The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-03-11

Frey, and presided over all mischicyous
spirits in the elements.
Friday was dedicated to Freya, tho
goddess of marriage She occupied in
scandinavian mythology the same posi-
ton that Juno held with the ancient
Romans.
Saturday was Saturn's day. Saturn
was the father of Jupiter, and the son of
CACTUS and Terra.
Coming to later times, we find the doc
trine of ans-substantiation, or change
of the bread into the actual body of our
Lord. doctrine taught in the Romish
church, in the word Hocus pocus. 1t is
derived from Latin form used by the
priest in administering the Lords sup
per- :. The words used are ''IIoc est cor
pus, "this is the body" but by a slight
corruption it has received its present
form and come to mean any slight of
hand performance.
The word .tt,1D,, is an old Saxon word
signifying provision, and il came to be
used instead of rent, because anciently
the greater part of rents were reserved in
provisions, in corn, poultry and the like,
till the use of money became more fre-
quent; 50 that a farmer was one who held
his lands on payment of a rent, or farm;
though at present, by gradual depart
ure from the original sense, the word
farm is brought to signify the very es-
tate or lands so held upon farm or rent.
l'l. Com. B. III p. 3lS.
The origin of the word culprit is found
in the history of our law forms,as follows:
When the prisoner has pleaded 'not
guilty" NON culpabitis, which was form
erly abbreviated on the court minutes
non cM. the clerk of the court on behalf
of the crown replies that the prisoner is
guilty, and that he is ready to prove him
so. This is done in two monosyllables.
abbreviated, cM prit which signifies
first, that the prisoner is guilty, cm or
| cHipabHis, and then that the king is
ready to prove him so, prit. 3)rdesto sam
or 2jardt,ts yerifcave. This was com
monty understood as though the clerk
of the court had fixed an opprobrious
name on the prisoner by asking him
''Culprit, how wilt thou be tried III.
Com. Il. II, p. 339 Hence at this day,
all prisoners at the bar are called cul-
prts.
The word ''Boo used by children in
sport when attempting TO frighten q
playmate is generally supposed to be
meaningless exclamation, and yet it has
it origin in a corruption of Bob, the son
of Odn, so fierce general among the
| Goths that the mere mention OF his
name spread {. panic among the people.
The word bdnk is derived from bdnco,
a bench. The benches were erected in
the market places, and there the cxchan-
ges in money took place. The first pub
lie bank was established by Jews in Ven
ice in 1850.
The word skedaddle is generally sup
posed to be slang of the worst type An
article, however, upon the word says
that it may be readily traced to Greek
origin, and that Thucydides and Hero
dotus frequently used the word in speak
ing of routed army. The Swedes and
Danes have q similar word bearing the
same Specification. An old version of
the Irish New Testament contains the
passage: 81 will smite the shepherd
and the sheep shall be sgedad oil, (all
scattered) The word was probably used
by an Irshman at Bull Run, and being
very expressive, was soon takeI, up by
every one, and ingrafted into our Ian
guage.
The word arena has most interest
ing little bit of Roman history done up
in its small compass. To the student S
eye it means much more than its simple
latin Specification, sand. He sees the
Roman ampitheatre crowded to its ut
most with the beautiful and the brave
+ of that ancient city. Within the circle
t two gladiators struggle for their lives.
e They strive for liberty in vain. Each
one at the same moment gives the fatal
a blow, and both fall weltering in theii
blood. The audience send up shout,
i the attendants drag out the dead bodies,
a and the ground is strewn with fresh
" sand, which absorbs the warm blood Of
+ the late combatants, and the nng j,
a ready for another set. We speak o.
d the earth as the arena of life, wher,
S men are struggling for right or wrong
n but the original meaning of the wort
: has almost escaped us.
r The use of words depends as much ol
s more on the tone and temper of th'
O user, than upon the exact meaning o
o the word. Words are but the means b,
d which thoughts are expressed. The,
a may be used to the comfort and happi
e ness of those around us, or they may b
e employed to the destruction of our i'm
IS mortal parts. Therefore, select you
Ie words first with reference to their mean
l. ing. If they be harsh think twice bt
Is fore they escape your lips.