"hot corn"

[Paul]

"Hot corn'  sold in summertime?  Makes no sense unless popcorn
Summertime sales on a fall harvested crop?

Joel S. Berson wrote:
> At 1/2/2008 09:37 PM, George Thompson wrote:
>> Not in HDAS, and not perfectly clear why it should mean what it seems
>> to mean:
>>
>>         Some were so uncharitable as to say "I hope in God both may
>> get their hot corn."
>>         New York Herald, August 28, 1841, p. 2, col. 1  [referring
>> to a duel between August Belmont and a gentleman from South Carolina]
>>
>> Hot corn was sold from buckets on the streets, then, and was
>> regarded as a summertime treat, at least for the lower orders.
>
> I assume it means "get their just deserves"  :-)
>
> Was "corn" ever used to describe a size of gun-shot?  What was used
> in dueling pistols?  In 18th century newspapers, hail was compared in
> size to marbles, or the eggs of various birds.  There is also
> "grapeshot", and I imagine other terms describing size in terms of
> common objects.
>
> Joel
>
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