"Tell It to the Marines."

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 5 June 1914, Page 8

"Tell It to the Marines."

"What is a popular phrase ?" someone once asked. "Something we all repeat like parrots, without knowing its real origin or meaning," was the reply of the cynic ; and to a certain extent he was right. How many of us, for instance, can tell how those common phrases "tuft-hunters" and "fools' paradise" arose ? We have an idea that the former refers to the person who seeks the society and apes the manners of the "Upper Ten ;" but why "tuft ?" And why "paradise" for the fool who shuts his eyes to threatening troubles and dangers, satisfied with the enjoyment of the moment ? As a matter of fact, the latter phrase originated in the theological argument that there is a place for fools just outside paradise, while the term "tuft-hunters " took its rise at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where at one time the young noblemen wore a peculiarly-formed cap with a tuft, which presumably attracted hangerson. "HOBSON'S CHOICE." Many other curious stories of . the origin of popular phrases are given in "Everyday Phrases Explained " (Pearson). It is related that "Hobson's choice" arose from the fact that Hobson, a noted carrier in Cambridge, would only let out his horses and coaches for hi,re in rotation, refusing to allow his customers to choose, a customer being compelled to take the horse nearest the door. Thus it became customary, when anything was forced upon one, to say "Hobson's choice." "Eating humble pie" is a phrase which really arose from the corruption of the word "umbles"- or "numbles," the coarser parts of a deer killed in hunting, which, when made into pie, were formerly reserved for the lower hunt servants; while "cooking his goose" is a phrase which originated when the King of Sweden, on approaching a hostile town, excited the contempt of the inhabitants by the smallness of his army. To express this, they hung out a goose for him to shoot at, whereupon the king set fire to the town to "cook their goose." Long ago unscrupulous people used to take a 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 cat, of course, jumped out, displaying the fraud. Hence the term, "letting the cat out of the bag." BADGERS AND GHOSTS. **•'' " Going to the dogs" comes from the East, where dogs are scavengers of the streets, and become so unclean as to be unfit to touch ; while the expression "Tell it to the marines/' used to show disbelief in

the truth of a story, arose from the fact that when the marines first went afloat they were naturally

rather " green " concerning nautical affairs, and someone who related a very tall yarn was told to "tell it to the marines," the idea being that they could be more easily gulled.

lt 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 of a badger is covered with smooth, white hairs, came to the conclusion that it was bald.

I Years ago a theatrical manager of , the bogus type had in his company an actor whose strong point was the Ghost in "Hamlet." If his salary was not forthcoming on Saturday, this actor would exclaim, "Then the ghost won't walk to-night," a phrase which is still used by actors on pay-day, and which provides a striking illustration of how a casual remark be-

comes a common saying,

Boy Mendicant : "Yus, kind lidy, there's sevin ov us at 'ome, orl starvin'. Muvver takes in washin*, she do, but she's took hill. Faxver, 'e wos too kind-hearted, 'e wos. 'E sed 'e wouldn't see us starve, so 'e run away and left us."