Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-06-12
"TAKE MY HAT"
The origin Of the Phrase.

few know its origin. The following ac
count of il is good enough to be true:
! May years ago fine looking old gen
tleman from Western Virginia entered a
store in Nashville, Tenn. Said store
was owned by bluff, honest old trader
who knew more about the quality of the
counter than he did about the fneness
of the fabrics on it--nevertheless, be-
tween the two extremities of that shell
contriving to make both ends meet the
necessity of the case. The Virginian
cast his-eyes around the shelves and
finally remarked, q ~uer
We'll, neighbor, see you've got
hats" ~ - 1fAtE 1854
"a 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 to keep her har on.
What do you mean?" inquired the
iVirginian. iaiieas E4
We'll, just what 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 shed you at last, and, like
Samson Of old, that's the way she is
losing all the best har OIL her venerable
head"
The old Virginian looked arouad the
store rather bothered with the liberty
this Tennesseean was taking with his
mother State, and finally remarked: %
/ came here to talk about hats, stran-
ger, and not har"
Well, well, uncle; don't get wrathy,
now. Twas only venturing a political
opinion about population in general,
and on that we won quarrel, but before
we look at the hats, as they are init.
mately connected with heads, 'spose we
take mite of bald face"
The proposition was agreed to, the
liquor was imbibed, and next followed
the hats. ( MO M4 tEt&LL
The merchant tossed down four or five
wool hats Of various sizes, and invited
the old gentleman TO select one which
would fit him. He lood at them, ex-
amined the sizes, said they would do,
and requested the store-keeper to hand
him few more.
That 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 Vir-
ginian, turning them around, and the
stont old store-keeper, blowing with ex-
ertion, descended from his perch, where
he was straddling from shelf to counter
As soon as he reached the floor, the old
Virginian remarked that he had not got
enough yet.
"0h, you want 'em for your niggersY
says the storekeeper Well, why
didn't you say so when was up2" aud
again proceeded to perch himself up
like q mercantile Colossus. When he
had blowed himself into his former
position, the old man quietly remarked:
IRN" Why, stranger, i want talking any
thing about niggersp' The fact is, the
old man was enjoying the extra trouble
he had put the Tennesseean to.
We'll, what doy want with SO many
hatsY
i want them for my sons" said the
old man.
The storekeepers began to count them
on the counter. g Eight, said he, "a
pretty big spread of boys already, I'll
swear but here he goes; and added one,
and then another, and yet fourth, and
picked off fifth, and finally seeing the
old man immoyable, he tossed down
three more, and was about to descend
himself, when the old man told him to
hold on and throw down few more.
T" 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