The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-03-25
Antiquity Of By-wordu.

II is curious, says On exchange, to note
how the world clings to the coinage Of
minds and days so long gone that, though
the ideas are retained, the phraseology
in which they were clothed is obsolete
and their origin forgotten.
PolHoon" is instantly on the lips when
we hear Of a cowardly act, but few know
that "pollice truncus" was name Of seorn
first applied to the base Norman who de.
prived himself Of his thumb that he might
not draw his bow in defense Of his country.
Who would imagine that man Of straw, .
a term well known 10 all versed in the
technicalities of law, had been traced back
to the Athenian courts, so celebrated for
equity that the Areopagites sat in the
open air lest their sacred persons should
be contaminated by profane and wicked
persons slipping in unawares to them. To
the uninitiated these quiet.looking men,
with straws stuck in their sandals, seemed
only careless lockers on and listeners to
what theyfelt no interest in; but wink
or nod brought them into the vicinity oI
law-giver, and a keen listener might
have heard the following colloquy: "Don'i
you remember" said the advocate. The
party looked at the fee and gave no sign,
but the fee increased and the powers Of
memory increased with it. "To be sure
l do" "Then come into court and swear
it." And straw shoes went into court and
swore it, Athens abounded in straw shoes
Young folks would not shun the name Of
blue stockings as term Of opprobium il
they had ever read the history of the So
cietie de Ia Gala, formed ut Venice in
1400, whose members were distinguished
by the color Of their stockings, blue being
the favorite color.
Boswell gives charming account Of
club which existed in the time Of Jon.
son, whose most eminent member was Mr.
Stillingfeet, grandson of the Bishop, who
wore blue stockings, and was SO distin.
guished for the brilliancy and wit of his
conversation that when absent the other
members would exclaim: We can do
nothing without blue stockings" In this
way the title Of the club became establish.
ed, and the name drifted into a soubriquei
for all who affected literature. The ear.
liest mention Of a "blue stocking" occurs
in Greek comedyehtitled "The Banquet
Of Plutarch." Our ideas seem to be tinged
with blue, for just now "true blue" appears
for honorable mention. Its origin has
been much discussed. One writer claims
it for the Covenanters, who assumed it in
opposition to the scarlet badge Of Charles
III. 1t was worn by the troops Of Lesley
and Montrose in 1884. The Covenanters
were noted for their religious pedantries
and affectation of strict observance of He.
brew customs. They named their children
Zerubbabol and Habbakuk called theii
chapels Zion and Ebenezer, and decorated
their persons with blue ribbons, because
the law Of Moses comma nded: "Speak to
the children Of Israel, and tell them to
make themselves fringes on the borders Of
their garments, putting in them ribbons Of
blue" So when Covenanter was very
brave be was true to his color.
Apropos Of Roundheads they have the
credit Of fool's-cap paper" Charles l,
always generous when the act did not
empty his own pockets, gave the monopoly
Of the manufacture of paper to party
who stamped their goods with the royal
crest. Cromwell's Parliament made many
jcsts on the Kings monogram and in
mockery substituted the FOOLS cap and
bells. The Rump Parliament had its briei
day and passed away, as also did the fg-
ures of the fool and bells from the paper,
but sheets the same size Of the Parliamen,
journal still retain the name.
"Hurrah" is Slayonian word, and is
heard from the coast of Dalmatia to Behr.
ing's Straits when any of the inhabitants
of those limits have occasion to show cour-
age or yalor. The word originated in the
primitive idea that every man who dies
bravely for his country goes straight to
heaven" Hurray, Ito Paradise,) and in
the heat Of battle the soldiers shout that
cry as the Turks do that of Allah" ami
mating themselves by the hope Of death
being but an entrance on state of reward
for their heroism and suffering here.