Thus, the compound word, shoofly,
has been traced by some to the Irish word _shoe_, meaning a
hoof-covering, and the French word _fly_, meaning an insect, when it is
apparent to even the casual observer that it comes from the Guinea word
_shoo_, meaning get out, and the English word _fly_, meaning a tripe
destroyer. I propose, therefore, to show you the origin of a few words,
in order that you may use them properly, and in order that you may
subscribe freely for my book on this subject, which will shortly be
placed before an admiring public.
_Theatres_. When the players were servants of the king, they were
compelled to be proficient in reading, riting, rithmetic, rhyming,
riddling, reciting, rehearsing, and romping. These accomplishments were
grouped together and called _the 8 r's_, which name naturally enough was
soon applied to the play-houses. This example shows how simple the whole
subject is, and how easily the philology business could he run by a
child six years of age.
_Country_. The origin of this word is, to say the least, odd. City
people were accustomed to visit the rural districts at about the time
when rye was ripe, and they were generally amused by the farmer's
pereginations around his rye. Farmers always count rye-stacks in the
morning, in order to discover whether any of them have been lifted
during the night.
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