Show J. J I. I ENTERTAINING I r 1 ODDS AND ENDS Uncle Sam I The constant use of familiar and worn time worn time terms terns rarely suggests the act that we seldom have even a reo re- re 41 o ote e idea of the origin of those terms Out of one of ot many such examples take I the cognomen Uncle Sam by which he government of the country of the American eagle Is known from Behring sea to the rivers of the Ind The te term m f Uncle Sam Is use used habitually by hl hiss his subjects but ask the aye average rage American citizen the origin of the 1 name of the tall angular figure pictured pIctured pictured pic pIc- in striped trousers and starred coat and In nine cases out of ten you youe I e propounded a conundrum to which elution Is vague at the best Now a In may be your query will be met answered by the thoroughly poste on of long memory who percha ails alls from Troy and still retains traditions of his historic j city Bu ly will you get the ther whole stor t t e original Uncle Sam r I that k kind kind- nd-n nd d and honorable worthy whose Ily lly name was Wilson Wilson Wil- Wil Vilas son Bon and d who J as as a boy to the theore Trojan city Just be ore the fin de nineteenth century began bean This Samuel Samuel Samuel Sam Sam- uel Wilson by reason of thrift and s s came Into government government government govern govern- ment employ a's as as Inspector of provisions for the UI United ted States army and the signa- signa signatures quaint U U. U S. S appended to all signa signatures r tures and penciled on all provisions by byJ J this able steward stood as well for the Uncle Sam that he had long been dubbed by young and old as for the United States army that he represented And the double abbreviation became under his honorable a guarantee guaran guaran- H tee for the excellence of whatever passed under his inspection Thus through affection for the provider of their rations the United States Sot sol diers became Uncle Sams boys and the U U. S S. S signified to the hungry army the providence and forethought of their popular friend Uncle Sam until tradition tradition tradition tion has handed down this honored name and given us the quaint figure as the representative and prototype of our United States Government Hats and Wools Woolsacks Why do i of the English Parliament sit with their hats on and why does the Lord Chancellor of England England England Eng Eng- 1 land sit upon a a. woolsack asks a I certain I of curious ques- ques n Tt happened that In 1199 during i th the r reign Ign of England's King John that the difficulty with Philip II of France ct co ernin the duchy of ot Normandy Ut t needs be settled by single comb com com- T b bat at f and John the Earl of Ulster was cho cho en as the English champion but butas butas butas as soon as this doughty knight appeared appeared ap ap- pea ed In the field of encounter his adv adversary put spurs to his horse and with with a lL speed as great as his fear gaIt gallop galop gal gal- lop op M rt away and England's champion wa 3 left victor of an empty field and andanI andant an ant anI r unsheathed sword Thus Thu when n t KI King g John came to bestow a suitable re reward and upon a hero whose mere presence presence presence pres pres- ence was sufficient to Insure the enemy's ene ene- my's mys retreat the earl carl In place of a request for titles and lands of which he hei already had a plenty asked the following fol fol- lowing original favor I I be beg that in ft future ture tune we the may be permitted to si sit w without removing our hats In your you Majesty's presence And as King John was ras S moved to grant this singular boon the English Parliament continued to tc tot sit it t with covered heads As for the woolsack as a cushion for the Lord Chancellor Elizabeths Elizabeth's reign 1558 I is responsible for such a custom The Th exportation of wool being f forbidden by bj Parliament It was necessary to impress Impress Im- Im press the people with this great source of national wealth and its great importance Importance Im- Im I to the kingdom So to add adi dignity to wool sacks of It were placed place in the House of Lords whereon th the staId and learned Judges Judges' obligingly obliging sat Thus It comes to pass that th the Ix Lord rd Chancellor still sits upon hi his woolsack over which Is thrown a re red cloth and to be appointed High Chancellor of England Is even now to tobe tobe t be appointed to the woolsack |