The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-11-03


bird he is simply following the ex-
ample Of the poets. He is talking
fguratively. When you say such and
such a thing is the limit you are not
abusing good English, I say of man
1 can see his finish. That is abso-
lutely correct English, and very force
ful English, too. Another kind OF
slang is nothlnlng more than the put
ting Of old wordafnto new combina-
tions, the result N each case being IA
novel and catchy phrase that is BAN
died about in common talk until no
writer dares use it, because it has be-
come familiarized, you may say, into
nothing more than slang.
"Queerest OF all is the senseless
slang phrase which holds the fancy OF
the hour and then passes away. There
are numerous phrases that have come
and gone within twenty years. At
present you hear man say he felt
like thirty cents Can anyone anal
ize that into a sane expression? Yet
it is amusing and catchy. ! first
heard that thirty cents comparison
in 1885, Since then it has come into
general use merely because it's so
freakish. It's the same with the cur
rent How'd you like to be the ice
man?' 1t began as song and it has
given rise to whole breed Of iceman
gags none OF which actually means
anything. lisa repetition of Where
did youget that hat" and Whoa EN-
ma 1t will die out in few months
land some other idiotic word or phrase
will take its place. To me the con-
:, slant change in slang and cslloquial
=, talk is very diverting. II it Is worth
. while for scientiest to watch snake
shed its skin, don't see why it ISM
a worth while for a man to watch peo
pie shed it's vocabulary.
- "By the way, have come upon
new piece of slang within the pas
two months and it has puzzled me
y | first heard it from big newsbo
V who had stand on a corner. I
=" small boy with several papers unde
his arm had edged up until he wa
y trespassing on the territory of TIL
'e other. When the big boy saw the small
4" one he went at him in threatening
v way and said Here, here. Twenty
: three! Twenty.threen The small DO
scowed and talked under his BREATH
~ but he moved away. A few days al
u ter that | saw a street beggar aI
" proach a well-dressed man, who nigh
~ have been a boOkmaker or h0rsemal
y and try for the usual touch Th
IL man looked at the beggar in cold dis
III gust and said: 'Aw, twenty threen
u could see that the beggar didn't un
10 derstand it any better than l did. ,
~ happened to meet man who tries t.
" keep up on slang and l asked tn
IL meaning OF 'Twenty-threep He SAT-
1' it was a signal to clear out, run, ge
!, away In his opinion it came fror
III the English race tracks, twenty-thre
'S being the limit on the number q
IL horses allowed to start In one race
>" This was his explanation. l don
Sc know that twenty-three is the lmi
lis But his theory was that 'twent.
ne three meant that there was no longt
ly any reason for waiting at the post.
Us was a signal to run, synonym for tt
a Bowcry boys 'On your wayn Anotht
D. student OF slang said the expressio
or originated in New Orleans at tn
or time an attempt was made to reset
ns- Mexican embezzler who had been a
We rested there and was to be taken bac
ed To his own country. Several OF d
&c friends planned to close in upon tt
Mt officer and prisoner as they were pas
I'LL Ing IN lTOIU Vi u uuSl'icSo oioNN Wui,
had a wide corridor running throut
Of to another block. They were to sep
he rate the officer and prisoner and the
ut when one OF them shouted 'Twent
he three the crowd was to scatter in ;
ny directions and the prisoner was to RI
f?' back through the corridor, on t
es- chance that the officer would be
lre confused to follow the right man. L
ow plan was tried and it failed, b
an 'twenty-three' came into local use
,all meaning Get away, quick" and
ave time it spread to other cities. do
lrs. youch for either of these eXplanatio
ion but do know that Twenty-threc'
tn. now a part of the slangy boys voci
t a ulaty."
can .,sho
i,h "Did YOU ever know your husoa
sx,ho t0I0 Ul