Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-06
"TAKE MY HAT"
The ORIGIN Of tho phrahe.

/ A1fOl Ol1O 41olo All 1LAb pm eAoC buS IL "
know its origin. The following account Of
it is good enough to be true:
Many years ago fine looking old gen.
tleman from Western Virginia entered d
store in Nashville, Tenn. Said store was
owned by bluff honest old trader, who
knew more abatit the duality of the count
Ell tnan ne did about tine hneness OF the
fabrics on Nevertheless, between the
two extremities of that shelf contriving to
make both ends meet the necessity of the
case. The Virginisn cast his eyes around
the shelves and finally remarked,
"Wen, neighbor, see you've got hats"
ga slight sprinkle" was the answer.
Whar ye from?"
"Old Virginia, was the response.
"Right smart old State" replied the
Tennesseean, "but getting rather too old
old to keet her bar OH
tWhat do you mean?" inquired the Vir-
gilman.
"Well, just what l say, uncle; she can't
keep her har on; for instance, now, should
think you hev been right healthy child OF
the Old Dominion, but she has she'd you
at last, and, like Samson of old, that's the
way she is losing all the best har of her
venerable head.n
The old Virginian looked around the
store rather bothered with the liberty this
Tenuesseean was taking with his mother
State, and finally remarked;
81 came here to talk about hats, stran-
ger, and not har."
"Wel, well uncle, don't get wrathy now.
was only venturing political opinion
about 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 a mite Of bald face. -
The proposition was agreed to, the liquor
was imbibed, and next followed the hats.
The merchant tossed down four or five
wool hats of various sizes, and invited the
old gentleman to Select one which wotlld fit
him. He looked at them, examined the
sizes, said they would do, and requested
the store keeper to hand him few more.
"Thst is all the sizes I've GOT" said he;
"but here's few more, if you'd like them
better" and so saying he tossed down three
more.
"Them are all right" said the old Virgin
ian, turning them around, and the stout old
store keeper, blowing with exertion, de-
scended from his perch, where he was
straddiiDg from shelf to counter. As soon
as he reached the floor, the old Virginian
remarked that he had not got enough yet.
"Oh, you want 'em for your niggers?" says
the storekreper. "Well, why didn't you
say SO when l was up?" and again pro-
eeeded to iperch himself up Ike a mer-
camille Colossus. When he had blowed
himself into his former position, the old
man quietly remarked:
GGUl,u I yUar,Sf folEinn auufbip0
about niggers!" The fact is, the old man
was enjoying the extra trouble he had put
the Tennesseean to.
"Well, what do you want with so many
hats ?"
81 want them for my sons," said the old
man.
The storekeeper began to count them on
the counter. "Eigbt," said he, ga pretty
big spread of boys already, I'll swear, but
here he goes;" and added one, and then an
other, and yet a fouth, and picked off
fifth, and finally seeing the old man i'm
movable, he tossed down three more, and
was about descend himself, when the old
man told him to hold on and throw down
q few more.
"Oh, come, UNCLE" said he, "you are
joking" but to please him, he threw down
twenty.
"That's just one too many" said the old
man.
"What-yOu don't mean to say that you
have nineteen sons? Whar, in the name
Of the State of Tennessee, are they?'
"They are in Tennessee-'ight here in
the city-up at the hotel" said the man.
STRANGER" said the storekeeper, ''if you
ken show me nineteen boys of your raisin',
thar's the hats"
"HOld on, then," said the old man, and
off he started. In about ten minutes, down
the street he came, leading a line of nine
teen boys, marching single file, each bear
ing good gun, and followed by their ven
cradle mother. They entered the me~-
chants store, and ranked along the coun-
ter; the store-keeper ran his eyes along the
line with establishment.
"Ahd you say these boys are all yours?''
he inquired.
"Ask their mother-she says they are,
replied the old man.
"Do you say so, madam?' he inquired.
eyes, l do, and l ought to know was
the reply.
"Well, you might, I'll swear" said the
store-keeper. "Old friend" he added, II
amt got word to Say-jest take them hats,
and mine too -