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Show Where Our Popular Phrases Had Their Origin "What is a popular phrase?" some one onco asked. "Something we all repeat like parrots, without knowing its real origin or me.ni-ing." me.ni-ing." was the reply of the cynic: and to a certain extent he was right. How many of us. for instance, can t'-ll how those common phraser, "tuft-hunters" and "fool's paradise'' arose? We have nn idea that tho former refers to the person who seeks tho society and apes the manners man-ners of tho "Upper Ton; ' but why "tuft"" and why "paradise" for the fool who shuts his eyes to threatening threat-ening troubles and dangers, satisfied satis-fied with the enjoyment of tho moment? mo-ment? As a m attar of fact, the latter phraso originated In the theological argument that there Is a place for fools Just outside paradise, while the term "tuft-hunting" took its rise at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where at ono time the young noblemen wore a peculiarly pecu-liarly formed cap with a tuft, which presumably attracted hangers-on. Many other curious stories of tho origin of popular phrases are given In "Everyday Phrases Explained" (Pearson). It Is related that "Hob-son's "Hob-son's choice" arose from the fact that Ilobson. a noted carrier In Cambridge, would only let out his hordes and conches for hire In rotation, ro-tation, refusing to allow his customers cus-tomers to choose, a customer being compelled to take the horse nearest near-est tho door. Thus it became customary, cus-tomary, when anything was forced upon one, to sny EXobaon'l choice." "Eating humble pie' is a phraso which really arose fiom the corruption cor-ruption of tho word "limbics'' or "numbles." tho coarser parts of a deer killed In hunting, which, when made into a pie, were formerly reserved re-served for the lower hunt servants; while "cooking his goose" ig a phraso which originated when the King of Sweden, on approaching a hostile town, excited the contempt of the Inhabitants by tho smallness of his army. To express this they hung out a goose for him to shoot at. whereupon the King Bet fire to the town to "cook the goose." Long ago unscrupulous people used to have r cat tied in a bag to market, where they tried to sell It for a pig. If. however, a purchaser opened the bag before buying, the c;it. of course. Jumped out, displaying display-ing tho fraud. Hence the term "letting tho cat out of the bag." 'Going to the dogs" cornea from the East, where dog6 are scavengers Of the streets, and become so unclean un-clean as to be unfit to touch; whll tho expression, "Tell It to the marines," ma-rines," used to show disbelief In the truth of a story, arose from tho fact that when the marines firet went alloat they were naturally rather lRil Bis Bsl "green" concerning nautical affairs, and someone who related a very tall yarn was told to tell It to the marine?." ma-rine?." the Idea being that they could be more easily gulled. It is a curious fact that the phrase 'Bald as a badger" owes Its origin to authors of the past who had no exact knowledge of natural history and who because the forehead ttt i badger Is covered with smooth, white hairs, came to the, conclusion that It was bald Years ago a theatrical manager of the bogus type had In his company an actor whose strong point was tho ghost of Hamlet." If his salary was not forthcoming on Saturday thll actor would exclaim. "Then the ghost won't walk tonight." a phrase which la still uped by actors on pay day, and which provides a striking Illustration of how a casual remark becomes a common sailng. |