Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-02-21
miscellaneous.
words and Phrases.

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tis 331b |Ji bi----!0D 81 sF5lfAuo5f9i
sOUR phrases are not designed to be
conYirued too literally. Punch tells US
Of d nfAn who was arrested for attempting |
to damage the, river Thames. What was
the man doing z He was trying to pull T
up the stream. So JoseEhs brethren
=: 4 haen accused for putting him ip the
pit, because, II is supposed, they lhopght
IL was good openipg ForA young mar,
A person who holds fast 10 the truth SO
literally that he DeYer let it escape him
is not to be commended any more than
the man who takes the partof q frierd
when the action refers TO a pudding but
not aquatrel: Daphne of old was turned
into 6se; nowadays a horse Is fre-
qusntly turned into9a field. aos
Two or three words are strung togeths
81, and instead Of retaining their CONS
binedmeaning, acquire a new signi6caS
lion How'd differently is the action de-
scribedin securing forest and scouring
d AoUr, in skimming the sea 1and SAimA
ming milk; in breaking a dish, breaking
| colt and breaking a commandment; in
catching 10 train and catching Q cold !;
in falling into ditch, falling in love,
falling in your owntestimatiop, and fall
ing 10 with fiieud, or falling out with
a friend, or fallipgaout Of 2 .caEiage. n,
This pe,uliarity Of our words is what
renders you SO liable 10 read, in the fans
ny column of4 your newspaper, Of the
l,person who, in an explosion gOf grief
'lbprsGihtotears, and whose remains have,
fnot been found; or who carried out q
project and was Obliged to bring it back
! again Nor who kept his word, and so had
q quarrel with Noah Webster, who wan
ted it for his dictionary orwho courtcd
Ian investigation and was welded to his
own opinions ;sor who got off speech, !
and has since been, trying 70 get on
Eagnip, having found that has train of re
| marks was n0f''he right one or who, at
mass meeting, being Cred with ipdig
nation, was put out orwhO being hem
uIud III by q OruUd, iiao sipvv boou troUe-
led bya stitch ID his side Or who was
lost in slumber, and nGter wandering for|
. long time 10 his own mind, finally got
out on a nightmare.
i What b We mean by the awkward,
every day question, SLOW do you do?,
i 5WhAtldo We meau when we speak Of
''old times" knowing as We Go that what
we call old shines, we're really the new
and young times, and that the present is
the true old age Of tho world ? Has any
debating society ever decided whether a
house burnt up or dOwn2 What do we
mean when we say, as We often do. that
we will do q thiHgiu no time2 We have
no occasion to laughlat the, mistakes of
foreigners when We are SO ooltinually
misunderstanding each other. Said RichS
ard Briusley Sheridan to his wild son. -
Tom: "Take wife, Tom and REFORM ?
"With all my heart, said Tom, "whose
wife shall Iltake9n The joke appeared
lin this city only the other day, 10 . new
suit Of clothes. An enterprising young
man said he was going to start q news.
paper. aiWhich Of the papers are going
10 start ?" his friend asked. A wag,
With fine appreOiationsOf the arbigui-
IAies Of words once asked Q man HHow
i many knayes do yop Anppose live in this
I.strset beside yourselfg' Besides my-
/, self Do you mean to insult me2'
IsWeH then, replied the wag show many
do you reckon, including yOurself9p ~ As
} al instance Of the way jim which man
| may be misled by the forms Of language
Fl --bow he.nnsy- dasiro to Rav one thing
+ and really say the opposite, the story may
: be mentioned Of the gentlsmau, who,
/. speaking 10 the company Of ladiescf the
8 want ofapersOnal attractions Of some Ia,
Q dies Of their acquaintance, said: SThey
9 are the ugliest women ] knoW--preseR
Q company always excepted.N "a furrier
having facilities for renovatingi old furs
g advertised, ia perfectly grammatical
Q manner, "Capes, viotorines, So, made NJ
o for ladies, out Of their own skins.',
4 may also mention the editor who, desir
D, ing to compliment friend, wrote: IH
is is clear thinker, a ready and vigOrou
b writer. end Q frat rate fellow to boot, "A
d The convention of Bloomer damsels VII
te resolved emphaticaIly, "to wear shol
ID dresses Or nothing p the CiruulaE Of
lady teacher, which spoks Of her Charal
icr' aud the "reputa'iph for teuehing 81
70 bsAtss r and the advertisement Of . COL
D. cert direcEor who announced that var
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