Queer questions and ready replies

by Samuel Grant Oliphant

This term came into use in the War of 1812, and was born at Troy, N. Y. The government inspector there was Uncle Sam Wilson, and when the war opened Elbert Anderson, the contractor at New York, bought a large amount of beef, pork, and pickles for the army. These were inspected by Wilson, and were duly labelled E. A.—U. S., meaning Elbert Anderson, for the United States. The term U. S. for the United States was then somewhat new, and the workmen concluded that they referred to Uncle Sam Wilson. After they discovered their mistake, they kept up the name as a joke. These same men soon went to the war. There they repeated the joke. It got into print and went the rounds. From that time on the term “Uncle Sam” was used facetiously for the United States, and it now represents the nation.

32. What is the origin of the phrase “The Three R’s”?

It is said that this phrase was originated by Sir William Curtis, who was Lord Mayor of London in 1795. A writer in Notes and Queries says: “I remember an aged member of the corporation, now deceased, asserting that Sir William Curtis, in the days when Dr. Bell and the Quaker Lancaster were pleading on behalf of increased facilities for the education of the poor, gave as a toast at a city dinner, ‘The three R’s.’ My friend assured me that Sir William Curtis, although a man of limited education, was very shrewd, and not so ignorant as to suppose his presumed orthography was correct. He chose the phrase in the above form purely for a jocular reason.”

33. How is an umbrella put together?

The first thing to be done is to prepare the stick to receive the cover. The two springs are first put in, one at the top to hold the umbrella open, and one at the bottom to keep it closed. The slots in which the springs are put are cut by a machine. This is a very delicate and dangerous operation, as, unless great care is taken, the man who does it is liable to lose his fingers. After this is done another man takes the stick, and with a knife prepares it to receive the spring. The springs are then set, and the ferrule is put on at the top of the stick. If the handle is of different material from the stick, it is now fastened to it. All of the counters in the work-rooms are carpeted to prevent the sticks from being scratched. After the handle is securely fastened and a band put on to finish or ornament the stick, it is sent to the frame-maker. He fastens the stretchers to the ribs, strings the top end of the ribs on a wire, and fits into the “runner notch.” He then strings the lower ends of the “stretchers” on a wire and fastens with the “runner.” When both of the “runners” are securely fixed, the umbrella is ready for the cover. The cutter lays his cloth very smoothly on a long counter, folding it until the fabric is sixteen layers deep and several yards long. The edges have been previously hemmed on a sewing machine. When everything is ready, the cutter lays on his pattern (this is usually made of wood tipped with brass), and with a very sharp knife cuts along the sides of it, thus cutting two covers at once. Every piece is then carefully examined, to see that there is no bad place or hole in it. A man then carefully stretches the edges, that it may fit the frame. The pieces are then stitched on a sewing machine, in what is called a pudding-bag seam. The tension is very carefully adjusted so that the thread will not break when the cover is stretched over the frame. The cover is first fastened to the frame at the top and bottom. The umbrella is then half raised, and held in position by a small tool for that purpose, while the seams are fastened to the ribs. When this is done, the tie is sewed on, the cap is put on, and the umbrella is entirely put together. A woman then takes it and presses the edges with a warm flat-iron. Afterward another woman takes it and inspects it before a very strong light to make sure that it is perfect. If it bears this inspection it is neatly adjusted about the handle, the tie fastened, and it is then ready for a purchaser.

34. What is the origin of the phrase “I acknowledge the corn”?

This phrase originated in the following manner: In 1828, Mr. Stewart, a member of Congress, said in a speech that Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana sent their hay-stacks, corn-fields, and fodder to New York and Philadelphia for sale. Mr. Wickliffe, of Kentucky, called him to order, declaring that those States did not send hay-stacks, corn-fields, and fodder to New York and Philadelphia for sale. “Well, what do you send?” asked Mr. Stewart. “Why, horses, mules, cattle, and hogs.” “Well, what makes your horses, mules, cattle, and hogs? You feed $100 worth of hay to a horse. You just animate and get upon the top of your hay-stack and ride off to market. How is it with your cattle? You make one of them carry $50 worth of hay or grass to the Eastern market. How much corn does it take, at thirty-three cents a bushel, to fatten a hog?” “Why, thirty bushels.” “Then you put thirty bushels into the shape of a hog and make it walk to the Eastern market.” Then Mr. Wickliffe jumped up and said, “Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge the corn.”

Another account of the origin of this phrase is as follows: 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 gamblers, 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 as 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!”

35. How did a flight of birds change the history of America?

When Columbus sailed westward over the broad expanse of the unknown waters of the Atlantic, he expected to reach Zipangu (Japan). Having sailed westward from Gomera, one of the Canary Islands, for many days, he grew uneasy at not having discovered Zipangu, which, according to his reckoning, he should have met with two hundred and sixteen nautical miles more to the east. After a long debate, he yielded to the opinion of Martin Alonzo Pinzon, the commander of the Pinta, and steered to the southwest. Pinzon was guided in his opinion by a flight of parrots towards the southwest. The effect of this change in his course curiously exemplifies the influence of small and apparently trivial events on the world’s history. If Columbus, resisting the counsel of Pinzon, had kept his original route, he would have entered the warm current of the Gulf Stream, have reached Florida, and thence perhaps have been carried to Cape Hatteras and Virginia. The result would probably have been to give the present United States a Roman Catholic Spanish population, instead of a Protestant English one, a circumstance of immeasurable importance. “Never,” says Humboldt, “had the flight of birds more important consequences. It may be said to have determined the first settlements on the new continent, and its distribution between the Latin and Germanic races.”