The Calumet news., 1912-07-25
ORIGIN OF MANY OF
THE COMMON SAYINGS
WHERE PHRASES WE OFTEN
HEAR IN DAILY CONVEX
sATlON CAME FROM.

The lions share embodied the
sarcasm cf Old Aesop. In whose raole
al the conclusion of their joint feas;
the animsls announce their wish To
divide the booty. the lion claiming
one quarter by reason OF kingly pre-
rogstiVe. one quarter Tor his su-
perior courage. one quarter FOR AIS
dam ana cubs. AS for the fourts
quarter" said the lion, let who viii
dispute II with me"
Every man FOR himself ana the
devil take the hindmost." l. a cyn-
/ zeal slogan derived from the Span
isrds f. j. said that HIS Satanic
Majesty once conducted "a school OF
magic at Toledo Al the eni ef tn,
term the graduating class was II APP
pears. made 10 run through a long
subterranean hall. the president of
the institution being entitled 10 tie
hindmost II he could catch him.
4 feather in ones cap" Is derived
from Scotland Among the woodcraft
enthusiasts il WAS the custom fOT
the individual first 10 kill wOodCoeH
10 pluck out a feather and place Il
In his cap oliver Cromwell con-
ferred dignity upon this expression
when. on his refusal Of the English
crown. he observed Royalty - but
a feather IN a mans cap. let children
enjoy their rattle"
A thoroughbred gamecCck shows
only red and black feathers, and
cross breed is known by o white
feather In its tail Hence TO show
the white feather" conveys a strong
notion Of cowardice. from one point
cf view. at least.
one may search the Scriptures in
vain Tor any allusion 10 Jobs turkey
The expression. AS poo as Jobs
turkey" had its origin in the brain
of a humDrist. sam Slick" He de-
scribed this bird as being possessed
Of but one feather in ITS tail and as
~ 80 feeble a constitution that it
was only By leaning against Z fence
that IL was enabled To- gobble.
The ancient Greeks are responsible !
for the expression ITO throw dust in !
ones eyes EpamlnOndas. wlshins |
TO surprise the Lacedemonians, is said |
10 have caused 500 cavalry To ad- |
vance in front kicking up great |
dust that the wind blew into the faces |
of the enemy thus binding them 10 a |
flank movement he was executing
with view To taking the CNeted !
heights in their rear.
Barking up the wrong tree" may he
referred 10 the mistake sometimes |
made by hunting dogs when game |
flies from tree 10 tree.
Dead mans shoes" is undoubted-
ly 10 be traced To an old Hebrew |
custom. On the transfer Of an in
heritance the successor received "a |
er.
For many years in front Of the pull |
pit in Scottish churches persons un- |
der censure sat during the service |
Afterward they stood to receive pub
lie rebuke. From this practice We |
derive the stool Of repentance"
"TO eat humble pie" is To be |
ascribed TO the fact that in feudal |
days the umbles, inferior parts OF
deer, Were baked in pies for the poor
retainers.
Whole hog or none" refers to tine |
alleged custom of MoEammed To al |
low his followers to eat all except |
one portion of a pig, which portion.
however, was not specified The re-
suit. therefore. was that If a Moham-
inedan did not wholly avoid the use |
of pork he might as well run the |
risk of consuming the whole portion |
as To eat any portion thereof.