MDDM: Ch 34 - Notes and Questions

[Scott Badger]

Chapter 34

341.1 '"What brought me here," Mason wrote in the Field-Record' and
(341.6)'"'Me,' notes Uncle Ives,"'my,'- sounds like Mason went by himself."'
And just after, the Rev'd mentions that he spoke to Dixon about the trip.
So, does the story related by Wicks come from Mason's field book, which he
is apparently reading from, or was it related to him by Dixon (tho' Wicks,
now, only 'presume[s]' that Dixon was actually there). The narration that we
get re. Mason's visit to the massacre site consists of nothing more than
what he tells Dixon, and it's Dixon's visit they we get in much greater and
more personal detail. I am the Onion...

341.13 'The Cross Keys'
http://www.bbonline.com/pa/allseasons/area.html : 'Intercourse was founded
in 1754 and was formerly called "Cross Keys" after an old tavern. It is
located on the Old Philadelphia Pike (Route 340).'

http://www.trader-skis.com/battlefields/main_eastern/cross_keys.htm :
'Moving up the Shenandoah Valley in pursuit of Jackson’s army, Maj. Gen.
John C. Frémont’s army encountered Maj. Gen. Richard S. Ewell’s division at
Cross Keys on June 8.  Brig.  Gen. Julius Stahel’s brigade, attacking on the
Union left, was stunned by a surprise volley from Trimble’s command and
driven back in confusion.'

342.18 'Jabez'
http://www.entourages.com/barbs/jabezprayer.htm :
'1 Chronicles 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that
thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand
might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not
grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."'

342.18 '"I told ye the last time, that last time was the last time, Jabez,"
comes a Voice from a high Angle'  And He would certainly have the last
Word...

342.26 'Drummers'
OED : a. One who solicits custom or orders; a commercial traveller; cf. drum
v. 5 and 6 b. orig. U.S.
b. A thief (see quots.). slang.

A salesman or a con-artist.

342.30 '"Why aye, Right as a Right Angle, we're out here to ruffle up some
business[...]Friendly Business.'  ...and if you can't trust your
friends...Dixon's pitch is a Western staple.  See _Butch Cassidy & the
Sundance Kid_ and the bicycle peddler...

343.14 'Mr. Slough'  OED:2. A skin, caul, or membrane, enclosing or covering
the body or some part of it.
b. An enclosing or covering layer, coat, or sheath of some kind.
c. dial. The outer skin of certain fruits; a husk.

And later on we get, 'as Shifts and Back-shifts of Bugs pass to and fro,
inspecting [Dixon's] Mortal Envelope.'

343.30 'Oily Leon'  ??

343.31 'Frizzen and Flint'  Parts of a flint-lock gun.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/flintlock2.htm : 'The frizzen, which is the
piece of steel the flint strikes.'

343.32 'a big Hole in the Blanket'  Referring to 18th c Native American
family sleeping arrangements?

344.19 'German of Mystickal Toilette'  Does "toilette" suggest, made up to
look like?...

344.26 '"Our Time is much more precious to us."[...]"twenty-four Hours of
Philadelphia Time"'  Otherwise known as a country-mile and a New York
minute. Lots of different perspectives on the pace and value of time, in
this case according to differing degrees of social/political controls and
supports.

345.2 'Stogie'
http://www.superiorcigars.com/cigarhist.htm : 'After the Revolutionary War,
tobacco factories sprang up in southern New England as well as Pennsylvania
and New York. The word "stogie" is derived from Conestoga, Pennyslvania.'

http://www2.humidor.nu/smokers_corner/history_of_cigars_eng.htm : 'The cigar
itself is thought not to have arrived until after 1762, when Israel Putnam,
later an American General in the Revolutionary war, returned from Cuba,
where he had been an officer in the British Army.'

A very hip place, this Dutch Rifle.

http://www.neptunecigar.com/allaboutcigars/cigarhistory.htm : 'The first
tobacco fields appeared in Virginia in 1612 and in Maryland in 1631, but the
crops were mostly used for pipe tobacco. We think that cigars first appeared
in America in 1762, when Israel Putnam came back from Cuba where he had
served under the British army. Back in Connecticut, he brought with him
cigars and a big quantity of tobacco. So, the first cigar manufacture
appeared in Hartford at the same time that tobacco from Cuba, now known as
Connecticut tobacco, was planted.'

http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/history/series/hw/slavery/slaveryintro.htm :
'We may recall learning about the arrival of twenty "Negars" at Jamestown,
Virginia in 1619, where they were put to work growing tobacco. . . .'

345.6 'a Ring like a Length of Ribbon clos'd in a Circle, with a single
Twist in it'  A moebius loop of course...seems like a lot of work
for...While Dixon's interjection re. cigars may have succeeded at calming
things down at the DR, tobacco's ties and dependence to slavery adds another
twist to the formation of this new State.

345.13 'The only thing that has grown clearer is Jabez's motive in offering
to be their Guide.'  Free lunch?...

345.24 'Prester John'
http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~barilm/presjohn.html : 'Although this story has
several versions, its main theme is: Once upon a time, in a very remote land
there was a king who was not only a great king, but a Christian priest as
well. The name of that king was Prester John, and he ruled over 72
countries. His land was rich in silver and gold, and many wonderful
creatures lived there. That king wrote letters to several Popes in Rome,
telling them that he was a faithful Christian, and was acquainted with all
kinds of unknown beasts, such as: men with horns on their foreheads and
three eyes, women who fought while mounted on horses, men that lived 200
years, unicorns, etc'

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12400b.htm : 'The first authentic mention of
Prester John is to be found in the "Chronicle" of Otto, Bishop of Freising,
in 1145.'

345.33 'Gastrick Speech'  ??

346.25 'In Time, these People are able to forget ev'rything.'  A while back,
I heard someone on NPR use the phrase, "United States of Amnesia".

346.37 'Harlequin'
http://web.org.uk/picasso/harlequin.html : 'Picasso's best known alter ego
is the Harlequin, a mysterious character with classical origins who has long
been associated with the god Mercury and with Alchemy and the Underworld.
Harlequin's traditional capacities to become invisible and to travel to any
part of the world and to take on other forms were said to have been gifts
bestowed on him by Mercury. It was also said that the secrets of Alchemy
were to be found concealed within the Harlequinade.
Harlequin is also a established character of Punch and Judy theatre who in
his local forms of 'Christoforo' and 'Pulchinelli', was a popular feature of
Barcelona street life at the turn of century.'

OED: I. 1. a. A character in Italian comedy, subsequently in French light
comedy; in English pantomime a mute character supposed to be invisible to
the clown and pantaloon; he has many attributes of the clown (his rival in
the affections of Columbine) with the addition of mischievous intrigue; he
usually wears particoloured bespangled tights and a visor, and carries a
light ‘bat’ of lath as a magic wand.

II. 5. attrib. or as adj. Having the characteristics of a harlequin or of
his dress; burlesque, ludicrous; particoloured.

346.37 Punch'  OED: A. n. A name for a short fat man, or for anything short
and thick.

1. a. The name of the principal character, a grotesque hump-backed figure,
in the puppet-show called Punch and Judy.

347.4 'Duty-Station'  Military term for an assigned duty or place of duty.

347.19 'lightness premonitory to Flying'  Rapture??

347.33 'Protasia Wofte'  Protesting waif?...