowed, and calling foI
some brandy and water, took drink, and
turning his back to the counter, surveyed
the party. Then stepping out into the
room, he exclaimed throwing out hi.
arms-"Things are checkeredn
Everybody turned to look at him.
Some laughed and others looked surprised
81 tell you," the little man went on-'1
tell you, gentlemen, things are checker
cd! They don't make them as they used
to, and you can't tell who's who! Things
are checkeredl They are, by-!"-
And with rapid stride he commenced pa
cling up and down.
"What's the matter sonny9" said one
of the fighters of the party. "Who's
hurt you? Go home to your motherl"
IL tell you, gentlemen" again said the
little man, stopping and looking around
him, "things are checkcrcdl and you
don't know who's Who'll Look at mel
Tam little man--wcigh just one hun.
drcd and twenty-cight pounds, and feel
SO good | can taste myself Where's
your fighters? Bring on your fighters |
only weigh hundred and twcnty-eight
pounds and tell you things are check
cred" And the little man threw his
arms about like and insane windmill
One Of the party, a large, broad shoul.
dcrcd, bullet-headed bruiser, who bore
about his fgurc-head the scars of many
an encounter, now went up to him, and
laying his hand on his shoulder, said in a
slangy way: "Dry mp, will you?--sayf
What are you missin' aboutl--sayl You
don't want TO fight nobodyl Go lay
down; you'll get hurt, sure!"
al tell you" again exclaimed the lit-
tie fellow as he turned away without