January 25, 2021 Thank you, Barbara Schock, for sharing your extraordinary gift of these vignettes of Galesburg & 19th century American history.
Old Time Sayings By Barbara Schock
These quotations are taken directly
from Carl Sandburg’s autobiography, ALWAYS THE YOUNG STRANGERS. The book covers
the time period from the middle 1880s until the late 1890s. Some of the sayings
are familiar to us, but others have faded into history. As a boy Sandburg heard these phrases used by his friends:
“Don’t be a gabmouth.”
That is, don’t gossip.
“Spreading it on too
thick.” The speaker may have been elaborating too much in his efforts
at persuasion. “He’s trying to raise the wind.” In other words, all the
person needed was a good wind to get him in motion if there was work to be done. “You can trust him as far as you can fling a bull by the tail.”
Experience indicated some “Busy as a paperhanger with hives," meant a person who didn’t
accomplish much will all his busy-ness. “He’s so slick one of these days his feet are going to slide out from
under him.” The boys knew a fake when they saw one. “He’s living on the interest of his debts,” when it wasn’t
clear how a man was making a living. Businessmen were described as “making money hand over fist,”
when their business was “Money talks” described how some people got ahead or
events happened in a certain way.
“You’re off your nut.” “You’re dippy.” “Say, your head wasn’t screwed on wrong, was it?” “You’ve got bats in your belfry.” It was drilled into children: “If you don’t look out for yourself, nobody else will.” “Save your pennies. They will grow into dollars.” “Lay by what you can for a rainy day.” “A little money can be a big comfort.” On one occasion Sandburg was in the two-bit gallery of the
Auditorium. He stood up to stuff his shirt tail back into his trousers. A man in
the seat behind him said: “Is your father a glass blower?” In
other words, Carl was blocking his view. Since the incident was included in his
autobiography, it must have stung.
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