Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-08-31


ously with a crop Of later fruition
lsuch as vetch, for instance. The hot
land impetuous deeds Of youth sowr
lrecklessly only temporarily choke the
good crop, and eventually give place te
the development Of harder and better
planted grain.
You must whistle for it" is fire.
quently said inimically by a person af'
ter the rejection Of last alternative
by another, and conveys a prospect ir
the speakers mind Of having to &c
! without the object desired. In the tav-
erns and inns of Dorsetshire and else
where 1t was at one time customary
to use larger tankards with four han
dies, holding about five or six pints
and in one Of these handles there was
a whistle, which the consumer could
use to summon the laggard drawer
when the tankard grew empty.
| Nine tailors made q man." Thls
expression brings us to the considera-
ton of the universal custom OF the
ringing Of church bells, a practice re-
sarded as almost sacred in most minds
as being one Of the ceremonies attach
ed to the Christian faith.
It's origin, however, is a very super
stitious one, and the ringing of bell
was formerly practiced from a beli'A
in their efficacy to drive away EN-
spirits. The "tailors" in the above
phrase is q corruption Of the word
"tellers," or strokes tolled at the end
Of a knell.
Immediately on the death Of a per-
son a knell is tolled, the idea having
originally been, as previously observed,
to keep off hostile spirits from the now
departing one.
In some places the departure Of an
adult was announced by nine strokes
in succession; six were rung for wo-
man; three for child. Hence 1t came
to be said by those listening for the
announcement, Mine tellers make
man." AS this custom became less
general, and the illusion less generally
understood, there was an easy transi-
ton from the word "tellers" to the
more familiar one "tailors." At the
present day at Wimbledon 1t Is still
the custom to toll nine times for a
man.
That inveterate joker, Curran, took
advantage Of this popular saying to
poke some fun in a good -natured way
at his hosts on the occasion OF his
being entertained at dinner by IL OF
the Guild Of Tailors. Curran, on leav-
ing, rose and said, Gentlemen, wish
you both good evening"
This anecdote reminds one Of the
tale told Of a former skipper Of
good sized ship on which several
hands had been employed, who had
become so impregnated with the
phases of command used in directing
such a craft that, when at length he
took to working small boat with the
assistance Of one other individual, and
it became necessary to summon the
latter, he would cry out, "All hands
abaft" then, suddenly recollecting
himself, he would add, both Of U.S."
Drunk as blazes Cor Blaizers).'
This very inelegant expression, mean
ing "in a state Of excessive intoxica-
| tion," is said to offer immortality Of q
sort to the name Of Bishop Blaize, the
patron saint Of wool-combers, who are
in consequence denominated Blazers,
and who at Leicester and elsewhere
celebrate his festival with professions
and high conviviality. Or 1t Is just
possible that the simile may merely
have arisen from the idea Of a face
blazing" with drink, as red and flame
colored as blazes, just as We say "blaz-
ing hot" etc.
"In a maudlin state" that is, over
come with drink, and in a melancholy
or fearful condition. Maudlin is a
corruption Of Magdalen, and the refer
ence to Mary Magdalene, who Is gen.
orally represented as weeping at the
foot Of the Cross. The name Of Mag
dalen College, Oxford, is similarly pro-
nounced, which has given rise to many
jokes at the expense of the undergrad
yates Of that institution.
To rain cats and dogs" meaning
to pour in torrents, Is said to be a
perversion Of the word "catadupe," a
waterfall.
To flight like Kilkenny CATS" mean
ing to be constantly wrangling or to
fight almost to the very death, is based
on the we'll known story Of the two
Kilkenny cats which encountered one
another in a sawpit, and, being thus
hemmed in, fought till only their tails
were left! There is, Of course, an as
sociation with this tale Of the fact that
the inhabitants Of that part Of the
world are esteemed considerably hot
blooded and contentious.
Every dog has his day." 1t has been
suggested that day" is a corruption
for bay" the result Of the tendency
for ALTERATION in proverbial sayings,
and as baying or barking is one Of the
chief indications of joyfulness in the
hound, the general meaning Of the
phrase, that Of everyone having a time
Of pleasure or notoriety at some period
Of his life is satisfied.
"As dead as a herring" A herring
is supposed to die Immediately on re-
moval from the water It swims near
the surface because it requires much
air, and the gills, when dry, cannot
perform their function.
Temperate Sweden.
"They still drink in Sweden, but they
likely will not do it long," remarked
G. L. Nelson Of Stockholm. Already
one-tenth Of the whole population be-
longs to temperance societies. 1t takes
seven Of these societies, among them
L IL Wy ~ TN IL.