The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-03-17

treasure-bouse of things poetic and roman
tic-that word. They read the meaning in
Webster. they read it in Worcester; they
made it out to be from Norman French;
they produced dilapidated Johnson's die
tionary of MDCCLX, and read the venerable
Doctor Samueps definition; they went to the
history of England to see when the order to
put out the lights and fires were first en-
forced, and when in the reign of William
Rufus, the curfew was abolished; one of the
sophomores who was q law fedgeling,
quoted Blackstone on the subject, and the
fair suggester of the word referred us to the
third chapter of Ivanhoe recommending us
to read that chapter afresh, and so setting us
all agog to renew our acquaintance with the
Waverly Novelsl, and then, having come
prepared, she quoted Millions lines in ii
Penseroso:
Oft on a plat of rising ground
hear the far-off curfew sound,
and the verse in Gray's Elegy, finishing her
part by repeating the familiar "Curfew must
not ring tonight"
'Well done for curfew," said the eld-
est of the elders, that is a good begin
ming"
The other words were candidate, Golf, cur,
coin, cup-bearer, chrism-losing, croquet,
Christmas Volumes of matter at that rate
of choice, was the unanimous opinion. What
was to become of the G family if here was a
sample? Above all where would the the rest
Ol Tue AlpQdD6t QUQ CDd0C6G
Here the company took vote to postpone
cur and coin that we might come speedily
to all the romance that was about cup-bear-
erss from old Testament times, from Hebe
and Garrymede, through Eeastern courts, on
and on and on; and being done with that,
find out about the next, concerning which
every one was curious for what pray, was
chrism-losing? Was it indeed lawful word
for the occasion? We voted to accept it, and
then demanded an explanation.
So our own antiquarian proceeded to in
form us that in England, in early times, when
people became converts as sometimes a
whole army professed to, that is, changing
from paganism to Christian faith, they were
baptized. and this was called "chrism-los-
ing" Thus Gutherie and host of his war
riors were baptized by the Saxons in the
camp of Alfred. The ''chrismal" was
white linen cloth put on the head at the
time as token, and worn a certain number
OF days. This was news to US; and we agreed
that 'chr,Sm-loSlng' was matter to look
into and report upon. 1t was case for horoic
treatment; Saxoh annels must be examined,
If Saxon annals there were in reach. We
must see if any of the English historians
said anything about it; we must search the
volumes of that curiosity-hunter, D'IsEaeli,
for possible ray of light; and o for access
to that long row of volumes named "Notes
and Queries" which public libraries have, or
ought to have; and lucky thought there was
biography of King Alfred-happily more
than one author has written of him.
You see we have strayed, or pushed right
into the aim of very ancient antiquity:
and, one said, ''obsoletism," but ''No" pro-
tested the antiquarian, 'chrism-losing' is
lawful aud proper word, or compounded
word" An embarrassment of riches
"Why, we have drawn the elephant" said
the irrepressibie lawyerling. otis like the
portrait of the Primrose family in the Vicar
of Wakefield, so large that it could not be
got into place.