Archives (continued)

March 1, 2001
Issue No. 33

Welcome to "Snippets"

Special Request

- The origin of the expression "speaking out of school".

- The completion of the saying "One crow sorrow, two crows joy, three crows a letter, four crows a boy, ..."

- Has anyone ever heard of "lick and a prayer" (not "lick and a promise" or "wing and a prayer")? Does it have something to do with slow mail?

- The origin and author of "In like a lion, out like a lamb".

- The origin of "I will be there with bells on".

- The origin of the term "yellow" meaning "cowardly".

Saying for the Week

Chin Ups

"BE SURE YOU ARE RIGHT THEN GO AHEAD"

John T. Dorrance received a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Gottingen in Germany. Upon graduation he was offered teaching positions at several prestigious schools, but turned them all down. His dream was to join the preserve company where his uncle, Arthur Dorrance, was president and replicate the soups he had enjoyed while living in Europe.

Arthur was reluctant to hire his 24-year-old nephew, however, and only gave in when John agreed to accept a meager salary of $7.50 per week and pay for his own laboratory equipment. In short order, John came up with an invention which changed the company's future. The year was 1897 and his invention was condensed soup. At the time, the company sold 32-ounce cans of soup for 30 cents each, but by eliminating the water, the company could offer a 10 1/2-ounce can for just 10 cents, due to lower costs of packaging, storing and shipping.

At first John had to convince the public that this new inexpensive soup was also high in quality. He also had to persuade housewives to use it instead of making their own by appealing to them that it would save them time and money. He succeeded on both fronts and his soups became a hit all over the United States. Because of the soup sales the company finally showed a profit in 1898 after many years of struggling and John received a whopping raise of $1.50 increasing his salary to $9.00 per week!

To promote his soup even further, John took a risk in 1899 and daringly placed ads on New York City streetcars which resulted in a 100% increase in sales in New York. In 1900 the soups won the Gold Medallion award for excellence in the Paris Exposition and John was elected director and vice president of the company. He later went on to become president and later owner of the company when he bought out his uncle in 1915. Through John T. Dorrance's brilliant idea and marketing genius, his condensed soup turned a struggling preserve company into the world-renowned Campbell Soup Company.

Missing Persons

To help us update our directory, if you know the author of the following wise old saying, please send the author along with the saying to: wiseoldsayings@email.com.

"He that pays the piper, calls the tune."

Telling Tales

The Simple Bear

Once upon a time there was gentle bear who decided after an unfulfilling career as a teacher to go into business for himself. He chose to become a real estate broker. The bear was bright, well-spoken and quite capable in matters of the mind. But he lacked an instinct for survival in real estate. Quite innocently he surmised that if another broker in town had a cave listed that more closely matched his client's wishes, it would be good business to send his client to the broker with the better cave. This would even out when other brokers referred their clients to the bear when one of his caves best suited their potential homebuyers.

The one flaw in the strategy, however, was that the other brokers never reciprocated by sending their clients to the bear. As a result, he ultimately went out of business even though he had conscientiously helped many animals to find the best caves available in the town. Thereafter the bear eked out a marginal living for himself and his family and he remained a curiosity in the town. Those who knew him well, however, valued him for his honesty and integrity.

Moral: Goodness does not consist in greatness, but greatness in goodness.

Words of Wisdom

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about."
Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)

Thimbleful of Therapy

"Few things are harder to put up with than a good example."
Mark Twain (1835-1910)

As a Matter of Fact

In response to our request for the author of "Loose lips sink ships", several people wrote to us that the saying was an Allied slogan during World War II to warn the soldiers against unguarded talk that might give useful information to the enemy. Because so many civilians volunteered and were drafted during the war, the U.S. government was afraid they wouldn't know how to conduct themselves and would inadvertantly disclose information. As a result, rules of conduct which included ten prohibited subjects were given to each soldier. They were warned that "...loose talk is direct delivery to the enemy" and "...your lips must remain sealed". One poster actually read "Loose Lips Might Sink Ships".

Sayings Sampler

"Beware the Greeks bearing gifts" is an adaptation of the quote "I fear the Greeks, even when bringing gifts" from Virgil's Aeneid. How apropos to today's enticements. We are constantly being barraged by credit card promotions, discount prices, rebate offers, special deals and get-rich-quick schemes. While some offers may actually help us, such as getting a discount or rebate on something we were going to buy anyway, it is important to keep in mind that all of these enticements are made by people and companies that are trying to earn money.

Talent Show

In each issue of "Snippets" we print contributions sent in by our readers. Anyone who wants to share their talent is welcome to send us their creation to show in "Snippets". If you have a wise new saying, a fable, an inspirational story or a fact about a wise old saying that you would like to share, please send it to: wiseoldsayings@email.com.

This week's features are:

"Heartache is but a visitor, it won't stay long." Jim Garnett

"Education is just a process by which a person begins to learn how to learn." Jay Huff

"The harder you work, the luckier you get." Earl Overson

CORRECTION:
"When you're young, laziness is fear sparking from depression." Lemark Solomon

Blankety Blanks

"It's an ill _____ that blows no _____."

The answer to last week's "Blankety Blank" is:
"A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature."

Discombobbles

"Old the mirror an is best friend."

The answer to last week's "Discombobble" is:
"Strike while the iron is hot."

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February 15, 2001
Issue No. 32

Welcome to "Snippets"

Special Request

If you know anything about any of these sayings, please let us know at wiseoldsayings@email.com.

Saying for the Week

Chin Ups

"BEAUTY IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER"

Not many people recognize the name Charles B. Darrow. At the height of the Depression he was an unemployed heating engineer from Germantown, Pennsylvania. In 1932, having nothing better to do, he sat at his kitchen table and designed a game for his family. His friends liked it so much they asked him to make games for them also. So he did. In fact, it was so popular that in 1934 he mustered up the courage to show it to Parker Brothers. Unfortunately, they found 52 playing errors in the game and rejected it immediately.

Darrow didn't give up, however. He took his life savings and, with the help of a printer friend, made 5000 copies of his game which he sold to several stores, including Wanamakers in Philadelphia and F.A.O. Schwartz in New York. His game was so successful that he couldn't keep up with the orders and finally struck a deal with Parker Brothers in 1935. This sudden change of heart proved to be very fortunate for Parker Brothers. In 1935 it was the biggest-selling game in America. Since then over 200 million games have been sold worldwide and over 500 million people have played it. Today it is still the best-selling board game in the world and is now sold in 80 countries and produced in 26 languages. Charles B. Darrow's game was "Monopoly"!

Missing Persons

To help us update our directory, if you know the author of the following wise old saying, please send the author along with the saying to: wiseoldsayings@email.com.

"Clouds gather before a storm."

Telling Tales

The "Fair" King

Once upon a time there was a sensible king who ruled his kingdom justly and fairly with order and discipline. As a result, sometimes his rulings were unpopular. This was also a time of hardship in the kingdom due to a drought across the land. More and more of the people grumbled about the King's rulings which inevitably resulted in suffering by one party or another.

The good king was sensitive to these complaints, but could do little otherwise while he shepherded the kingdom through difficult times. Things got so bad, however, that several threats were made against the King's life.

He thought it over and decided to hold a fair where he would be a willing target for people's frustrations. The weapons would be rotten fruit and eggs which would be thrown at the king from fifty feet away. Each thrower would pay a small fee for the chance to hit the king with the produce. The king would be protected by various pads and a mask. What fun!

Hundreds of frustrated villagers paid a pence to toss food at his majesty. Not only did a lot of tensions get released, but the participants had a jolly time targeting "his sloppiness" all day. Spirits were lifted and enough money was raised to buy several livestock and new seeds for the kingdom. Eventually the drought ended and the kingdom regained prosperity.

Moral: A ruler must sometimes humor as well as command.

Words of Wisdom

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)

Thimbleful of Therapy

"Creditors have better memories than debtors."
Ben Franklin (1706-1790)

As a Matter of Fact

Many of us have heard the postal carriers' motto in one form or another. One popular version is "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds". The original saying was actually "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" and was said about 2500 years ago by the Greek historian, Herodotus. He said this adage during the war between the Greeks and Persians about 500 B.C. in reference to the Persian mounted postal couriers whom he observed and held in high esteem.

Today many people believe this saying to be the U.S. Postal Service (U.S.P.S.) motto, but, in fact, is not their official slogan. According to the U.S.P.S. they have no slogan at all. The reason it has become identified with the U.S.P.S. is because back in 1896-97 when the New York City General Post Office was being designed, Mitchell Kendal, an employee for the architectural firm, McKim, Mead and White, came up with the idea of engraving Herodotus' saying all around the outside of the building. From that time on the saying has been associated with U.S. postal carriers. (Another McKim, Mead and White building is the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.)

(Source: Bob Cannon, Public Affairs and Communications Officer for the U.S. Postal Service in Boston, MA.)

Sayings Sampler

"He who hesitates is lost" is a wise old saying by Joseph Addison (1672-1719). This adage is truer than ever today in our fast-paced world where competition is rampant. If you don't act quickly with an idea, chances are someone else will beat you to it!

Talent Show

In each issue of "Snippets" we print contributions sent in by our readers. Anyone who wants to share their talent is welcome to send us their creation to show in "Snippets". If you have a wise new saying, a fable, an inspirational story or a fact about a wise old saying that you would like to share, please send it to: wiseoldsayings@email.com.

This week's features are:

"When you're young, laziness is fear sparking from depression." Lemark Solomon (age 17)

"A willful waste makes a woeful want." Virgil B. Lawrence

"What makes us discontented with ourselves is our absurdly exaggerated idea we have of the happiness of others." Jay Huff

Blankety Blanks

"A _____ may well be reckoned the masterpiece of _____."

The answer to last week's "Blankety Blank" is:
"Feed a cold and starve a fever."

Discombobbles

"Is iron strike the hot while."

The answer to last week's "Discombobble" is:
"Rome wasn't built in a day."

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February 1, 2001
Issue No. 31

Welcome to "Snippets"

Saying for the Week

Chin Ups

"PATIENCE IS BITTER, BUT ITS FRUIT IS SWEET."

Louis Braille, the son of a harness maker, was born in a little village in France in 1809. At age three he accidently poked his eye with his father's awl. Tragically it led to an infection in both eyes which left him totally blind. As he grew older, Louis developed a passion for learning. In those days, however, blind people were often treated as mentally ill or retarded. Fortunately for Louis, a kindly priest took him under his wing. At first Louis was taught by the priest, but then went on to the village school.

Because he couldn't read books, however, his learning was limited. So at age 10, with the help of the priest, Louis enrolled in the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, where he was given books especially made for the blind. This transition was difficult for him at first. Whereas his country village had been quiet, peaceful, dry and clean, Paris seemed to Louis to be noisy, busy, damp and dirty. But his great love for learning helped him to overlook the drawbacks of his new surroundings.

Even though the school had books for the blind, the selection was limited to only fourteen books. The books were printed using a cumbersome system of giant raised letters, so few were available because of the cost and difficulty of making them.

When Louis was twelve years old, a man named Captain Charles Barbier came to the Institute to promote a raised-dot method of writing called nightwriting. Based on sounds, the Captain had devised it to send signals at night in the army. Inspired by the Captain's invention, Louis set out to adapt this system for the blind. He hoped to enlist Captain Barbier's help, but because Louis was so young, the Captain didn't take him seriously. Determined to come up with an easier system to make books for the blind, Louis devoted every spare minute to this task, often working all through the night punching dots into scraps of paper.

Finally three years later at age fifteen, after endless hours of experimenting, Louis came up with a workable system using raised dots that were based on letters of the alphabet. His friends at school immediately embraced his new system, but no adults were interested in using it to make books.

At age 19, Louis took the position of teacher at the Institute. Using his raised-dot method, he made books himself for his classes and the school library. Even when stricken with tuberculosis at age 26, he refused to let the disease keep him from promoting his system. To make matters worse, while Louis was home recuperating, the Institute had appointed a new director who banned the use of Louis' system at the school and burned all of Louis' books that he had painstakingly made by hand. In 1844, at age 35, Louis was forced to stop teaching for good, because of his illness.

At this point the director of the Institute had allowed Louis' system back into the school and a few teachers were using it at other schools, but there was still no interest in making books with it. Finally, in 1847, four years before his death, the first braille printing press was made enabling books to be made by machine. After Louis' death, his raised-dot system finally began to catch on and was tranlated into different languages all over the world. Because of Louis Braille's incredible patience and his steadfast determination to find a way to make affordable and easy-to-read books for the blind, he opened up a whole new world for blind people everywhere.

Missing Persons

To help us update our directory, if you know the author and/or meaning of the following wise old saying, please send it along with the saying to: wiseoldsayings@email.com.

"Everything is lovely when the geese honk high."

Telling Tales

Harry and his dad had a special relationship. Theirs was a strong and enduring bond. Often after supper they sat on the front porch looking out on San Francisco Bay from their triple decker on top of a steep hill which fell toward the waterfront. They talked about politics, sports, their jobs, the family, you name it. The day came, however, when Harry had to go into the service or be drafted. World War II was well underway and Harry chose to join the Navy. The two men hugged when time came for him to go and Harry felt a lump in his throat.

Harry and his father corresponded regularly up until the explosion. It occurred below deck in an ammo magazine and blew a gaping hole in the light cruiser's hull. Twenty-eight sailors died and seventy-six were injured. Harry was listed as one of the dead and the death notice went out to his family. But Harry wasn't dead. He suffered a severe concussion that took his memory away and burns to his face and upper torso that disguised his appearance so that the Navy mistakenly identified him as a sailor who had actually shipped out the morning of the blast.

Harry slowly recuperated except for his memory. He was listed as John Rogers in the hospital and because there was a war on, the mistake was never found out. Harry's dad was brought low by the news of his death. He would sit on the front porch and stare down the street toward the harbor night after night not wanting to believe what his mind told him, that Harry was gone.

Meanwhile, several months later Harry was discharged from the hospital. He hid the fact that his memory was gone. An address in San Francisco was the only shred of evidence he had of the past. Before he left the hospital he sent a letter to the address and simply wrote, "John Rogers says hello". Harry's parents were confused by the letter, but his dad felt a glimmer of hope. Eagerly he wrote to John Rogers at the return address. But Harry was released from the hospital before the letter arrived and he took thirty days leave upon his discharge.

Remembering only the address, Harry arrived in San Francisco early one June evening. He asked directions and slowly climbed up the street with his seabag slung over his shoulder. His dad was sitting on the porch as usual when he saw way off in the distance a sailor laboring up the steep hill. Harry noticed that things looked familiar as he walked up the street toward the top of the hill. Harry's dad stared intently at the young sailor as he drew closer.

Suddenly his dad jumped up and began to cry and cry. Harry's mom rushed out to see what was the matter. His dad, unable to speak, pointed at the sailor. His mom shrieked when she saw him and also began to cry. Harry noticed the commotion and suddenly something clicked in his brain. He dropped his seabag and started to run toward the two people who were now running toward him. Harry's dad reached him first and threw his arms around Harry who gasped through his tears, "Dad!". Harry's mom caught up with the two men and the three of them hugged and cried. Harry was back!!!

Moral: Never give up hope.

Words of Wisdom

"Your work is the rent you pay for the room you occupy on earth."
Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother

Thimbleful of Therapy

"Do what you think is right in your heart. You'll be criticized anyway."
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

As a Matter of Fact

George Herbert (1593-1633) was a poet and writer who gave us several wise old sayings including "His bark is worse than his bite", "One flower makes no garland", "Good words are worth much and cost little", "The best mirror is an old friend", "He that lies with dogs riseth with fleas" and "One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters".

Born into a noble family at Montgomery Castle in Montgomeryshire, Wales, he was the fifth of ten children born to Richard Herbert and Magdalen Newport. He received a B.A. from Trinity College at Cambridge University in England in 1609 and was appointed orator of the University in 1619. In this position he hoped to gain favor with royalty, but that hope ended with the death of King James I in 1625. Herbert resigned his post in 1627 and three years later was ordained an Anglican priest and became rector of Fugglestone-with-Bemerton in Huntingdonshire. In 1629 he married Jane Danvers, but had no children.

His early poetry was not highly regarded as it was written at a time when Herbert was attempting to curry favor with King James I. More valuable, Herbert's "Outlandish Proverbs" displayed another side of his nature, his wry humor and practical common sense. His chief prose work "A Priest in His Temple" was a manual for clerical life. Herbert is best remembered for his devotional poems, however, which were all unpublished at his death in 1633. On his deathbed he gave them to his friend, Nicholas Ferrar, who had them published later that year under the title of "The Temple".

Sayings Sampler

"A fault confessed is half redressed" is an old English proverb that still applies today. Consider marriage and the inevitability of one spouse hurting the other by some hasty word or action. The hurt begins to heal when the guilty spouse apologizes.

Similarly, in busy traffic when a motorist who almost causes an accident apologizes to the other driver, the anger subsides. In fact, society in general is much more sympathetic to a wrongdoer who apologizes than with someone who won't take responsibility for his or her actions.

Talent Show

In each issue of "Snippets" we print contributions sent in by our readers. Anyone who wants to share their talent is welcome to send us their creation to show in "Snippets". If you have a wise new saying, a fable, an inspirational story or a fact about a wise old saying that you would like to share, please send it to: wiseoldsayings@email.com.

This week's features are:

"You are the hero of your life." Zainab

"There is nothing more beautiful than nature itself." Zainab

"The want to love is the want to live." Zainab

Blankety Blanks

"_____ a cold and _____ a fever."

The answer to last week's "Blankety Blank" is:
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Discombobbles

"A built day wasn't in Rome."

The answer to last week's "Discombobble" is:
"There are plenty of fish in the sea."