The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-08-14

ercise beneficial influence on the char
acter Of the Individual
The word topaz comes from the Greek
verb signifying to guess. The jewel was
brought from the east, and reported to
have come from an island, and men
guessed at the location of the isle which
produced such beautiful gems.
The word scold was formerly applied
to Quarrelsome person of either sex, but
as women are VIGOROUSLY more given to
scolding than men it has come to be linn
tied to the fairer and more linguistically
gifted half Of the human race.
The word preposterOus originally
meant a process Of reversing the natural
order of things. such as indicated by the
common expression putting the cart be-
fore the horse" BY an easy graduation it
has come to be used in its present sig
nificance.
Take no thought for the morrow is
manner from that in which it was intend
ed when the King James version was pre-
pared. Then the expression ''to take
thought" was universal as a synonym for
anxious solicitude.
Tabby, the name Of a well-known spe-
cies Of cat. was formerly atabi, which
was a term used to designate a peculiar
pattern in the silks manufactured in Per-
STA. The markings in the fur of the cat
resemble the pattern in the silk, hence the
double application Of the name.
Jovial once meant the type of character
supposed to belong to all persons who
were born when the planet Jupiter, or
Jove, was in the ascendant. They were
supposed to possess more of the cheerful
elements Of character than others, and
hence to partake Of the benign qualities
attributed to the Father Of the Gods.
Presently formerly meant instantly,
Immediately, and is used in this sense in
-
other writer's of his time. 1t is a curious
illustration of the dilatoriness of human
nature that word which once meant in
stantly should come to be universally
considered as meaning after a time.
The shrew was originally the shrew
mouse, which, when her young were help
less, would fight desperately in their de-
tense, and so we'll known was the courage
of this little animal, which would even go
out Of its way to seek an enemy at times
when the nest needed protection, that the
word became applied to woman who
was ever ready to seek a quarrel.
The expression BLACKBOARD originally
indicated the scullions, kitchen boys and
potwashers who brought up the rear
when a great mans household was NOV
ing from place to place. AS these per-
sons were by no means choice in their
language or elegant In their department,
the word was soon applied to those who
in speech or action resembled them.
The word treacle has undergone an odd
modification. At first it was applied to
such 6ecoctions Of rots or other SUBJ
stances as were deemed beneficial in
medical practice; then, as these were
frequently sweetenedit came to mean any
sweet concoction or CONNECTION; and
lastly, as molasses was the sweetest of
all, this name was exclusively applied to
syrup
The word prevaricatOr is from the Lat
in, and originally meant a straddler with
distorted or misshapen legs. In the Ro-
man courts of law the expression was
applied to one who in a suit was diScov-
cred to be in collision with his opponent
to compass some dishonesty. AS false
hood was the necessary part of such a
performance the word by and by came to
have the significance at present attached
to 1T.
The expression in the prayer book,
KINDLY fruits of the EARTH has for most
persons no definite meaning on account of
the difference in significance now at
tacfed to the word kindly from that used
when the expression was first written.
The word kindly in that connection
meant as nearly as possible "of it's kind, -
and the expression kindly fruits of the
earth meant the fruits of the earth
each after it's kind
The Latin word from which pagan is
derived originally meant a fountain or
spring; then the village which sprang up
around it, and finally the residents in
the village. AS Christianity took strong
root at first in the large centers of popu-
lation and the worship Of the pagan del
ties fingered longest in the country and
among the country villages, it came to
be understood that pagan or villager
was, in virtue of his residence, Worship
per Of the old gods, and thus the term &C
quired it's present significance.