WARD 10 1889 MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND QUERIES, WITH ANSWERS. "Learn to know all, but keep thyself unknown.”—IRÆNEUS. VOL. III. FEBRUARY and MARCH, 1886. Nos. 2 and 3. BIZARRE. "ACKNOWLEDGE THE CORN." Some years ago a raw customer from the upper country determined to try his fortune at New Orleans. Accordingly he provided himself with two flat boats - one laden with corn and the other with potatoes—and down the river he went. The night after his arrival he went up town to a gambling-house. Of course he commenced betting, and his luck proving unfortunate, he lost. When his money was gone he bet his "truck;" and the corn and potatoes followed the money. At last when completely cleaned out, he returned to his boats at the wharf, when the evidences of a new misfortune presented themselves. Through some accident or other, the flat-boat containing the corn was sunk, and a total loss. Consoling himself as well as he could, he went to sleep, dreaming of gambling, potatoes, and corn. It was scarcely sunrise, however, when he was disturbed by the "child of chance," who had arrived to take possession of the two boats of his winnings. Slowly awakening from his sleep, our hero, rubbing his eyes, and looking the man in the face, replied: "Stranger, I acknowledge the corn-take 'em ; but the potatoes you can't have, by thunder!"- Pittsburgh (Pa.) Commercial Advertiser. 16 BOGUS." This word is a corruption of the name of one Borghese, a very corrupt individual, who, twenty years ago or more, did a tremendous business in the way of supplying the great West, and portions of the Southwest, with counterfeit bills and bills on fictitious banks. The Western people fell into the habit of shortening the name of Borghese to that of Bogus; and his bills, as well as all others of like character, were universally styled by them " bogus currency." By an easy and not very unnatural transition, the word is now applied to other fraudulent papers, such as sham mortgages, bills of sale, conveyances, etc.-Boston (Mass.) Courier, June 12, 1857. "BUNCOMBE." Several years ago, in Congress, the member from this district (in North Carolina) arose to address the House, without any extraordinary powers, in manner or matter, to interest the audiMany members left the Hall. Very naively he told those who remained that they might go too; he should speak for some time, but he was only "talking for Buncombe." Wheeler's History of North ence. Carolina. PROX, OR PROXY. The use of these words is confined to the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Prox, in Rhode Island means the ticket or list of candidates at elections presented to the people for their votes. By a law of the colony of Providence Plantations passed in the year 1647, the General Assembly was appointed to be holden annually, "if wind and weather hinder not, at which the general officers of the colony were to be chosen." This clause made it convenient for many to remain at home, particularly as they had the right to send their votes for the officers by some other persons; hence the origin of these terms prox and proxy votes, as applied to the general mode of voting for State officers in Rhode Island.-Staple's Annals of Providence, p. 64. INDIAN SUMMER. The short season of pleasant weather usually occurring about the middle of November, is called the "Indian Summer," from the custom of the Indians to avail themselves of this delightful time for harvesting their corn; and the tradition is that they were accustomed to say "we always have a second summer of 9 days just before the winter sets in." It is a bland and genial time, in which the birds, insects, and plants feel a new creation, and sport a shortlived summer ere they shrink finally from the rigor of the winter's blast. The sky in the meantime is generally filled with a haze of orange and gold intercepting the direct rays of the sun, yet possessing enough of light and heat, to prevent sensations of gloom and chill, while the nights grow sharp and frosty, and the necessary fires give cheerful forecast of the social winter evenings near at hand. This season is synonymous with the "Summer of St. Martin" of Europe, which derives its name from the festival of St. Martin, held on November 11th.-Bartlett's Dictionary of Americanisms, p. 215. |