POT POURRI

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4452, 30 January 1940, Page 2 (Supplement)

POT POURRI

James M. Barrie met Robert Louis Stevenson only once, and then only in the most informal manner. That Avas in Edinburgh in 1879.

It Avas a Avindy day, and Barry Avas crossing Prince’s Street, Avhen he ran against another pedestrian, an extremely slender man Avearing a velvet jacket. Barrie Avalked a few steps, then stopped and glared back at the other man. The stranger returned the gaze, proceeded a short distance farther, then retraced his steps and spoke to Barrie in a placating manner. But Barrie only ansAvered Avith a brusque remark.

The stranger raised his cane, but his ire seemed to vanish, and he asked, “Do I knoAv you?” “He said it Avith such extraordinary charm,” related Barrie, "that I could only reply Avistfully, ‘No, but I Avish you did.’ ” “Then,” said the stranger, “let’s pretend I do.” Whereupon he introduced himself as Robert Louis Stevenson, grasped Barrie by the arm, and carried him off to an inn on Leith Street.

A French artist had painted the portrait of a Avealthy Avoman from Boston, avlio refused to accept it because she said her beloved poodle didn’t recognise her likeness. Not Avishing to risk The publicity of a laAvsuit, the painter pondered a feAV days, then Avrote the Avoman that he had made certain subtle changes he felt sure Avould please her. Shortly before she Avas due at the studio, he carefully rubbed a piece of fresh bacon over the face of the portrait.

The Avoman inspected the painting critically, holding her poodle on leash. “See,” she exclaimed, “he still doesn’t recognise me.”

“But, madame,” said the artist, “dogs are near-sighted. Hold the little darling closer to the picture.” She held the dog up, he sniffed the aroma of bacon and made frantic efforts to kiss the painted

image of his mistress. "Sec, he adores your likeness,” commented the painter, whose troubles were over.

Many of the oldest idioms in the English language have come down to us from the medieval and early-modern hunting field. Take but one source : dogs as they are used in hunting and the chase, ‘to hound on, hunt down, run to earth, be on the track of; to lose track of’ and ‘to cover one’s track; to make a dead set at; in full cry’ and ‘in at the death; hue and cry; to give the slip to’ and ‘throw off the scent; to throw to the pack; to hold in leash’ and ‘come to heel; to hit it off,’ when ‘it’ is the scent.

The scent has, in addition to the phrases already listed, provided us with ‘to draw blank’ (to find no scent); to ‘ hark back ’ (to find the scent by turning back) ; To run riot’ (to follow indiscriminately, any scent that has been encountered); loss of scent has originated ‘at a loss; at fault’ and To cast about; hold at bay’ and ‘stand at bay’ refer to an animal’s—especially a stag’s—defiant attitude towards the inclosing hounds.

England’s aleconners, who practiced their profession of testing ale and beer up to a few years ago, determined the sugar content by pouring some of the liquor on a wooden stool and then sitting on it. If their leather breeches stuck, they considered the brew satisfactory.