New-York tribune., 1903-05-23
THE TALK OF THE DAY.

The parliamentary language Of NAw-York's Board
of Aldermen is puzzling the people Of 'the tight
little island" the early home of the English
tongue What is a 'pie-faced mutT asks The
London Chronicle" THAT is what an alderman
called the chairman a council meeting. He
also called the presiding officer a 'ga8abo.' This
is probably corruption of 'gazeebo' a word de-
fined in Smart as a summer house commanding
extensive prospect The definition does not mat
ter. The word IN appearance and sound is so
nobIy objursatory that IT was bound sooner or
later to be used insulting epithet. But NUT?
We have searched IN vain for an origin. meaning
for that. The etymologies of transatlantic slang
often elude us" The more sapent Globe
rushes in with explanation: Nut is Identical
with nit and nit is Americauese for corrup-
zionist who accepts dip in the palm, but whose
eagerness for more Doodle is SO great that ne
wears a large mitten." We have heard OF big
nit games; the Mayor OF a great Western city
has tust been convicted for connection with them,
but the learning CT the London paper leads it
astray when it derives NUT from init
conference of the best available authorities
American slang says that NUT IS brief for NUT
tonhead"
who Was visiting his City nephew, who's that man
in the house on the other, side Of the street?
Every morning he stands in front Of window an
shaves himself. He's done it now for three days
II suppose he has done it every morning for the
last ten years, uncle" . replied lied Henry; Henry;
Yes; and longer than that. for all I know. I've
been here only ten years myself
i don't know"
@"I haven't the slightest idea, uncle"
Uncle John put on his hat and Wentvout
Henry" he said. that chaps name is Horton
oo ua owns s ha Roaae beo6s to the
has o three v boys ag an 6 0ne g an d &
an hour than yGu have in tie ten years Hanged lar II
stupid?'-(Illustrated Bits.
..7,a r,av,,e ecierti6oua" saws that soma Scotch
herdsmen IN Patagonia number of years ago i'm
ported some Scotch colies aid them in guarding
their sheep. and when they first came IN they were
as well trained and docile their useful and in
tellgent breed commonly All went well
for some time but after while loud laments were
heard from the shepherds. The colles instead of
protecting the sheep were eating them What had
happened? The shepherds had left number Of
the dogs in the woods. and they had bred there
and. reverting to the wofish ways from which ages
of training had weaned them. looked on the sheep
as q provision which nature had made for them,
and proceeded to consume them accordingly. These
backsliding beasts hunt in packs and attack vigor
ously sometimes killing shepherd or two WITHOUT
malice, but in the heat OF their predatory onset
The only remedy which the herdsmen can discern
in the case is proclaim vendetta against the
dogs and destroy them but they have multiplied
aboundngly and taken refuge in the bush. re-
nouncng the customary allegiance of Their kind
so that killing them off is not as easy as rolling of
a log, nor anything like IT, The introduction of
the docile collie to fresh fields and pastures is
evidently not without its occasional accompani-
ments of difficulty and peril and brings out the
animals proneness to degeneracy in a way not
at all credirable the breed nor in line with its
ordinary history.
Double Barreued Hero.-Mr Swiuburne writes
''Incouparably the most impavid exploit engraved
Watts-Dunton in assuming a second surname AS
Theodore Watts he already writ large the
scIousy handicap himself with dissylabio sut1x
argued confidence in his sublime genius nothing
which he decided on this momentous and epoch
making venture / remember his exact words -
'Algy, ne said, what do you think of Dunton?
WHATS DuntonT | asked In a perfervid par
oxysm of amphLbious astonishment.
" All, ne SAID, there you nave IL your Qnerring
ghstened and he looked more like his portrait by
Il argued with him. I strove with him, fought
with him to disSuade him from this peTilous plunge
why not l said. why Watts w unton?' l
made clear to him all the disadvantages of dupI-
cate nomenclature. But he was adamant. Without
a moan d murmur he turned his back on his
unhyphened past and took up the burden of his
double name He has complained since It
the bFaVest deed / ever saw. ."-(Punch-
The executive committee of the Carnegie Insti-
tuition. Washington has made grant of 5000 and
travelling expenses to Professor Arthur Gamgee
emeritus professor of physiology. Owens College
Manchester to enable him prepare a report on
the physiology Of nutrition.
Colonel Thomas Wentworth Hisginson lives In
Cambridge next door 20 Catholic priest whose
occasionally strays upon its neghbor's lawn,
inasmuch fence serves barrier. One
day the priest asked Colonel Htggnson II he OBJ
which the colonel replied "No. have serious
objection TO the COW. only draw the line at
Papal bulls"-(Chrstian Register.