Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

THE SUN, NEWBERRY, S. C, FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1940 Canadian Memorial Recalls Career of A Judge and Humorist Who Contributed To the Evolution of Our "Unde Sam” First known cartoon of a sym bolical figure representing the United States. It appeared in Punch in 1844. By ELMO SCOTT WATSON (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) Y OU may never have heard of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Canadian barrister and judge, who died in England 75 years ago this month. But you, as an American, should have good reason to remember Thomas Chandler Haliburton, author. For he was the crea tor of “Sam Slick, the Con necticut Clockmaker” and Sam Slick provided one of the elements out of which gradu ally evolved our symbolical figure of Uncle Sam. More than that, he had an influence on and contributed largely to a type of humor which we have come to regard as typi cally American. So, even though few Americans know that such a man as Thomas Chandler Haliburton ever existed or have forgotten it if they did know, we have more than a pass ing interest in a project now under way up in Canada. The Haliburton estate at Windsor, Nova Scotia, is being rehabilitat ed and a noted painter, Sir Wyly Grier, has been commissioned by the government of Nova Scotia to do a full-length, life-size painting of the man who created Sam Slick and whose writings, a hun dred years ago, were delighting readers not only in Canada but in the United States and England as well. Haliburton, the scion of an an cient Scottish family, was born in Windsor in 1796. Educated at King’s college in Nova Scotia he was admitted to the bar in 1820, later was elected to the house of assembly of the colony, was raised to the bench of common pleas in 1829 and in 1840 became a judge of the supreme court. In the midst of his judicial duties, he found time to write a series of sketches for the local news papers. In one of these he sati rized the character of the New England Yankee in the person of “Sam Slick of Slickville, Onion County, Connecticut,” a clock- maker and peddler whose knowl edge of human nature, unsophis ticated wit, droll speech and cleverness in using what he called “soft sawder” immediate ly made him a favorite with Canadian newspaper readers. First published anonymously in a paper called the Nova Scotian, a collection of these sketches was brought out in book form by Joseph Howe, the editor of the Nova Scotian. A copy of this book fell into the hands of Thom as Bentley, the English publisher, who immediately issued an Eng lish edition. A ‘Best Seller.’ “The Clockmaker, or the Do ings of Sam Slick of Slickville” was first published in 1835 and was an instantaneous success. It ran through 50 editions, a “best seller” record which, considering the time and the size of the book buying public, has never been equaled. The success of the first book of sketches encouraged Bentley to issue a second in 1838, a third in 1840, and a fourth in 1844. In all, there were five volumes in which “Sam Slick” was the prin cipal character. Three of them were devoted to “The Clockmak er." The fourth was called “Wise Saws and Modern Instances” and the fifth “The Attache, or, Sam Slick in England.” In the latter Sam appears as an attache to the American legation .in London and his shrewd and humorous obser vations on the upper classes of England and their pampered ser- “Sam Slick,” after a drawing made by Leech, artist for Punch, who made the drawings for the English editions of Haliburton’s books. vants were as mirth-provoking as his satires on life among the Yankees. As for the influence of Halibur ton and “Sam Slick” on Ameri can humor and American litera ture in general, a writer in the Dearborn Independent several years ago declared that “Bill Nye, Artemus Ward, ‘Mrs. Part ington’, O. Henry, all have light ed their brands at one time or an other at the torch of Judge Hali burton. Certainly no other book produced on this continent has had so widespread and unmis takable an influence.*’ This writer then goes on to point out that “Mark Twain’s ‘A Connecticut Yankee at King Ar thur’s Court’ is an emanation from ‘Sam Slick, the Connecticut Clockmaker.’ ‘Innocents Abroad’ is inspired by the same model.” Not only did later writers get ideas for characters and situa tions from Haliburton but they also used some of his words and expressions verbatim or almost verbatim. For, as this same commentator points out, “The one most quoted expression from ‘UncleTom’sCabin’ is that ‘Topsy’ 'just growed.’ That is cribbed di rectly from ‘Sam Slick’ who was read and quoted in Harriet Beech er Stowe’s family, as he was in every other family throughout the United States . . . “We use the expiession ‘corn fed’ and fancy it originated in our Middle West, but it comes from ‘Sam Slick’ who always described women in the terms which he uses for horses, one of his most commentary ones being ‘fine forn fed.’ ” As for “Sam Slick’s” contribu tion to the evolution of our sym bolical figure of Uncle Sam, this same writer declares “That figure with his shrewd smile, his goatee, striped trousers held down by long straps, the symbolical Uncle Sam—we are apt to think that he was hit upon by someone in a moment of inspiration and pic- torially set forth to symbolize the United States. Not at all. This figure is ‘Sam Slick,’ the hero of ‘The Clockmaker, or the Doings of Sam Slick of Slickville,’ i > con ceived by Judge Haliburton and as drawn by Hervieu, a French man, and Leech, the artist, who made Punch famous, to illustrate the English editions.” A glance at the illustrations at the top of this article will dem onstrate the credibility of that theory. In the center is the figure of “Sam Slick,” as delineated by First American cartoon of Uncle Sam, drawn by F. Bellow and published in 1852. Leech, the artist for Punch. At the left is reproduced a picture which is generally accepted as the first known cartoon of a symbolical figure representing the United States. It appeared in Punch in 1844 and although the name of the artist is unknown it may have been Leech. At any rate, the resemblance between this figure and the figure of “Sam Slick,” especially in the matter of costume and “long- leggedness” is striking. It repre sents a young man, of decidedly flippant tendencies, thumbing his nose at the spectators and was intended to depict the rowdy young nation of the United States. The symbol of this nation was “Brother Jonathan” as “John Bull” was the symbol of Eng land. The First Uncle Sam. The picture on the right is usually regarded as the first American cartoon of Uncle Sam. It was drawn by F. Bellow and was published in the New York Lantern, a comic weekly, on March 13, 1852. In it is pictured an amused young man, wearing the high beaver hat, tight trous ers, low-cut waistcoat, high col lar and bow tie in which he is still portrayed. The costume is the same as “Sam Slick’s” and even the face resembles Sam’s. The only difference is that Uncle Sam’s trousers are striped. It will be noted that Uncle Sam was then a beardless young man. English and American cartoonists continued to portray him thus down to the days of the C /il war. Then Thomas Nast, one of the greatest cartoonists this country ever produced, began making some changes in Uncle Sam’s ap pearance. It was Nast who put chin whiskers on .dm and made him the kindly old gentleman that we know. It is said that Nast had in mind Abraham Lincoln when he began depicting Uncle Sam. He also added the familiar starred vest and striped coat and put stars on his hat. Since that time, cartoonists generally have followed Nast’s lead in portraying Uncle Sam. But the essential fact is that he is the tall gangling man in tight trousers, swallow-tailed coat, high collar, bow tie and tall hat and represents the spirit of America. Typifying America in both costume and spirit, he traces directly back to the typical American character created by a Canadian judge more than a hun dred years ago—“Sam Slick, the Connecticut Yankee.” Haliburton the Historian. Haliburton was not a writer of humorous works only. Some of his more serious works included “Rule and Misrule of the English in America” and the first authori tative history of Nova Scotia. In cidentally, Longfellow is said to have drawm part of his inspira tion for writing “Evangeline” from this history. But Judge Haliburton could not be very se rious even about his serious work. Concerning this history he once said that “Next to Mr. Slick’s His tory of Cattyhunk in Five Vol umes, it (this history) is the most authoritative account of un important things I have ever seen.” However, the government authorities of Nova Scotia thought enough of it to recognize it with a ceremonious speech of appre ciation in the house of assembly. In 1850 Haliburton retired from the supreme court and went to England to live. In 1859 he was elected as a conservative in the house of commons and held his seat there until its dissolution in 1865. Because of ill health, he declined a re-election. The Uni versity of Oxford conferred the degree of D. C. L. upon him a short time before his death at Isleworth, England, on August 27, 1865. ^ Household Neuis WHEN YOU PLAN A PICNIC FOR A CROWD (Recipes Below.) Community picnics are fun! They offer an opportunity for a carefree day under the open sky—carefree for even the chairman in charge of affairs, if she’s planned her program well and chosen her helpers wisely. If the crowd to be served is a really large one, it’s a good idea to have one com mittee member responsible for each main dish such as meat, po tatoes, salad, des sert, and bever age, and one re sponsible for extras such as buns, butter, relishes, etc. There’ll be a serving committee and a clean-up committee, as well. Picnics for four or five families are usually co-operative affairs. Each family may supply its own lunch, but more often each one pro vides one item in large enough quan tities to serve the crowd. One fam ily might provide the salad, one the meat, and still another family the dessert, which might be watermel on, a luscious chocolate cake, or a freezer full of old fashioned ice cream. With a little planning, the cost can be fairly equally distrib uted. When an outing is in the offing and it’s up to you to plan the menu for a crowd, you’ll find these picnic pointers helpful. 1. If lunch is being prepared at home, choose foods that permit be forehand preparation, and that are not too difficult to carry or to serve. 2. Provide a fairly simple meal, with plenty of everything but not so much variety that it will cause con fusion and lots of extra work. 3. Unless you are sure of a good water supply, it’s better to carry the water from home. 4. Carry fruit juices, tomato juice or milk in thermos bottles. 5. The main dish for the picnic— which might be chili, baked beans, or escalloped potatoes, can be cooked the day before, then in the morning brought to the boiling point, and the dutch oven or casserole wrapped in several thicknesses of newspaper to retain the heat. 6. Don’t overlook the possibilities in frozen foods for picnic use. Quick- frozen meats can be carried, with out ice, even on a warm day. They thaw out on the way to the picnic ground and will be ready to use. You’ll find other picnic pointers in my cook book, “Easy Entertain ing.” There are menus and tested recipes for beach parties, hikes and a “Colorado beefsteak fry.” When you write to me, won’t you tell me something about the “com munity meals” your group has served? Do you serve dinners for the church, for business men’s organizations or for the farm bu reau, perhaps? How many peo ple do you serve at meals like this, and what are your favorite menus? I’ll be waiting to hear from you! Eleanor Howe is going to give you, next week, some of her fa vorite recipes for cool, refresh ing summer beverages, and dain ty cookies to serve with them. Watch for this column next week. Grandmother’s Ginger Cookies. (Makes about 6 dozen) IV* cups shortening 2Vg cups sugar 3 eggs (separated) 1V4 cups molasses I teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons soda % cup cold water 9 cups flour Cream shortening and add sugar gradually, creaming until smooth. Beat egg yolks until light, and add to the creamed mixture, with the molasses, and spices, and salt. Dis solve soda in cold water, and add to the first mixture; blend well. Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold into batter. Add flour, and mix until smooth. Roll out to ti-inch thick ness on a lightly floured board. Cut There’s something very social and heartwarming about enter taining friends in your own home. And entertaining needn’t be ex pensive, nor does it necessarily mean a lot of work! Eleanor Howe’s cook book, “Easy Entertaining,” will give you the secrets of doing just that —entertaining without fuss and bother, and to fit your budget. You’ll find in “Easy Entertain ing” plans for almost every kind of party. Send 10 cents in coin to “Easy Entertaining,” care of Eleanor Howe, 919 North Michi gan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. with 3%-inch cookie cutter, and press a raisin into the center of each. Sprinkle with sugay. Bake on a greased cookie sheet in a mod erately hot oven (400 degrees) for about 10 minutes. Barbecue Sandwiches. (Filling for 3% to 4 dozen bun*i 2 pounds beef 2 pounds pork 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon white pepper V* teaspoon red pepper 1 teaspoon dry mustard tablespoons salt V* cup flour IVt cups tomato puree or condensed tomato soup 1% quarts meat stock 3 large onions (sliced) Cook the meat until tender in enough water to cover. Drain, and grind coarsely. Combine season ings and flour. Add tomato puree and the meat stock, and cook for 5 minutes. Brown the onions lightly in butter or bacon fat, and add to the sauce with the coarsely ground meat. Serve hot on large, round buns. Chocolate Fudge Cake. (Serves 25) 1 cup shortening 3 cups light brown sugar 3 eggs (slightly beaten) 3% cups cake flour 2 teaspoons baking powder Vz teaspoon salt 114 teaspoons soda % cup sour milk % cup cocoa 1 cup boiling water 1 teaspoon vanilla Cream shortening and add sugar gradually, blending well after each addition. Add slightly beaten eggs and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and soda. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Blend cocoa and boiling water. Add to the cake bat ter with the vanilla, and mix just until the batter is smooth. Pour into 3 8-inch square pans, which have been greased and lined with wax paper. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for about 30 mii> utes. Meat Loaf. (Serves 25) 4% pounds beef (ground) 1% pounds pork (ground) % cup quick cooking tapioca 3 eggs (beaten) % cup onion (minced) 2 tablespoons salt % teaspoon pepper % teaspoon sage or poultry sea soning 1 No. 2V4 cam tomatoes Combine ingredients in the order given, reserving about half of the tomatoes. Pack into 2 long, narrow loaf pans and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for about hours. At the end of the first 45 minutes, pour the tomatoes which were reserved for this over the top of the meat loaf, and continue bakr ing. Tomato French Dressing. (Makes 1 quart) 1 can condensed tomato soup % cup vinegar Ihi cups oil V* cup sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce IVi teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon paprika Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and bea, until blended. Store in refrigera*or in a quart jar. (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) OP5 SEW 4- Ruth Wyeth Spears U'VERY Homemaker knows how ■*-’ many steps could be saved if table linens could have a special closet in the kitchen or pantry. In one home that we know of space for such a closet was going to waste all because cupbotrd doors or drawers would conflict with the door shown here in the small sketch. At the right you see how that space became an efficient lin en closet after all—complete even ^Isk Me Another ^ A General Quiz The Questions 1. How long was a round of box ing when Jchn L. Sullivan ruled the ring? 2. How long was Abraham Lin coln President before the Civil war broke out? 3. What is the largest stadium in America? 4. What universities compete for the Little Brown Jug on the grid iron each year? The Answers 1. Until one of the fighters scored a knockdown over his opponent. 2. Six weeks. 3. Soldier field, located in Chica go, Illinois, takes this honor. Its seating capacity will handle a crowd of 125,000 persons. 4. The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis. to a smart laundry bag for soiledR napkins and table covers. The high compartment has a door of plywood. Below this are shelves with a curtain on a shade roller. The curtain runs up and down between the shelves and the scalloped board that frames the closet, as shown at the left. This board is M> inch thick and four inches wide. The scallops were marked by drawing around a tea cup and were cut out with a jig saw. I want to tell you how the laundry bag is made too. Watch for it, next week. NOTE: As a service to our read ers Mrs. Spears has prepared a series of homemaking booklets. No. 5, just published, contains 32 pages of clever ideas fully illus trated and a description of the other numbers. To get your copy send order to: MKS. RUTH WYETH SPEARS Drawer M Bedford HlUs New York Enclose 10 cents for Book 9. Name Address Firing One-Ton Shell The aiming of a 16-inch coast- defense gun, which can effectively shoot a 2,100-pound projectile a distance of 26 miles, is based on many factors, such as the target’s distance, direction and speed, cur vature and rotation of the earth and the direction and velocity of the wind. When blowing at 20 miles an hour, a cross wind alone can carry this shell as much as 303 yards off its course during the 101 seconds that it is in the air.—Collier’s. I USCIILAR ACHES?) PENETRO-J Advice Giver Let no man presume to give ad vice to others that has not first given count to himself.—Seneca. EXTRA MILDNESS EXTRA COOLNESS In recent laboratory tests, Camela burned 25% tlou/tr than the aver age of the 15 other of the Urgest- telling brands tested-slower than any of them. That means, on the average, a smoking plus equal to SET THE “EXTRAS” WITH SL0WER-BURNIN6 CAMELS THE CIGARETTE OF COSTUER TOBACCOS Overenthusiasm I that so few enthusiasts can b« It is unfortunate, considering trusted to speak the truth.—Bal« that enthusiasm moves the world, I four. Get this FREE For over 70 years grateful people all over the South have trusted Wintersmith’s Tonic for the relief of Malaria. To convince YOU, we are offering this complete, 761-page Holy Bible, FREE. Just mail the top from one large carton (or the tope from two small cartons) to Winters mi th Chemical Co., Inc., Louisville, Ky. WIimRSMITHS TOniCXflM^ j I iour Tou>n-qouR stores OT I I Our community includes the farm homes surrounding the town. The town stores are there for the accommodation and to serve the people of our farm homes. The merchants who advertise “specials” ate mer chants who are sure they can meet all competition in both quality and prices.