Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 2.djvu/615

 ii. DEC. 24, 1904.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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my second about 1887. ' Frou-Frou ' is like- wise, in its plot, a copy of this play, of which a full account is given in the memoirs of Alexandre Dumas. * Frou-Frou ' was said to be an imitation of 'East Lynne' by some people who did not know the older play. I never have imputed plagiarism to the authors of 'East Lyrine' and 'Frou-Frou.' Dialogue and characters are their own ; but the story is not theirs. E. YARDLEY.

HOUSE SIGNS. In Exchequer depositions of the time of James I. mention is made of two curious signs : "The Weeping Eye" and "The Angel in the House." The latter, it will be remembered, has been used in modern times as the title of a book by a well-known author.

At Tooting a public-house is distinguished by the name of "The Old Angel." This de- scription can scarcely be said to harmonize with our idea of ministering spirits "ever bright and fair," though it is possible in this instance that, in the adoption of the form given above, the object may have been to claim priority over some other "Angel" in the same locality.

In approaching Worthing by way of the village of Lancing, I noticed, a few years ago, a roadside inn bearing the designation of "The Half -Brick." This strange sign must have been chosen for some special reason, and one is led to wonder what it could have been. WM. UNDERBILL.

170, Merton Road, Wimbledon.

GOOSE v. GEESE. I was travelling by rail- way to Victoria, and the train had been stopped in order that the tickets might be collected. A lady and her little girl occupied seats opposite to me. Suddenly the child aroused attention by exclaiming, " Gooses ! " only that and nothing more, to use the words of the poet.

The mother, naturally surprised, turned to her, and said with some annoyance, " My dear, don't be absurd ; there is no such word. If you mean one only, it is ' goose ' ; if you mean more than one, you must say ' geese' never 'gooses.'"

" But, ma," came the quick reply, " it is ' gooses.' "

" Now that is naughty. A little girl should not contradict. I shall be very angry if you are so obstinate. "

" But, really, ma, it is 'gooses.' See," per- sisted the owner of a small finger, which now pointed to a hoarding covered with pictorial and printed announcements. There was to be seen, in very bold lettering, the notice of a new issue of ' Mother Goose's Fairy Tales.'

And thus a child's singular anser was so construed as to convey the idea of plurality.

How the matter was made clear to the infant mind I know not, as the train moved on at that moment and the discussion came to an end. WM. UNDERBILL.

170, Merton Road, Wimbledon.

WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct.

BRINGING IN THE YULE " CLOG." Years ago, in the early days of the Illustrated London Neivs, were pictures by John Gilbert of Christmas customs, one of which was the bringing home of the Yule clog by a number of persons, with children dancing, dogs bark- ing, and other signs of a joyful time. Is there any old reader of 'N. & Q.' who can call to mind any incident of the like nature ? I can remember seeing children engaged in pulling over the snow with a rope bundles of faggots which they had gathered in hedge- bottoms and amongst the clumps of trees ; and I have seen men carrying clogs of wood root stumps of fallen trees, to be split up by wedges into Yule clogs. Yule "logs" and Yule "clogs " mean the same. In Derbyshire " clog " is the form mostly in use, " log " being used in speaking of a considerable section of a tree, or rough piece of timber. THOS. RATCLIFFE.

Worksop.

CHINESE NOMINY. In West Yorkshire, about 1875, the grooms, stable-boys, butchers' lads, and others of the kin of Sam Weller, had a "Chinese" nominy of which they made a good deal of mystery, and the learning of which they considered quite an accomplish- ment. I forget the earlier part, but it ended

Katty had a cow, Kittywarry, kattywarry, I ching go.

There was a translation, which rather gave itself away by using a proper name dis- similar from anything in the original, which translation ran thus :

Once in China there lived a man, His name was Ramo Tamo Tyrie Tan, His legs were long, his feet were small, Chinee feller couldn't walk at all. Has the thing any history or any meaning ? And does it still persist ?

H. SNOWDEN WARD. Hadlow, Kent.