Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 December 1883 — ORIGIN OF POPULAR PHRASES. [ARTICLE]

ORIGIN OF POPULAR PHRASES.

Nickname. —The word “nickname** comes from an Anglo-Saxon root, identical with the German necken, to tease, to banter, The English, “nickname” is equivalent to, the German neckname. In the same way the German word spitzname Comes from an English root, obsolete in modern German, which in English has been preserved as “spite,” and the German word spitzname is perfectly identical in sense to the English spitename. Villikins and His Dinah. — This song, which was immensely popular in low concerts and in the streets, at New York and other cities, was written many years ago by a young man, a native of Birmingham, Eng., named Harry Horton. He used to sing it nightly at an amateur theatrical meeting held at the Bed House, New John street, in that town. Horton removed to London, where he soon after died. He sanguthe song at some of the London ‘ music rooms. It was very popular, and was soon brought upon the stage. But before it was heard at all in London, it was popular about the streets of Birmingham. A “Robinson.”—A name common in France, and lately introduced in the United States, Tor a garden party. The origin of the title is as follows : Some twenty or twenty-five years ago an enterprising restaurateur in Paris hit upon the idea of taking an island in the Seine, near St. Cloud. On this island grew a tree of such gigantic dimensions that a table with Beats for five or six persons could be placed among the branches. This novel dining-room became a great attraction to the boating population of the Seine, which flocked in crowds to the new restaurant. To this retreat the proprietor gave the name of “L’ile de Robinson” (Crusoe), and the word “Robinson” is now applied to any open-air entertainment of a simple and inexpensive kind. Who Killed Tecumseh? —Te origin of this saying, which was popular in the United States during the presidential campaign of 1836, and is still, popular in New England, is said to be as follows: In the campaign .1736 Martin Van Buren, of New York, and Colonel Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky, were the Democratic candidates for President and Vice President. One of the “bearing questions” of the canvass was: “Who killed Tecumseh?” The friends of Johnson claimed that he charged up to the great Indian leader, while surrounded by his warriors and shot him dead. The Whigs, on the other hand, derided Johnson’s claim to be the hero of the battle, and brought forth several claimants for that honor. Among others was Colonel Skinner, who had emigrated to Texas. The Colonel was put Upon the Western stump to settle the disputed question, and he did it in this style: “Fellow citizens,” said the Colonel, with a knowing look, “I was at the battle where Tecumsey was killed— I was! I commanded a regiment there —I did ! I’me not gwine to say who did kill Tecumsey—l won’t! But this much I will say, Tecumsey was killed with one of my pistols. Gentlemen, I leave it to your knowledge of human nature to say if a man would be aptlo lend out his pistols on an occasion of that sort.” To their credit, the “boys” were not willing to be convinced by that way of putting the case.