The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-10-12
"Take My Hatp-The Origin of
The Phrase.

Every one has Heard this phrase but
few know It's orisiu. The following
account Of it is good enough to be true
Many years ag4 fine looking old
gentleman from Western Virginia
entered store ins Nashville Tennessee
SAID store was own1 by a bluff, honest
old trader, who Knew more about tho
quality OF the county, than he did about
the fneneSs of the Ribrics on it-ncver
thcieSs, between the two exsremities of
that shelf contriyiug to make both ends
meet the neccssityS of. the case. The
Virginian cast his eyes around the
shelves aal f::a!! : ssez:::::==::Ecd: se:::==:Ec
"Wcll, neighbor, | see you have got
hats"
"A slight sprinkle" was the answer
"Whn yc from p 'e 80.
"Old Virginia." wga the response.
Right smart old State " replied the
Trnucsscean, but getting rather too old
to keep her har on.''
What do you MOAN ?" inquired the
FIrginiap.
"Wcll, just whatl say, uncle s. G
can't keep her harI on; for instance,
now. should .hial you hey been a
right healthy child otflA Old Dominion
but she has she'd $ n ut last, and like
Samson of old that's The way she is
losing all Tie best has' off her venerable
head
The old Virginiaailopke around tie
store rather bothcses with the liberty
this Tcnncssreau wax taking with his
mother State, aud iiuafy remarked
Il came here to talk about hats
stranger, and not har.'&.,
We'll, well, uucles don't get wrath !
now. | was only venturing political
opinion about popnlatisn in general, and
on til We won't quarssl, but before we
look a: the hats, as THY are intimately
connected with the A.a1s, 'spose we
take nitc ottoaid iFsays9
The proposition was agreed to, the
liquor was imb5ei, and next follow cd
the hats.
The merchant tossed down four or
live wool hats of various sizes, AMI in
v,tcd the old gentleman t, select one
which would fit him. He looked at
them, examined the sizes, said the.
would do. and requested the store keeper
to hand him few more
That is all the sizes I've got" said
he, 'but here $ few more, if YOU would
like them BETTER aud 50 saying he
tossed down three more
"lhem's all right" said the old
Eirsinian, turning them around, aud
the stout old store keeper, blowing with
cxcrtion, descended from his perch,
where he was stradiling from shelf to
counter. AS soon US he reached the
floor the old Virsinian remarked ,hat
lie had not got enough yet.
"Oh, YOU want 'em for your niggers?'
says the Store K opcr, "We!l, Why aidm'
you say SO when l was up p and again
procaSlcd to perch himself up like a
mercantile Colossus When he had
blowcl himself into his former position
the old man quietly remarked
Il wcrn't talking about nigger5:'
The fact is, the old man was enjoying
the extra trouble that be had put the
Tcnncssccau to.
Well, whit do You with 50 m.ny hats:
II want them for my sons," sail the
old man.
The store keeper tegan to count them
on the counter. IF ght, pretty big,
spread of boys already, I'll swear bat
here goes; and added one. and thenanoth-
cr. and put a fourth. and picked of
a fifth and finally seeing the old man
,mmovab!c be tossed down three more,
and was about to descend himself, when
the old man told him to hold on and
.hrnw dpwn 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 mah
"What-you don't mean to say you
have nineteen sous Whar in the name
,of Tennessee, re they?"
They are in Trnnessee-rdght here in
the clty-up at the hotel, said the man