Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-12-19
Shpherdsow jefferson County, Virginia Thursday December 49, 1912
Origin of Familiar Expressions.

"Bran-new" is contraction OF brand
new; that is, so new that the mark or
brand OF the maker is not yet worn of.
"Flatter." AT first sight, there would
seem TO be little connection between fiat
tery and the wagging of dogs tail. yet
in nearly all the languages of Northern
Europe the Same word signifies both, and
flattery is certainly derived from The word
meaning to wag the tail. In Danish,
Iogre is to wag the tail, and logre for cen
to fawn upon or TO flatter. In Dutch,
leydon means TO flatter, and vleydsteer-
ten is to wag tile tail. In the old Norman
tongue, fladra signifies to flatter and to
wag the tail also. So it will be seen the
connection is close.
"Blackmail." In ancient times the
peasants OF England and Scotland were
forced to pay kind OF tribute in money,
corn, cattle, and horses 10 certain men
who promised to protect them from the
numerous bands OF highway robbers that
overran the country. "Black" denoted
the 10 W coin in which il was paid that
is, the illegality of the payment being, in
itself, form OF robbery. Rent, legally
due, and all other legal obligations, were
said to be paid in white money. or legal
money, or legal money. In this country
the word "blackmail' has come into gen.
enral use as applied TO persons who ex-
tort money from others by threats OF ex-
posure or accusation of some alleged
miSdemeanor.
"Yellowjournalism" This word came
from the fact that certain Eastern news
papers that were in the printing, espec-
tally yellow, were also the ones that were
largely given to publishing sensational
stories.
Names of dress goods" Cambria
was first made in Cambray, France. Cot
ton got its name from goton, a word OF
Arabic origin. Calico was manufactured
in Calicut. Brocade means to embroider
or to stitch. Dalnask cloth originated in
the ancient city OF Damascus. Satin
comes from the Italian word seta, mean
ing having fine gloss.
days IN the month" In the calendar
of Julius Caesar the year began with
March. The odd months, as | 3, >, 7,
9, II, had each thirty-one days, and all
the even months had thirty days, except
in leap year, when February had but
twenty nine, being the last month OF the
year. When the Emperor Augustus came
to the throne he thought it detracted from
his greatness to have the month that was
named after him to have but thirty days,
although it was one Of the even months.
So he had one day taken from February
and put to August, so that the month
would have as many days as July, that
was named after Julius Caesar. That is
how two months in succession have thir-
ty-one days.
"The bogies will catch you" In the
old Scythian religion their gods were
called Bagaois. The Russian Church still
speaks of God as Bogu. These ancient
gods were believed TO do good by day if
propitiated; but if their homes, the dark
forests, were invaded and robbed oftheir
treasures OF wood, they would do i'll to
the intruders. Hence the expression that
originated from these gods dwelling in
the dark forests was, "The bogies will
catch you in the dark" The words
"humbug" and "bogus" can also be
traced to this origin.