Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-12-29
ORIGINS o. PHRASES.

OF the Day Como From.
The phrase ~ acknowledge the corn"
originated with q slave in the South,
says the Detroit Free Press. He was
charged with stealing corn found in his
possession. Having sack with him. he
was also charged with stealing that His
reply was: "No, sar, knowledge de
corn, but amt gwine to knowledge de
sack"
Tipping the wink" generally re-
garded as vulgar phrase, is to be found
In grave historical romance. 1t occurs
in "Valerius; Roman Story" by John
Gibson Lockhart, Sir Walter SCOTS SON
in-law, and for many years editor of the
Quarterly Review.
ANY color, so it's red," originated
among the class of characters called
Jakcys in the local drama. One of them
being on committee appointed to pro-
cure now fire engine, was asked what
color the company desired the apparatus
painted. He replied: "Why, any color,
so it's red"
Tho origin Of the phrase "I can't see
it" is traced to Lord Nelson, who, at the
battle of Copenhagen, was told that
signal was given to cease firing and the
direction pointed out to him. Selling
a telescope he applied it to his blind
eye, and exclaimed: "I can't sec it,
Hauling over 5ho Goals" dates six or
seven centuries back, when feudal bar
ons often used harsh methods of exact
ing gold from the rich Jews by suspend
ing their victims above slow fires until
they paid ransom or died. There is
scene of this sortin "Ivanhoe,' in which
the Templar endcavors to eXtol money
from Isaac of York, father of Rebecca.
Barking up the wrong tree" is very
common expression in the West. 1t
originated from the fact that dog will
bark at the foot of particular tree to
Indicate to his master where the game
is located. While endeavoring to see
tho animal, he discovers it on another
tree, and it finally escapes him altogeth-
eli. In its application it denotes that
looking for it in tho wrong place.
Anxious mothers often toll their
handsome 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 statues made Of wood or stone,
which occurred in Rev. Robert Flem-
ing s p )em, published in 1901.
The term "blue stocking" was orig
finally used in Venice about the year
1400, to designate literary classes by
colors. In Mills History of Chivalry.'
we are told that members of tho various
academies were distinguished by tho
color of their stockings, blue. being the
prevailing color. The application of
the term to women originated with Miss
Hannah More's admirable description of
"Blue Stocking Club" in her BIAS
Bleu."
Corporations have no souls" is a
much older expression than most people
imagine. 1t originated with Sir Ed
ward Coke, who in the sixteenth CEN
fury was considered one Of tho best
legal writer's of the age. lie says, in
one of his treatises: Corporations can
not commit trespass, nor be outlawed,
nor accommodated, for they have no
souls"
"Drownlng the miller" originated
from the following fact: If the mill
stream below the mill is damned or
stopped, the water is pended back, and
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
mixture it is called drowning the
miller"
There are few such common-sense
proverbs as ''every man is the architect
of his own fortune" Appius Claudius,
Roman censor, used it in a speech de-
livercd by him fifty years before tho
Christian ora
Not few Of the phrases in use at this
day originated with Lyly, and are found
in his "Euphues," q popular book pub
lished in 1850. Among them might DO
mentioned caught mapping" "a
crooked stick or none," "brown study"
catching birds by putting salt on their
tails" etc.
A.