Stork Legends

1895

In an old collection of matronly stories entitled "The Gospel of the Distaff," printed at Bruges in 1475, I find this passage: "When a stork builds her nest over a chimney, it is a sign that the proprietor shall have wealth and long life." Ancient beliefs admitted that the stork protected buildings against lightning. It is a holy bird, and in certain German towns the arrival of the storks, heralds of spring, was announced with joyous blasts by the watchman on the tower.

What is certain is that which Michelet says of the swallow may be applied to the stork, "He has taken not only our house, but also our hearts."

Legends go still further. They consider storks as the incarnation of departed souls.

In that metamorphosed capacity they have for mission to search the bottom of wells for the souls of newborn infants. In the whole of northern and central Germany they have their baby wells. Hamburg, too, had her "kindelbrunnen." This naive faith has its origin in ancient mythology, which represents the stork, jointly with the peacock, as the favorite bird of Juno, goddess of maternity. — French of Maurice Engelhart.

Origin of "Whig"

1901

Several reasons have been assigned to account for the word "Whig," universally known to all the English speaking people. By some the word is supposed to be a contraction of a longer one, "whiggamore," which in some parts of England and Scotland, especially Scotland, signifies a drover or herder.

It was in 1679 that the word first became common in the British isles, when the struggle was in progress between the peasantry and the aristocracy to have or not to have the bill passed by parliament to exclude the Duke of York from the line of succession. All who were opposed to placing the duke in the line of succession were derisively called "whiggamores," or "drovers," just as the city dude of today speakers of the "grangers," the grays," the "chin whiskers" and the hayseeders."

But Scotch tradition gives altogether a different reason for the existence of the word. It is this: During the early religious wars in Scotland the weakest of the factions used the words "We Hope In God" as a motto. The initials of these words were placed on their banners thus, "W. H. I. G.," and soon all the followers of that clan were given the title of "Whig," which was afterward attached as a party nickname.

Ireland's National Emblem – The Shamrock

1905

There are few plants, if any, that are as closely associated in the people's wind with any one nation in particular as is the little Irish shamrock with the joys and sorrows of the Emerald Isle.

In the ancient literature of Erin the word occurs variously as seamsog, seamrog, seamrego, shamrote, shamrocke, shamroke, shamrough or shamroote, shamrug, shamroge, seamar-oge and chambroch. The word "shamrock" is Erse, being derived from seamrog, a compound of seamar, meaning trefoil, and og, little — little clover. Scamar is supposed to be the same as sumar, obtained from the Celtic name of the clover — visnmarus.

As to the plant itself, it is generally considered that the true shamrock is either the black nonesuch or the Dutch clover, with a decided preference for the first named, on no less an authority than the curator of the Dublin Botanic Gardens and other competent persons. There are, however, some who hold that Trifolium repens or Trifolium minus is the true shamrock, and this opinion emanates from experts in the Agricultural Department at Washington.

Other writers have adopted the fancy of Bicheno, who advocated the right of the wood sorrel to this honor. This last belief may have arisen from the appearance of the word seamsoge, meaning wood sorrel, in old Irish writings, referring to the shamrock, but by those competent to judge this is thought to be a misprint, the word seamroge signifying meadow trefoil, having been meant.

The earliest references to the shamrock in Irish literature deal with it as a food plant. Campion, in his "Historic of Ireland," dated 1571, says, in speaking of the food of the common people: "Shamrotes, watercresses and other herbes they feed upon: oatmele and butter they cram together."

Wood for Resisting Fires

1896

A report from Consul Robertson on the free port system of Hamburg, just published by the State Department, contains the curious item of information that in the great new warehouses constructed in the German port wood is being substituted for iron to secure better protection against fire.

These buildings were originally provided with iron beams and girders, but when one of them was burned some years ago it was found that the iron had been so bent and twisted by the heat as to become a source of great danger to the adjoining structures. "In all the warehouses, therefore, which have since been built," observes Mr. Robertson, "it has been deemed advisable to substitute wood for iron as much as possible." Probably a heavy wooden beam, imbedded in some non-conducting material that would exclude the air, would be as nearly fireproof as anything except brick or stone. It might be charred on the outside, but the interior would probably remain sound in any ordinary heat.

It is a curious speculation to imagine what would have happened if the present method of construction in Chicago had been in vogue before the great fire. A twenty-five-story, steel-cage building warping into a corkscrew and boring a hole in the sky would be a spectacle worth going miles to see.


Derivation of Whiskers

The word whiskers is derived from whisk, and the Anglo-Saxon wisch, which means a slight brush. Less than a century ago the expression was unheard of, the whiskers as well as the mustache being spoken of as part of the beard. It was only when the latter was divided, and the true whiskers disappeared as well, that their name was changed to the mutton chop part of the beard left on the cheek.

Why They're Called Tumblers

1896

Every day we drink out of a tumbler. Why is the large glass that holds our milk and water so called? Years ago Professor Max Muller was giving a luncheon at All Souls' College, Oxford, to the Princess Alice, the wife of the Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt and the second daughter of Queen Victoria. There were not a dozen guests besides the Princess and her husband, and a very agreeable luncheon we had, with talk on all kinds of interesting subjects.

But what excited the curiosity of all strangers present was a set of little round bowls of silver, about the size of a large orange. They were brought round filled to the brim. Those, we are told, were tumblers, and we were speedily shown how they came by their names — a fitting lesson for the guests of a philologist. When one of these little bowls was empty it was placed upon the table mouth downward. Instantly, so perfect was its balance, it flew back to its proper position as if asking to be filled again. No matter how it was treated — trundled along the floors, balanced carefully on its side, dropped suddenly upon the soft, thick carpet, up it rolled again and settled itself with a few gentle shakings and swayings into its place, like one of those India rubber tumbling dolls babies delight in.

This, then, was the origin of our word tumbler, at first made of silver, as are all these All Souls' tumblers. Then, when glass became common, the round glasses that stood on a flat base superseded the exquisitely balanced silver spheres and stole their names so successfully that you have to go to All Souls' to see the real thing. — Jeweler's Circular.

Professor Explains New Theory About the Moon's Origin

Nebraska, 1910

Prof. Swezey Gives Explanation of Idea Advanced by Scientists on Moon

Professor G. D. Swezey at convocation at the university summer school this morning delivered an illustrated lecture on the moon. He took up the theory recently advanced by some scientists that the substance of the moon was broken loose from the earth in the region of what is now the Pacific ocean and that the departure from there of this amount of matter is what has left the Pacific basin. He told the students that he would give the theory for what it was worth as he was not ready to take up the theory nor to flatly reject it.

By means of his stereopticon views he pointed out the facts that help to make the theory plausible. He mentioned the fact that the moon has a mass about one-eightieth of the earth. To obtain this amount of material would require the skimming off the crust of the earth to a depth of some thirty-five miles. It is of course known that the Pacific is not that deep, but if the earth were in a semi-plastic condition at the time the material was taken from the crust it would readily run back partially at least into the spherical shape.

The professor had a diagram showing the possibility that the continents of the western hemisphere may have torn asunder from those of the eastern hemisphere as the land moved toward the great gap left in the Pacific basin by the departure of the moon. It is found that in bringing the two hemispheres together the outline of the coast lines of South America and Africa fit each other as though they had been torn apart with a few allowances for possible readjustment and rearrangement of the continental fragments. The same is true in a less marked degree in North America and Europe.

—Lincoln Evening News, Lincoln, Nebraska, Aug. 10, 1910, p. 7.

Dingbats — Where Did This Word Come From?

1895

The Boston Journal gives various theories as to the meaning of the word "dingbats."

One writer who spent his boyhood in Maine thinks it means to spank, because his mother when getting ready to use the slipper threatened to put the "dingbats" on him. From Wilbarham academy comes the explanation that it means the breakfast biscuit, which the students dispose of by sticking it to the under side of the table, throwing it at the heads of other students or eating it.

A Connecticut pupil states that to receive punishment at the hands of the teacher is known as "getting the dingbats." Two Philadelphians agreed that it means money, as in the sentence, "I've got the dingbats for it." But New Hampshire agrees with Maine that it means spanking, and so the majority appears to side with the maternal slipper.

It is from such "little acorns" that the tall tree of our almost cosmopolitan language has grown. We got "blizzard" from the west, "kuklux" from the south, "boom" from the ambitious cities, "crank" from the eccentric minds in every port of the country, "pantata" from Italy, "chalitza" from Russia. Dingbats is going to be a great convenience.

On the Origins of April Fool's Day

1922

WATCH YOUR STEP TODAY

This is April Fool's Day When Practical Jokes Are Always in Order — Custom Has Interesting Origin.

Today is the day of the practical joke, that day when anyone is privileged to play practical jokes upon his friends. So watch your step, for a joke lingers in every moment of the day.

The origin of "April Fool's Day" is lost in the mists of antiquity. By some the custom is traced back to the days of the miracle plays given at Easter time. In the decadent days of these dramas, the actors literally made fools of themselves. A "Feast of Fools" was always held in the early spring by the ancient Romans and for a great many years the Hindus have celebrated the vernal equinox as a saturnalia. The chief amusement at these festivals seems to be that of sending people on fruitless errands and thus fooling them.

Many trace the origin of the custom back no further than France in the 16th century. France was the first nation to adopt the new calendar making the first of the year fall on January 1 instead of April 1. Many persons continued to send New Year's gifts and felicitations on April 1 instead of on the new date, and hence subjected themselves to taunts for going on visits that had no meaning.

Our slang expression "You poor fish" doubtless had an "April Fool" origin. The French called the victim of a prank on April 1, "Un poisson d'avril" or "an April fish," from which our expression arose. The origin of the expression probably arose in the comparison between the person who "bites" unwillingly on a joke and the April fish, who is a young fish and hence easily caught.

—Oneonta Daily Star, Oneonta, New York, April 1, 1922, page 5.

Cow Tail Holder Shown at Inventors' Congress

1935

Los Angeles. -- And now the "cow tail holder" has appeared to make this world a better place in which to live.

It and some 500 other doo-dads were on exhibition at the National Inventors' Congress which opened a five-day meeting.

Albert G. Burns, president, said inventors have led an unusually busy year.

The cow tail holder was invented by Albert Giese of Benton Harbor, Mich., who estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 milkmaids or milkmen receive severe eye injuries each year when bossies switch at flies or just switch to be switching.

Then there is a "psychograph," an intricate apparatus which slips over a person's head, according to its creator, H. C. Lavery of Minneapolis and gives a scientific character reading.

Besides these are an electric steam facial device which does away with hot, steaming towels in beauty parlors and barber shops; "metal mitts" for peace officers; foot warmers; powder puffs that remove double chins and neck wrinkles in addition to the shine from the nose; collapsible flag staff for professional marchers and hundreds of other things.


ORIGIN OF "DARK HORSE"

The phrase "Dark Horse" has been attributed to Sam Flynn, a horse trader of Tennessee. His horse, Dusky Pete, was quietly entered in a country race meet, attracting little attention, and unexpectedly won the prize. The term has thus come to describe one who was not in the race until the last minute, had no expectations of winning, but unexpectedly gained the prize.

--The Chicago Heights Star, Chicago, February 1, 1935, page 7.

Knocking on Wood

1919

Knocking on wood

The superstition of rapping on wood after a boast of a piece of luck is of European origin. The raps were supposed to drive away evil spirits vexed by others' good fortune. The raps later signified the Trinity, and the necessity for rapping on wood was because that was the material of the cross. The expression dates from a custom in vogue five thousand years ago.

--Middletown Daily Herald, Middletown, New York, June 2, 1919, page 4.