The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-08-08
.eTake MY Hat.O-The Origin Of the Phrase.

'sTake MY Hat."-The Origin or the Pnrase'
Every one heard this phrase but few know
its origin. The following account of it is good
enough to be true:
Many years ago fine looking old gentleman
from Western Virginia entered store in Nash
ville Tennessee. Said store was owned by a
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,
between the two extremities of that shelf con-
triving to make both ends meet the necessity of
the case. The Virginian cast his eyes around
the shelves and finally remarked:
"Well, neighbor, see you have got hats
ga slight sprinkle" was the answer. "Whar
ye from !"
"Old Virginia" was the response.
"Right smart old State" replied the Ten
nesseean "but getting rather too old to keep
her har on"
"What do you mean?" inquired the Vir-
ginian.
"Well, just what I 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 fshed you at last, and
like Samson of old that's the way she Is losing
all the best har off her venerable head.
The old Virginian looked around the store
rather bothered with the liberty this Tennes-
seean was taking with his mother State, and
finally remarked: :,
81 came here to talk about hats, stranger, and
not har."
"Well, we'll, uncle, don't get wrathy now. 1
was only venturing a political opinion about
population in rail- and on that we won't
quarrel, but before we look at the hats, as they
are intimately connected with the heads, 'spose
we take mite of bold face"
The proposition was agreed to, the liquor
was imbibed, and next followed the hats
The merchant tossed down four or i've WOOL
hats of various sizes, and invited the old gen.
tleman to select one which would fit him. He
looked at them, examined 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 would like them bet
ter" and so saying he tossed down three more.
"Them's all right" said the old Virginian,
turning them around, and the stout old store
keeper, blowing with exertion, 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.
"Oh, you want 'em for your niggers ?" says
the store-keeper. "Well, why didn't you say
so when 1 was up?" and again proceeded to
perch himself up like mercantile Colossus.
when he had blowed himself into his former
position, the old man quietly remarked:
"I wern't talking about niggers !" The fact
is, the old man was enjoying the extra trouble
he had put the Tennesseean to.
"Welf, what do you want with so many hats ?
"I want them for my sons," said the old man.
The store-keeper began to count them on the
counter Eight, a pretty big spread of boys
already, I'll swear, but here goes;'' and added
one. and then another, and put fourth, and
picked off a fifth, and finally seeing the old
man immovable, he tossed down three more,
and was about to descend himself, when the
old man told him to h9ld on and throw down a
few more.
"Oh, come, uncle" said he, "you are joking"
but to please him, he threw down twenty.
"Thats just one too many" said the old
man.
"What-y you don't mean to say that you have
nineteen sons? Whar, in the name OF Iennes-
see, are they?"
"They are in Tennessee-right here in the
city-up at the hotel" said the man. ,cc
"Stranger," said the store-keeper, "if you
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 line of nineteen boys,
marching single file, each bearing a gun, and
followed by the venerable mother. They, en-
tered the merchants store, and ranked along
the counter, the store-keeper ran his eyes along
the line with astonishment. ,.,
"And you say these boys are all yours?" he
inquired.
piled the old man.
"Do you say so, madam ?" he inquired.
eyes, do, and ought to KNOW" was the
SWMell, you might I'll swear" said the store
keeper. "Old friend" he added, "I amt gota
word to say-just take them hats, and mine,
too W