The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-21
ORIGIN OF SOME PHRASES.
FIRST Use OF some Expressions That
Are Part of Every Day Language.

Are Part of Every Day Language.
Frank H. StdUfer IN Detroit Free Press.
Inc phrase Il acknowledge the corn"
originated with a slave in the south. He
was charged with stealing corn found in his
possession. Having a sack with him, he
was also charged with stealing that. His
reply was: mo, sar. l knowledge de corn.
but amt gwine to knowledge to de sack u
tipping the wink" ge orally regarded
as a vulgar phrase, is to be found in a grave
historical romance. 1t occurs in 'tValerius:
Roman Story" by John Gibson Lockhart,
olr W alter SCOTS son-in-law, and for many
years editor OF the Quarterly RerieU.
Amy color, so it's red, - originated among
the class or characters called Jakeys in the
local drama. One OF them, being on com
mittee appointed to procure a new fire
engine, was asked what color the company
desired the apparatus painted He replied.
why, any color, so it's red"
The origin Of the phrase, 81 can't see it "
is traced TO Lord Nelson. who, at the battle
OF Copenhagen. was told that signal was
gwen TO cease firing, and the direction
pointed out to him. Selling a telescope he
applied it to his blind eye and exclaimed,
~ can't see it.n
Hauling over the Goals" dates six or
seven centuries back, when feudal barons
often used harsh methods of extracting gold
from the rich Jews, by suspending their
victims above slow fires until they paid ram
SONS or died. There is scene of this sort
In "IvaDhoe,n in which the Templar en-
deavors TO extort money from Isaac of York.
father Of Rebecca.
Barking up the wrong tree" is a very
common expression in the west. 1t oriei-
mated from the fact that dog will bark ut
the foot Of a particular tree TO indicate to
MS master where the game is located. While
endeavoring to see the animal he discovers
it on another tree, and it finally escapes
him altogether. In its application it denotes
that person has mistaken his o. ject, or is
looking for it in the wrong place
Anxious mother often tell their hand
some daughters that 'beauty is but skin
deep" The phrase probably originated
with these two Lines
Beauty is but skin Deep and so doth fall
Short OF those statutes made Of wood or stone,
which occur in Rev. Robert Fleming's
poem, published m 1891.
The term "blue stockingp was originally
used in Venicesabous the year 1400, to desi4-
nate literary classes by colors In Mills
History of Chivalryn we are told that
members Of the various academies were dis
tinguished by the color OF their stockings,
blue being the prevailing color. The APP
plication of the term to women originated
with Miss Hannah Moore'S admirable
her BIAS Bleu."
Corporations have no soulsn is much
older expression than most people imagine.
1t originated With Sir Edward Coke, who
In the sixteenth century was considered one
of the best legal writers of the age. He
says, IN one of his treatises: Corporations
cannot commit trespass, nor be outlawed,
nor accommodated, for they have no
soulsn
Drowning the miller originated from
the following fact: If the mill stream be-
low the mill is damned, or stopped. the
water is pended back, and the mill becomes
what the millers call tailed" There is too
much water, the mill will not work, and the
miller is said to be drowned out" Hence,
when too much of any one article is put into
a mixture, it is called drowning the mil
ler."
BETTER late than never was used over
300 years ago by Thomas Tucker, in his
Five Hundred Points of Good Hushandry.n
Later on Bunyan used it in his "Pilgrim's
Progress"
Not few of the phrases in use at this day
originated with Lyly. and are found in his
'Euphues. popular book published in 1850
Among them might be mentioned caught
mapping, VISA crooked stick or none. ""brown
study" catching birds by putting salt on
their tails" etc.
When people do not particularly Ike each
other, it is sometimes said: There Is no love
lost between them" The phrase occurs in
the old ballad of 1.-THE Babes in the Wood.n
and in tale of the days of Shakespeare.
entitled 'Montchensey."