WHY?

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 46, 14 November 1907, Page 37

WHY?

Why do men wear buttons on their coat-sleeves ? Because Frederick the -Great of Prussia, who was a great admirer of smart uniforms, finding that his soldiers were in the habit of wiping their faces with.- the sleeves of . their coats, ordered , that a row of buttons should be placed on the. upper side of each, and this broke the habit. The original purpose has been- long since forgotten, and the buttons were placed under the sleeves to be out of the way. Why is thirteen called a baker's dozen ? Because in olden times a baker who gave short weight was subjected to severe penalties, and to be on

the safe side he always added an extra roll to the dozen to make up for any possible deficiency in * the others, and thus safeguarded himself. Why do we say, ' Mind your p's and q?s ? ,' * Because in- ancient^ times,- behind the door, of each alehouse there '.hung a slate, on which was written P., which stood for pint, and Q., whrdn stood for quart.' A number was placed opposite each customer's name, according to the amount he imbibed. .He was not expected to pay until Saturday evening, when he had to ' mind his p's and q's.' :