WHY DOES THE GHOST WALK ON PAY DAY ?

King Country Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 2050, 2 December 1924, Page 3

WHY DOES THE GHOST WALK ON PAY DAY ?

STRANGE ORIGINS OF EVERYDAY PHRASES. “What is a popular phrase?” someone once asked. “Something wo 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, says a writer in “Tit Bits.” How many of us, for instance, can tell how those common phrases “tufthunters” and “fools’ paradise” arose? We have an idea that the former refers to the person who seeks tho society and apes tho manners of the “Upper Ten”; but why “tuft”? And why “paradise” for the fool who shuts his eyes to threatening troubles a.nd dangers, satisfied with the enjoyment of tlie 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 tho term “tuft-hunting” took its rise at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge whore at one time the young noblemen wore a peculiarly-formed cap with a baft, which presumably attracted hangers-on.

“HOBSON’S CHOICE.” “Hobson’s choice" arose from the fact that Hobson, a noted carrier in Cambridge would only let out his horses and coaches for biro 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 “Hobsom’s choice.” “Eating humble pie” is a phrase which really arose from the corruption of the word “lambics” or “numbels,” the coarser parts Jf a deer killed in hunting, which, when made into a 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 hositie town, excited /the can tempt of tho inhabitants by the smallness of his army. To express this they hung out a goose for him to shoot at, whereupon tho king sot fire to tho 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 courso jumped out, displaying the fraud. Hence the term “letting the cat out of tho bag.”

BADGERS AND GHOSTS. “Going to tlie 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 sliow disbelief in tlie truth of a story, arose from the fact that when tho 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 ho more easily gulled. It is a curious facjfc that the phrase, “Bald as a badger,” owes its origin to authors of the pact 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. Years ago a theatrical manager or the bogus typo had in his company an actor whose strong point was the Ghost in “Hamlet.” If his salary was not forthcoming on Saturday, tins acftUr 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 uf how a casual remark becomes a common saying.