The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-22
RAlfIIIAR SAYINGS.
How Many wsn-RnoWn Verbal ,Iaz'
prssIionS Have Their Origin.

pfe1Giona Have EpeiE uEtg4ns
"Go to the dickens is a popular alb
breviation and corruption of "go to the
devllklns," or little devils.
Going to pot" is a reminder of the
day when boiling TO death was legal
punishment ot-parricides.
ITO be in a brown study" is q corrup-
ton Of brow study.e a study requiring
much thought, and contraction OF The
brOws
Knocked into a cooked hat Is ex-
prcsslvo Of the ease with which this
urtisle, especially when old, assumed
almost any shape, ll"
'As dead as q herring" is an express
sion arising from the fact that herring
die very quickly after being taken out
Of the water 10
ITO catch a weasel asleep Is indlca-
tlye OF the extreme vigilance. oflthese
animals, who are disturbed and made
wide awake by any sound, however
slight.
TO knock the spots out OF anything
Is an ailusion TO the traditional skill
Of western cuwbnyN and famous rife
shole who would shoot the .splts ont
Ht q card held between the fingers Of q
friend. rs
30 at Rome as Romans do" Is Cre0it-
ed 10 no less an authority than ST.
Augustine, who advised a convert,
doubtful about the propriety Of some
custom observed at Rome, to do as
other people did.
Tell that to the marines" indicates
the contempt which, even to the present
day, professional sailors feel and ex-
press for the soldiers who form a por-
ton OF the complement on board a man
of-war.
The. term "hlue-stocking' is as old as
the year 1900 at which date In Venice
q society OF literary ladies and gentle
men was organized, the members Of
witch as distinguishing badge wore
blue stockings.
by the holy poker is n popular abb
breviatinn of an oath which became
common during the cFusades. By the
holy sepulcher" was In the mouths Of
all EnglIshmen during the two cen-
turtles that the Crusades went on.
ITO haul over the Goals" recalls the
former legal custom Of trial by fire, the
accused walking barefoot over bed Of
glowing Goals, and his innocence or
! guilt being deduced from the condition
Of his feet after a certain number OF
days elapsed.
post haste" recalls the days when
| everybody who was in a hurry and
could afford the expense Travelled post:
that Is. with relays OF horses at the end
OF every five or ten miles OF the Journey
the fresh animals thus enabling greater
speed to be made.
The expression "a grass widow" has
several fanciful explanations, but 'ls
| most probably corruption of the
/ French expression, vetive de grace, a
| widow BY grace or courtesy; that Is,
| woman who has left her husband or has
been deserted by him. -.
"CioinE the whole hog" was originally
piece Of butchers slang. In the col.
onial days OF America purchasers would
frequently buy a whole hog to be cut up
at home. hence the butcher would ask
| II the customer meant to go the whole
hog or wanted only a part.
''As right as trivet' "a piece Of
household slang. The trivet was a rod
placed acros the fireplace for the pur-
pose Of suspendIng from Il d pot over
the Are. II was necessary that the
| trlvet should be exactly horizontal or
disaster to the pot and It's contents
would result.
ITO catch n tartar" recalls a story,
told at least two centuries ago. OF an
Irish exile in the service Of the Austrian
| government who WINS captured by s.
| Tartar h0rseman. and who shouted
| back TO his captain that he had caught
Tartar, but that the fellow refused
| to be brought into camp.
There's many slip 'twlxt the cup
| and the lip" Is as old as the days OF
Ancaeus. who one day, having filled a
cup. get II down before drinking, on the
Information that wild boar was raw
aging his field, Taking his spear he
went out IN STAY the animal, but was
killed by the boar.
"A bird in the hand is worth two in
the bush" Is a saying credited TO the
famous WIN somers, Jester Of Henry
VIII, bur II Is certainly much older
than his time. being found In one form
or another IN the medieval chap
books and literature OF Greece.
"Robblng Peter to pay Paul. Is said
to hive originated In an act Of the
church government Of England IN 1850.
Al that date the Cathedral OF 81. Paul
In London being out Of repair, and no
funds available. portion of the Income
Of Westminster which was consecrated
10 ST. Peter, was diverted to the repair
OF ST. PaulB
AT skies and sevens' Is an express
sion borrowed from the Old-tIme needle
makcrN, When needles were tlulshed
they were thrown into box and after
ward sorted out by boys and girls into
Sizes Six and seven were the most
common sizes, and Rs the needles lay
irregulRrly. TO be at skies and sevcns
was expressive OF hopeless confusion
ITO grin like cheescn" or Cheshire
cat, Ii an expression which came Into
use In England In the early days OF this
century. A cheese manufacturer Of
Cheshire having made an excellent mr.
ticle. placed upon the boxes as his