The Queer, the Quaint and the Quizzical Part 6

Earth Adams.

Meek Brewer.

Repentance Avis.

Kill-sin Pimple.

Be-faithful Joiner.

More-fruit Flower.

Grace-ful Harding.

Seek-wisdom Wood.

Fight-the-good-fight of Faith.

Accepted Trevor.

Stand-fast-on-high Stringer.

Called Lower.

Be-courteous Cole.

Search-the-Scriptures Morton.

Return Spelman.

Fly-debate Roberts.

Hope-for Bending.

Weep-not Billing.

Elected Mitch.e.l.l.

The-peace-of-G.o.d Knight.

Make-peace Heaton.

_Curious Old Memorandum._

We have supposed that no record of our Saviour's life older than the New Testament was known to exist; but it seems that a venerable journal is carefully preserved in Nablous (ancient Samaria), in which the following item appears in the handwriting of one of the Samaritan high priests:-

"In the year from Adam 4281, in the nineteenth year of my pontificate, Jesus, the Son of Mary, was crucified at Jerusalem."

This curious and interesting record was shown by the present high priest, who keeps it among the archives of his church, to Dr. El Kary, a Protestant missionary of Jewish descent and a native of Nablous. The doctor learned that the old journals of the priests of the Samaritan synagogue are still in existence, dating back to fifty or sixty years before Christ was born. It was the custom, he says, of all the high priests to set down in their books any notable events that happened during their term of office. He also learned that the tenth Samaritan high priest was named Shaboth, who lived in the days of our Saviour, and it was this Shaboth who wrote the record quoted above.

It will be remembered that Jesus visited Samaria in the early part of His ministry, where He first talked with the woman at Jacob's well, and afterwards stayed two days in the city, where He attracted public attention to His preaching, and won many followers. During those days Shaboth may have become personally acquainted with Him, and, though far from being His disciple, he would naturally follow Jesus' after-history and movements with considerable interest.

We gather the above account from the letter of an Eastern correspondent to the _Advance_ (Chicago), who spent some time in Nablous, and received the statements from Dr. El Kary.

_Double-Entendre._

This double-entendre was originally published in a Philadelphia newspaper a hundred years ago. It may be read three different ways: First, let the whole be read in the order in which it is written; second, read the lines downward on the left of each comma in every line; third, in the same manner on the right of each comma. In the first reading the Revolutionary cause is condemned, and by the others it is encouraged and lauded-

Hark! Hark! the trumpet sounds, the din of war's alarms, O'er seas and solid grounds, doth call us all to arms; Who for King George doth stand, their honors soon shall s.h.i.+ne; Their ruin is at hand, who with the Congress join.

The acts of Parliament, in them I much delight, I hate their cursed intent, who for the Congress fight; The Tories of the day, they are my daily toast, They soon will sneak away, who independence boast; Who non-resistance hold, they have my hand and heart, May they for slaves be sold, who act a Whiggish part; On Mansfield, North and Bute, may daily blessings pour, Confusion and dispute, on Congress evermore; To North and British lord, may honors still be done, I wish a block or cord, to General Was.h.i.+ngton.

_Changes of Signification._

The meaning of the word _wretch_ is one not generally understood. It was originally, and is now, in some parts of England, used as a term of fondest tenderness. This is not the only instance in which words in their present general acceptation bear a very opposite meaning to what they did in other times. The word _wench_, formerly, was not used in the low and vulgar acceptation that it now is.

_Don Quixote's Sheep._

Don Quixote's mistaking two flocks of sheep for two armies is not without parallel. In Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, written 1516, the hero, in his madness, falls foul of a flock of sheep.

Still more ancient is "Ajax Mad," a tragedy founded on the madness of Ajax, because of the armor of Hector being awarded to Ulysses instead of himself. In his insanity, Ajax fell upon a flock of sheep, driven at night into the camp, supposing it to be an army led by Ulysses and the sons of Atreus. On discovering his mistake he stabs himself.

_The Oldest Ballad._

The earliest English ballad is supposed to be the "Cuckoo Song," which commences in the following style:-

"Sumer is inc.u.men in Lhude sing cuccu, Groweth sed, and bloweth med, And sprigth ye wede nu, Singe cuccu."

_Two Certificates of Gretna-Green Marriages._

"This is to sartfay all persons that may be consern'd, that A. B., from the parish of C. in the county of D., and E. F., from the parish of G., in the county of H., and both comes before me and declares themselves both to be single persons, and now mayried by the form of the Kirk of Scotland, and agreible to the Church of England, and givine ondre my hand, this 18th day of March 1793."

"Kingdom of Scotland, "County of Dumfries, "Parish of Gretna:

"These are to certify, to all whom it may concern, that John N--, from the parish of Chatham, in the County of Kent, and Rosa H--, from the parish of St. Maries, in the County of Nottingham, being both here now present, and having declared to me that they are single persons, but having now been married conformable to the Laws of the Church of England, and agreeable to the Kirk of Scotland. As witness our hands at Springfield, this 4th day of October, 1822.

"Witness me, "Witness, David Lang.

Jane Rae. John N--.

John Ainsle. Rosa H--."

_Swift's Latin Puns._

Among the nugae of Dean Swift are his celebrated Latin puns. They consist entirely of Latin words, but, by allowing for false spelling, and running the words into each other, the sentences make good sense in English. The subjoined is one of his best-

Mollis abuti, Moll is a beauty.

Has an acuti, Has an acute eye.

No la.s.so finis, No la.s.s so fine is.

Molli divinis. Molly divine is.

Omi de armis tres, O my dear mistress.

Imi na dis tres, I'm in distress.

Cantu disco ver Can't you discover.

Meas alo ver? Me as a lover?

_Rhyming Charter._

The following grant of William the Conqueror may be found in Stowe's _Chronicle_ and in Blount's _Ancient Tenures:_

HOPTON, IN THE COUNTY OF SALOP.

TO THE HEYRS MALE OF THE HOPTON, LAWFULLY BEGOTTEN.

From me and from myne, to thee and to thyne, While the water runs, and the sun doth s.h.i.+ne, For lack of heyrs to the king againe, I, William, King, the third year of my reign, Give to the Norman hunter, To me that art both line [A] and deare, The Hop and the Hoptoune, And all the bounds up and downe, Under the earth to h.e.l.l, Above the earth to heaven, From me and from myne, To thee and to thyne; As good and as faire As ever they myne were.

To witness that this is sooth,[B]