The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-09
LONDON STREET SAYINGS.
They Mostly Originate in Music Hall
Songs and are Short Lived.
From the London Million.

From the London Million.
Few things have so short a life as street
sayings. The cry, in great favor with boys
Of all ages some years ago. of whoa.
Emmar' went out as soon as it appeared
Later, the current street phrase took the
form of "All very fine and large" then
old and young We're invited to "Arsk a
policeman" while cit yer 'ir cut"' and
Hes the man who broke the bank at
Monte Carlo" We're the favorite express
sions yesterday.
Many street sayings have their origin in
music hall song. Thus. He knocked
EN- in the old Kent road" with those al
ready given, Belong TO that category
Many similar phrases are taken from the
chorus of a comic song, and for a time
possesses peculiar life and vigor. stop
the cab stop the cabl' was a familiar
phrase some time ago, while Don't know
yer" lourished nightly down White
chapel way during the latter days of last
year ALI these were from the music
halls or pantomines, and were used at
all times and under any circumstances.
Have you seen the shah?" was a favor
lite expression on the occasion of the
first visit of the shah of Persia to this
country. Curiously enough when his maj
esty visited these shores three years ago,
the phrase was rarely If ever heard. do
you see any green in my eyer" is a phrase
Of somewhat ancient lineage, and still
in certain circles. The very rude ques-
ton, Does your mother know you're
out?" Is rarely heard nowadays 1t orig
mated in music hall song some six or
eight years ago. Another phrase of
similar type, HAS your mother sold her
mangle?" is now decently inferred with
other phrases whose vogue was equally
short.
Foot ballers are not without their typi-
cal phrases, and the words, who killed
the referee?" may frequently be heard
proceeding from the mouths of babes
and sucklings'' at foot ball matches. In
the early days of the volunteer movement
members of the auxiliary force were often
submitted to somewhat similar discount
eous treatment by the street gamins of
the day. Who shot the cat?" frequently
startled and Infatuated the gallant civilian
defenders of Britain's shores who, filled
with enthusiasm, determined to do or die
against the French colonels" of 1857.
who threatened to blow up the mouth of
the Thames. The late Edmund Yates, in
his recollections, refers to the use of this
phrase, and speaks of the indignation felt
by the volunteer when some street boy
yelled from the rear, .Who shot the cat?"
who stole the donkey? The man with
the white hat" was a common express
sion some years ago. Its origin is said to
be found in a case heard at a London
police court, where a man wearing
white hat was charged with stealing a
costermonger' donkey. In Manchester
tho phrase generally comes to life-a
short, but merry life-on the first day
of May. On that day many of the car
riers and draymen are presented by their
employers with white hats. In these they
parade through the streets, and thereupon
affect the risible muscles of the small
boy, who Immediately cries out, The man
with the white hat"
The phrase, What, Again? and so
soon?" was very common once upon a
time, and originated in comic song i;
but to what can be ascribed the origin
of Two pence more, and up goes the
donkey?" who ate the cat?" is also a
phrase of doubtful origin, although Mr.
Farmer, in his Slang and It's Analogies, -
said that ft'Was 1evelled at come bargees
who once had a cat which had been placed
as a decoy by a gentleman whose larder
had been robbed by these laborers of the
towing-path who stole the eleven
days?" is regarded as one of the earliest
of modern street sayings. 1t originated
in a curious way. In 1751 the proposal
to alter the style of the calendar from the
Julian to the Gregorian was carried out
and by act of parliament it was decided
to date the new calendar from jan l.
instead of March %. Eleven days were to
be deleted by causing the 14th of Sep
TENDER to follow the Sd. Naturally, an
cutlery arose among the ill-educated, who
failed to see the advantage of the change,
and who accordingly resented it. The
phrase who stole the eleven days?' as
was to be expected, at once became cur
rent. 4t-sl-s#
Get your hair eutr' is phrase which
has only just gone out, and was in con-
siderable vogue among the naughty, irrev-
erent street boys who delighted in jeering
at folks who wore long hair or boards
WHO let you out ?" is another irreverent
ejaculation of the same type What in
the present year will take the place of
such phrases as Back in a minute, -
Hes just gone around the corner" and
Amt he a-carryin' on?" familiar a short
time ago TO thousands of street gamins
and people Of an elder youth, the future
alone will show.
Antiquity of Lawyers.