He Thought He Was Shot, While Training Dogs

Wisconsin, 1907

HE THOUGHT HE WAS SHOT

Jos. Milcharek Goes Out to Train His Dogs to Hunt and Narrowly Escapes a Serious Wound.

While training two of his dogs to hunt near the river on the plat of ground near Messer's slough, Sunday afternoon at about 12:30 o'clock, John Milcharek accidentally fired the contents of a 32 calibre cartridge from a revolver into his right foot and barely escaped permanent injuries.

The dogs had gone ahead with his two sons, and when several rods ahead of him, he fired his revolver into the ground. The dogs howled and appeared to be alarmed, and thereupon he hastily fired again, the second pulling of the trigger being done carelessly while looking across the river. As he fired the second shot, he felt a peculiar sensation coming over him, but suffered no pain in his leg.

A warm perspiration came over him suddenly, and he grew weak, but walked on until he felt a numbness in his foot. Stooping down and examining it, he found a hole pierced in his trousers, and closer investigation showed that his stocking was torn and the leather of his shoe cut. At this point, Milcharek fainted and fell to the ground.

His children ran home for assistance, but meanwhile he recovered and called on the Drs. von Neupert. His wounds were examined and except for a sudden swelling near the ankle, the flesh was not pierced by the bullet, it having taken a diagonal course and glanced into the ground from his shoe.

—The Gazette, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, May 29, 1907, page 1.


Miss, Mrs. and Mistress.

"Miss" is an abbreviation of "mistress," which, as an English law dictionary explains, is the property style of the wife of an esquire or a gentleman.

By Dr. Johnson's time it had become "the term of honor to a young girl." In the earliest part of the eighteenth century, however, it was used respectfully of girls below the age of ten alone. After that age "miss" was rude, implying giddiness of behavior. In Smollett's writings an unmarried woman of mature years and her maid are both "Mrs." It is certain that "miss" has grown older, so to speak, while "master" has become confined to boys.


Good Idea.

First Beggar — How is it that you always manage to get something from both of those women on the ground floor of that apartment house? Second Beggar — Dead easy. I ring both bells at the same time. Both women come to the doors at the same time and each one wants to outdo the other. — Fliegende Blatter.

Addressing Someone as "Esquire" on Letters

1903

"ESQUIRE" ON LETTERS.

In a Great Many Cases Its Use Is Much Abused.

About half the letters that go through our mails are addressed to some "Esq." Occasionally you will find a "Mr." at the front of the name and the "Esq." at the tail end.

The 'Squire in the United States is usually a police justice in the small country towns. The title originally was bestowed upon the shield-bearer, or armor-bearer, of a knight. In these days we use it loosely, tacking it on to everybody, just as "Hon." is tacked. Any old or young scoundrel in a state legislature is "Hon."

Esquire may be divided into five classes; he who does not belong to one of them may or may not be a gentleman, but is no esquire. According to Wharton these are the classes: "Younger sons of peers and their eldest sons; eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons; chiefs of ancient families (by prescription); esquires by creation or office, as heralds or sergeants at arms, judges, justices of the peace, the higher naval and military officers, doctors in the several faculties, and barristers; each Knight of the Bath appoints two esquires to attend him at his installation and at coronation. No estate, however large, confers this rank upon its owner." — New York Press.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 7, 1903, page 4.


About half the letters that go through our mails are addressed to some "Esq." Occasionally you will find a "Mr." at the front of the name and the "Esq." at the tail end.

The 'Squire in the United States is usually a police justice in the small country towns. The title originally was bestowed upon the shield-bearer, or armor-bearer, of a knight. In these days we use it loosely, tacking it on to everybody, just as "Hon." is tacked. Any old or young scoundrel in a state legislature is "Hon."

Esquire may be divided into five classes; he who does not belong to one of them may or may not be a gentleman, but is no esquire. According to Wharton these are the classes: "Younger sons of peers and their eldest sons; eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons; chiefs of ancient families (by prescription); esquires by creation or office, as heralds or sergeants at arms, judges, justices of the peace, the higher naval and military officers, doctors in the several faculties, and barristers; each Knight of the Bath appoints two esquires to attend him at his installation and at coronation. No estate, however large, confers this rank upon its owner." — New York Press.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 7, 1903, page 4.

Who Coined the Term "Rough Rider"?

1903

WHO COINED "ROUGH RIDER?"

Probability That It Was the Celebrated Authoress, "Ouida."

"While I was reading the other night," said a scholarly Washingtonian to a Post reporter, "I was brought face to face with another instance of the probable truth of the old saying that there is nothing new in the world. Every one is familiar with the term 'rough rider.' It is a phrase which was contributed in no slight degree to the popularity of the president. It is something to conjure by, and it gives a direct answer to the question, 'What's a name?' You can't tell me that the volunteer cavalry would have been watched with as much interest if they had been known only by their official designation.

"If my memory serves me correctly, Col. W. F. Cody, known as 'Buffalo Bill,' is credited with originating the term 'Rough Rider.' He knows the value of a name as well as any one, and at the time his word was not disputed. It may have been original with him, but he certainly was not the first to use it. As I said, the other night I Was reading: I am not ashamed to say that I was reading Ouida. I had picked up a copy of 'Idalia,' and had been reading some of her extravagant tributes to the hero, Erceldonne, when I caught the phrase 'rough rider.' That startled me, but I might have forgotten all about it if it had not been repeated a few pages later on. She had used it in all the significance it acquired during the Spanish-American war.

"As I do not know of its use prior to its appearance in 'Idalia,' which was published at least thirty years ago, I suppose we had better give Ouida the credit for originating the name that has aided in making one man president of the United States."

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 5, 1903, page 6.