What they say in New England.: Old new England Proverbs and words of wisdom.

by Clifton Johnson

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1897. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... OLD STORIES In the early part of the century, the people were very fond of telling ghost stories of an evening about the kitchen fire, and some people of great general intelligence were very superstitious. As an instance, I speak of Squire H, a man who was esteemed one of the pillars of the town. He said of his first wife that she saw her own apparition. One winter day she had been washing clothes in the kitchen. When she had finished she went to the glass, and combed her hair. While thus engaged she happened to look out of the window, and saw herself walking on the snow. The Squire had gone to the village, but when he returned he found his wife in tears. She told him what she had seen, and said she knew that such an appearance meant she was not to live long. She died within a year. The Squire's second wife did not believe in witches, and never would accept this story; but the Squire explained her unbelief by stating that she was the first-born in her father's family, and that over such the witches had no power. All authorities agree that to see one's double is a very bad sign. Such affirm that Abraham Lincoln saw his double before he was assassinated, and that he told his friends he knew from that he would not live his term out. The following is an example of an old-time witch story. It involves no less a personage than a clergyman. This clergyman's name was Hooker. He was travelling on horseback when, one evening, night overtook him at Springfield, Mass., and he Bought an inn. Other travellers were before him; and the landlord informed Rev. Mr. Hooker that he had only a single vacant room left, and, unfortunately, that room was haunted. The clergyman said he did not mind that, and took the room. He had retired, and everything was still when twelve o'clock cam...

Genres: Folklore

194 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Clifton Johnson was born in the village of Hockanum in Hadley, Massachusetts, on January 25, 1865. Johnson was an important literary figure with some 125 published books and countless magazine and newspaper articles to his credit. A friend of William Dean Howells and John Burroughs, he was an acquaintance of many other late 19th and early 20th century authors and editors. Johnson was a self-styled folklorist, an illustrator, photographer, author, and editor. He died on January 22, 1940.

The first book authored by Johnson was The New England Country, published in 1892, and his last was Sailing for Gold, published in 1938, two years before his death. He wrote a biography of his friend, John Burroughs, the naturalist, and one of Hudson Maxim, the inventor. He also wrote a series of travel books including the Highways and Byways of America series with coverage of 48 states, and volumes on travel in England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. Each volume was illustrated with his photographs or drawings. Johnson was almost exclusively interested in documenting the rural, countryside inhabitants of small towns and farmlands.

Johnson was also interested in children's literature and illustrated and edited several volumes of children's stories. During the course of his research on children and education, Johnson began to gather children's books and wrote several volumes on the history of rural schoolhouses and early American schooling. By the end of his life, he had amassed an important collection of juvenile books and schoolbooks, which are now housed at the Jones Library.

Reviews

[elstaffe]

Pull quotes/notes
"Children frequently tell fortunes on their buttons. A boy will find out what his station in life will be, and a girl the kind of person she is to marry, by telling them off, one button at a time, and saying this lingo over and over till the last one is reached:

Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, Doctor, lawyer, merchant, chief.

To know what kind of clothes you are to wear, you say, 'Silks, satins, calico, rags,' over and over down to the last button.
To know what kind of a vehicle you are to ride in, you say,
'Coach, carriage, wheelbarrow, cart.'
To know what kind of a creature will draw your vehicle, you say, 'Horse, cow, pig, sheep.'
To know what kind of a house you will live in, you say, 'Big house, little house, pigpen, barn.'
The list of possible residences sometimes runs in this form:
'Palace, mansion, cottage, hut.'" (31) ye old school M.A.S.H.


"Ene, mene, mini, mo,
Catch a ***** by the toe,
When he hollers let him go,
Ene, mene, mini, mo." (107) WOW I am glad this has transmogrified into tiger by the time I learned it, because YIKES

"...'walk Spanish.' You catch him by the collar and the slack of his pants behind, and make him step along on the tips of his toes. The walker feels very awkward and helpless, and the other fellows are very much amused by his manner." (114)

"Say the following over and over as fast as you can:
1. Six gray geese in a green field grazing.
2. Six, slick, slim saplings.
3. Theophilus Thistledown, the successful thistle sifter, in sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles, thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb. If then Theophilus Thistledown, the successful thistle sifter, in sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles, thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb, see that thou, in sifting a sieve full of un-sifted thistles, dost not get the thistles stuck in thy tongue.
4. Six, thick, thistle sticks.
5. A cup of coffee in a copper coffeepot.
6. The cat ran up the ladder with a raw lump of liver in its mouth.
This is likewise repeated in this form:
The cat ran over the roof of the house with a lump of raw liver in her mouth.
7. Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran." (114) excellent tongue twisters all

"Hog Latin: Igry knowgry somegry thinggry yougry don'tgry knowgry.
Translation: I know something you don't know.
A conversation carried on in this language between two children is as blind to their uninitiated mates as real Latin.
How the speakers can make anything out of such outlandish grunting talk is a great puzzle. But children find it even more difficult than grown up people to keep a secret, and this accomplishment is not long in becoming a common possession." (117)

"Question: A man wanted to cross a river. He had with him a fox, a goose, and half a bushel of corn. His boat was such that he could only take one of these across at a time. Now if he left he fox and goose together on either shore, the latter would be eaten. If he left the goose and corn together, the corn would be eaten. How did the man get across and not sacrifice any of his property?
Answer: He carried across the goose first. Then he came back and got the corn. He carried that over and took the goose back with him. He left the goose and carried across the fox. Finally he went back and got his goose, and there he was." (149) I can't believe this riddle is that old. Also, this version makes a bit more sense than the fox/chicken/lettuce one I learned (chickens and lettuce??)

[Mare]

This is such a fun read. Wonderful stories to entertain. A book to be savored.