DERIVATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2284, 9 December 1897, Page 50

DERIVATIONS.

.To " knock spots - off anything " is an allusion -to the traditional skill of: Western cowboys and famous rifle-shots, who would shoot the spots out of a card held b3bween the fitgers of a friend. "STABBOAVD, 1 * " LA.BBOARD," AND "POET."

The words "starboard" and' "larboard" are derived f<om the Italian words " questa borda," meaning "this side,'-' and "queHa borda," " that side." Abbreviated, these two phrases appear as " sta borda " and "la borda," which soon became corrupted into "starboard" and "larboard" by the Eng-lish-sailors. Thes<t two words sound so much alike that many errors occurred, causing serious accidents ; bo, some years ago, an order of the British Admiralty discontinued the use of "larboard"' and" substituted " port."

TH& OltrCrlN. OB 1 "MB" AND "MRS."

In earlier times the ordinary man waa simply William or John — that is to say, he had only a Christian name, without any kind of " handle " before it or surname after ifc. Some means of diatinguiebiog cne John or William from another John or_ William became necessary. Nicknames derived from a man's trade or his dwelling place or from some personal peculiarity were tacked on to his Christian nam?, and plain John became John Smith. As yet there were no " Missera" in the land. Some John Smith accumulated mora wealth than the bulk of his fellows-— became, perhaps, a landed proprietor or an employer of hired labour. Then he began to be called in the Norman-French of the day the " raaistre " of tbis place or that, of these workmen or of those. In time " maistre," or " maister," as it soon became, got; tacked on before his name, and he became Maister Smith, and his wife Maistress Smith. Gradually the sense of possession was lost sight of. and the title was conferred upon any kind by mere possession of wealth or holding some po-ition of more or less consideration and importance.

DEMOSTHENES.

The greatest orator of Greece, and, indeed, of the ancient world. According to Thirtvsall, au+hor of the " History of Greece," and other authorities, bis father was a wealthy man, bnt died early, leaving bis fortune and children to the care of three guardians, who cruelly abused the trust committed to them. A< soon as Domosthenes came of age he reBolved to prosecute at law the unfaithful stewards. He gained his case, bub much of the properly had been already squandered** and he only recovered < enough to save him from poverty. He resolved to devote himself to publiclife, and set himself to master the law and politico of his country with unparalleled labour and perseverance. His first care was to conquer the physical disadvantages under •which he laboured. His health waa naturally feeble, his voice harsh, and hie action asgraceful. To strengthen his lungs he used to climb steep hille, reciting as he went, or declaim on the shores of the sea in stormy weather. To improve his delivery he took instructions from the actor Satyrup, and did not even disdain to stady effects before a mirror. He first began to take part in public affairs when about 27 years of age, and froai that timeJiill his death his history is the history of Athens. His services to his country entitle him to a pkco among ttie highest and noblest men of antiquity. Men in all ages have considered him as the prices of orators.

— "It always seems strange to me that a man who writes a book on how to gefc wealthy never keeps the facts secret for his own benefit," remarked the Cheery Idiot.

— The children had written compositions on the giraffe. They were reading them aloud to the class. At last the time came for little Willie to read his. It was as follows : " The giraffe is a dumb •animal and cannot express himself by any sound, because its neck is so long its voice gets tired on it&.way to its mouth." "