Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1875 — Some Curious Things. [ARTICLE]

Some Curious Things.

Now, young people, pay attention. Are you ready for our talk? Fir3t of all, here is something curious for you. It is the Lord’s Prayer in the English of former times, and it shows how the language has changed: “A. D. 1258. “ Fader ure in heune, haleweide beoth thi neune, cumen thi kuneriche thi wille beoth idon in heune and in er.the. The euerych dawe bried gif ous thilke dawe. And vorzif ure dettes as vi vorzifen ure dettoures. And' lene ous nought into temptatioun bdt dclyvor ous of uvel. Amen. , “A. D. 1300. “ Fadir our in hevene, halewyed by thi name, thi kingdom come, Thi ujille be don as in hevene and in erthe, Oure urche dayes bred give us to-day. And forgive us oure dettes as we forgive our dettoures. And lede us not into temptation, Bote delyvere us of yvel. Amen. “A. D. 1582. “ Ovr father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. Let thy kingdom come. Thy- will be done as in heauen in earth also. Giue vs to-day our supersubstantial bread.. And forgiue vs ovr dettes as we also forgiue ovr detters. And le-ad vs not into temptation. Bvt deliuer vs from euil. Amen. * “A. D. 1611.

“ Our father which art in heauen, hal-low-ed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heauen. Giue vs this day our dayly bread. And forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debtors. And lede vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euil. For thine is the kingdome, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.” The first form is difficult to read. Could you make it out? In a book Bnnyan wrote, which is now seldom read — perhaps you do not know that he wrote many others besides the “Pilgrim’s Progress” —he nalks about the famous town of Mansoul. This town, he says, had five gates which could never be opened except at the w-ill of those within. The names of these gates were, Eye-gate, Ear-gate, Nose-gate, Mouth-gate and Feel-gate. I never read the book, but it is easy to imagine that the guardian of, at least, the Mouth-gate was the prayer you have just heard. Capt. Resistance and Lord lnnocency were the tw T o commanders of the town, which unfortunately. tell into the hands of its wicked enemy, Diabolus, because the people w-ould listen at the Ear : gate to his false promises. He took the opportunity while they were parleying to shoot Capt. Resistance. Then Lord Innocence tell down dead, and the town was forced to surrender. All this and much more you will find in Bunvan’s allegory of “ The Holy War.” There is a rather curious expression which we get from these former times. When you sit down to write a letter you take a sheet of letter-paper, or if it is just a few- lines you -wish to send to your friend you write upon note-paper. Ministers use sermon-paper; there is a very large form of paper called elephant; a bigger size still is named double elephant. but the paper -which lawyers employ <and on which orators write their speeches is called by the odd name of foolscap. How did such an uncomplimentary title ever come to be gjven to a harmless piece of paper? Dunces were lormerly Obliged to wear in school a big paper cap. You all know how’ a duncecap looks. But that is not the way the term arose. It is more like this: Every person of distinction formerly had in his household a fool or jester whose business was to make fun of everybody and for everybody. Sometimes these men were poor, half-witted creatures and sometimes they were cunning fellows who liked to live by their wits. The fool always wore a fantastic dress. An important part of his costume was his odd cap. This particular size of paper was dubbed after it by a witty and bad King of England on whom some one made a rhyme, of which I will tell. you in a few minutes. First we must settle this matter of the paper. “ When Oliver Cromwell became Pro, tector of England he caused the stamp of the Cap of Liberty to be placed upon the paper used by the Government. Soon after the restoration of Charles 11., w-hen be bad occasion to use some paper for dispatches, some of this Government uaper was brought lo him. On looking at it he inquired the meaning of it, and, on beiDg told,he said: “ ‘ Take it away; I’ll have nothing to do with a fool’s cap? “Thus originated the term foolscap, which has since been given to a size of w-riting paper usually about sixteen by thirteen inches.” Charles was so witty in words and so worthless in deeds that, after the people had come to understand his ways, some one pinned up one day on his chamberdoor this epitaph: LISES OX CHARLES SECOND. “ Here lies our sovereign lord, tlie King, Whose word no man relies on; He never said a foolish thing, And never did a wise one.” Charles laughed when he read this, and said that the was his words were his own, fwt his acts were his Ministers’. So 111 slipped out of the reproach. “ Some people," remarks Mr. Singer, “ never appropriate anything but praise to themselves. Reproof slides off of them as water slides off a duck’s back. In fact,” continues that gentleman, “ they make me think of a rhyme about a duCk I once knew.” “ Wha\ Was that, sir?” “ It ran something like this: THE DUCK. “ 1 think it was a stroke of luck To come into the world a duek; I fly, 1 swim, I walk, you see — What other can compare with me. “ I" swim—far better than the swallow I fly—and beat old Dobbin hollow; I walk—and tbusjsurpass the trout And other fishes, .out and out. “ But when did Envy ever lack A.word of ill behind one’s back? It makes me sick to hear them talk— Thev sjiy I waddle when I walk. - ' e ’**’!* “ And when I fly with outspread wings \ The swallows mock—the saucy things. They say I dare not wheel nor skim. Lest I should I fall and break a limb, ; “ And yesterday, a pert young chub Gave me, he thought, a hardish rub; ‘That swimming?’ said he with a laugh; ‘ I call it onlv half and halt’

“ Well, let them talk, it won’t hurt me— They are not ducks and drakes, you see; Our graces put them in' a pet— All grapes are sour one cannot get. “ There’s only one thing where I fail, I try to sing—it’s no avail ? I got a cold a long time back, And never get beyond a ‘ Quack!’ “ I’ll take some lessons of the lark. Next time I hear him in the park. Then won’t folks listen with a Hush! The duck sings better than the thrush!” —The Methodist.