Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/84

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. n. JULY 23, m

The massage at Aix-les-Bains is, therefore, of Oriental origin ; it was afterwards imitated in other French bathing-places.

H. GAIDOZ. 22, Rue Servandoni, Paris.

TITLES OP PICTURES WANTED (9 th S. ii. 27). In the Keepsake (of 1832, as I think) was an engraving of ' The Bridesmaid ' with Haynes Bayly's verses. Whether the four lines given in 'N. & Q.' were on the plate I do not remember, nor do I recollect whether the plate was published separately, or whether there was any other engraving of the drawing. D. R-

OAKAPPLE DAY (9 th S. ii. 4). I find it is not uncommon for people to suppose that Charles hid in the oak on 29 May. I happened to read Miss PEACOCK'S note aloud in the pre- sence of an Oxford graduate, incumbent of a vicarage in an important town, who at once exclaimed, " Why, I always thought it was on the 29th of May ! " So also said two other persons who were present, both of them well read and intelligent. So much for the atten- tion we give to nistory ! C. C. B.

PICKWICKIAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS (9 th S. i. 401). P. 25. " Bright basket buttons." The question "What are they 1 ?" presents no difficulty to one who remembers reappear- ances of these adjuncts very frequently during the last three-score years a metal button, thickly gilt, engraved or cast with a surface pattern imitating the interlacing of a wicker basket. Before the " hunt" button was generally adopted they were often seen adorning the " pink swallowtails " at a hunt ball or supper. Old gentlemen sported them on their " tail coats," as they were formerly called "dress coats" is a modern innova- tory term and " spencers." In the " twen- ties" and "thirties" the fasteners of the coats of bright colours (blue predominating) worn by the bucks and dandies of the late George Cruikshank's early caricatures were usually "basket buttons." I remember an attempt being made in the middle " fifties " to supersede the sable compound under- taker's man and waiter " claw-hammer " we now know as a dress coat by a bifurcated tail garment of bright blue adorned with basket buttons for masculine wear at balls and other evening assemblies ; but the well- meant endeavour to substitute a brighter hue for the funeral colour and to supply a little glitter in the necessary accessories of the garment never " caught on."

P. 26. " Alley-tors." In my early boyhooc the toys called "marbles" were of two

lasses, known respectively as " alley-tors " (never taws) and " commoneys," as Mr. Pick- wick accurately assumed. The difference in value was estimated by quality, not size. Both kinds of spheres were identical in the atter character, but the alley-tors were turned from actual stone, real marble ob-
 * ained from the chips of the statuary's yard.

At a later period glass, occasionally variegated in colour, identical with the balls now sold at boy-shops with a board as the game of soli- baire, sometimes formed the material. The " commoney," on the other hand, was invari- ably a compositon, probably the " compp " of " Plaster " Nash, the architect who designed Regent Street, the "Quadrant," and Waterloo Place. One " alley- tor " was exchangeable for so many I think usually six " commoneys." "Taws" does not the term unpleasantly suggest strips of leather penally employed 1 had nothing to do with the spelling, which, take it, was derived from the Celtic " tor " = rock or stone. NEMO.

Temple.

As regards "alley-tors," Mr. Fitzgerald appears to be more nearly right than MR. MARSHALL. When I used to play at marbles (in the fifties) " taws " were only used in the game of " ring-taw," which was played thus : each player placed a certain number of mar- bles in the ring and then shot at them with his " taw," usually the best marble he had, and preferably a " white alley," that is to say, composed of white marble. Hence the phrase "alley-taws." As each player was liable to be " killed " by having his " taw " shot by another player, the "taws" were usually smaller rather than larger than the other marbles, which we used to call "stoneys" or " potteys " (in ' Pickwick ' these last are called " commoneys "), according to what they were made of. One "stoney" was worth two " potteys " ; " alleys " had a much higher value ; and a " taw " with a history, whether an " alley " or not, was prized above rubies.

C. C. B.

On p. 16 of his book Mr. Fitzgerald more accurately describes the behaviour of the evergreen Tracy than MR. G. MARSHALL admits. For, either in the kitchen or in the dark passages, on his first visit to Dingley Dell, he was deservedly scratched by Emma in return for his very marked attentions. EDWARD H. MARSHALL.

STONYHURST CRICKET (9 th S. i. 361, 416). May I be permitted to mention in ' N. & Q.' that there is a very interesting account of the great, but not very well-known, Roman Catholic College of Stonyhurst, Lancashire