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From: "Fairfax, Dan" <>
Subject: [VAFairfa] OLD TIMES!
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 07:48:52 -0500


FYI!

Very Interesting!?

Have a great week!

Dan Fairfax
Nashville, Tennessee
====================

INTERESTING INFO YOU MAY NOT HAVE LEARNED IN SCHOOL...

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either
sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing
behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and
both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were
to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are
"limbs" therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the
expression "Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."

~*~*~*~*~

As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year! (May
& October) Women always kept their hair covered while men shaved their heads
(because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good
wigs. The wigs couldn't be washed so to clean them, they could carve out a
loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat
would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term "big wig." Today we often
use the term "here comes the Big Wig" because someone appears to be or is
powerful and wealthy.

~*~*~*~*~

In the late 1700's many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair. Commonly, a long wide board was folded down from the wall and used
for dining. The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Once in a while an invited guest
would be offered to sit in this chair during a meal whom was almost always a
man. To sit-in the chair meant you were important and in charge. Sitting in
the chair, one was called the "chair man." Today in business we use the
expression/title "Chairman."

~*~*~*~*~

Needless to say, personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a
result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women
would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their
complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to
stare at another woman's face she was told "mind your own bee's wax." Should
the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a smile." Also,
when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt and therefore the
expression "losing face."

~*~*~*~*~

Ladies wore corsets which would lace up in the front. A tightly tied lace
was worn by a proper and dignified lady as in "straight laced".

~*~*~*~*~

Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied
when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the "ace of spades." To
avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since
most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb
because they weren't "playing with a full deck."

~*~*~*~*~

Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what was
considered important to the people. Since there were no telephones, TV's or
radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs and
bars who were told to "go sip some ale" and listen to people's conversations
and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times.
"You go sip here" and "You go sip there." The two words "go sip" were
eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and thus, we have
the term "gossip."



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