The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-12
"soN or AsEA COOK. /"

| Strange how expressions arise;
| strange how their, meanings become
misconstrued and their worus altered.
| son OF a sea cook"
Many of you have used the express
| sion without the slightest regard to the
| meaningless character OF the words:
used IL as a term OF apprehension when
you wished TO avoid profanity or vile
language. Yet why son OF a sea
cook?" asks the Philadelphia Times. Is
there any reason why the son OF cul-
mary artist aboard vessel should be
meaner than any other mortal? None
whatever. Then why the term? This
is brought to mind by "a recent discus
zion regarding the altered expression OF
Everything Us lovely and the goose
hangs high" We have discovered that
for hang" we should read ''honk"
Now as 10 the sea cook
The information concerning this ex-
preston has not been found in any ref
erence dictionary. IL comes from a
prominent citizen: man OF affairs and
man OF intelligence. In 1862 he was
for period the campaign companion
of Leonard SWEET, who at that time was
candidate for congress in Illinois. Mr.
SWEET, you will remember was the
bosom friend of Abraham Lincoln-his
alter ego. In 1883 he was the advocate
in Chicago of the presidential aspira-
tions OF Walter q. Gresham At the
time referred TO Mr.. Swett had an en-
gagement TO address voters i'm Fremont
and Pekin. In Tazewell county. and by
the informant referred TO was driven
from Fremont To Pekin. SWEET had
few equals as a conversationalist, and
the talk was brisk and naturally never
TO be forgotten by the man who had
proffered his services as a driver.
The latter speaking of well-known
lawyer OF Pekin, remarked: He is
son of a sea cook" Mr.. SWEET turned
abruptly and said That expression
IN not correct. You mean the son of a
sekawk, which is a perversion of the
Indian name segonk which means
skunk. and is usually pronounced SEX
awk.' Few people ever use the term
correctly or comprehend it's meaning"
Here Is another. In the Times few
days ago there was published some
thing regarding Welsh rarebit. The
same spelling is found on nearly every
bill OF fare in the land. where this
combination of toasted cheese and
toasted bread is TO be had. Rabbit"
is the word. OF course. it may be con-
tended that this Is corruption of the
word rarebit. but the corruption is an
accepted one, and for generations be-
fore this country was founded "rab-
bit" was used to describe the producer
OF Nightmares to which we refer. It's
origin is surrounded In some mystery.
1t probably arose in Wales as a hui
morous amendment of the term rare
bit: suggestive OF the ironical idea of
applying that description 10 the most
indigestible OF dishes. Rabbit" it was
200 years ago. and Rabbit" 1t should
he today. The only poem dedicated to
IL. that we know of. is one which was
written by witty member of the Bo-
hemian club, San Francisco. whose
name is not now recalled. and which
Maurice Barrymore has frequently re-
cited with clever effect. Even In that
the word is misspelled. II begins.
The Welsh rarebit lay in the gastric
juice
Whence all but he had fed.
The subsequent lines describe the
trouble that ensued.
Then as to the matter of tomato cat
sup.
Why catsup? We are not following
feline spittle. Yet nearly every bottle
which comes from public manufac-.
turer is emblazoned with that spelling.
Wrong. Ketchup is the word. It'is
corruption of the Japanese kitjap,
which Is a condiment somewhat similar
to SOY. 1t is a pick -me-up; a stirrer of
the digestive organs; a ketch-me-up;
and hence its application to the ming
ling OF tomatoes and spices whose
name IL should bear.
Words are queer things.
On the window blinds of bookstore
In Chicago appears the legend: Words
are the only things which live for
ever"