Evening star., 1920-11-21
YHY do we speak of tn
7 near" and "off" horse?

" Because in the days when
the driver walked beside
the horses his position was always at
the left with his right next to the
team. Therefore. in driving pair,
the horse on the left was nearer than
the one on the right. The near
horse is always the one on the left.
Why do the stars twinkle?
Because their light passes through
variously heated and moving currents
Of air which act as a refractor. Much
twinkling foretells bad weather. be-
cause 1t denotes that these aerial cur
rents are more disturbed than usual.
Why is a married woman living
apart from her husband called a
grass widow?
Because she is a widow by courtesy
or grace" The term grace widow"
which is from the French, means any
woman separated from her husband
otherwise than by death. The French
pronunciation of grace" is the same
as our grass" which explains the
corruption to grass widow"
Why is Ireland called the Emerald
Isle?
Because of the richness of it's YER
dure, the term being first used by DR..
William brennan, the author of t'Glen-
dalloch' and other poems. published
in the latter part of the eighteenth
century. 4
why, when a person is being press
ed for money, do we say he is being
dunned?
Because in the reign of Henry VIII
there lived a bafliff named Dun. who
gained a great reputation for making
persons pay their debts. When every
n al
tried without success. Dun was put
to work, and "dunned him. became
the popular advice as a last resort.
!. Why is it customary to mount
horse from the left side?
Because in the days when sword
dress, and hung at the left side.
mounting from the right side would
have necessttated taking hold of the
scabbard and placing it over the sad
die with the hand needed to assist in
mounting. By mounting from the left
side the sword hung clear and allow
ed easier action.
Why is man called bride
groom" at his wedding?
Because in primitive days the newly
welded man had to wait upon the
bride and serve at her table upon his
wedding day. and thus was groom"
on this occasion.
Why do many persons, half in jest
and half in earnest, knock on wood
as preventive Of misfortune?
Because there was at one time
general belief that trees and human
ity were allied in close bonds of
union, and that certain trees had
healing qualities. 1t was customary
for a person afflicted with disease to
take woolen string of three colors.
and with his right hand tie his left
loosely to the limb of a tree, then slip
it out and hasten homeward without
casting glance back. the belief being
that the disease was transferred to
the tree by touching it. Thus from
tree it has become common practice
to touch any article made of wood to
ward off misfortune.
Why do we speak of giving per-
son the cold shoulder?
Because of the custom once preva-
lent in France of serving to guest
who had outstayed his or her welcome
a cold shoulder of mutton instead of
a hot roast, as a hint for them to 60
Why do we wear heels on our
shoes?
Because the sandal-like footgear of
olden times was not adapted to horse
back riding, and when the high boots
were introduced heels were put on for
hold on the stfrrup.
Why, when a person displays a cow
ardly spirit.rdo we say that he shows
the white feather"
Because in the days when cock
fighting was the popular sport a white
feather in the tail of bird was taken