Heavens to...

[Jan Ivarsson]

Could Betsy possibly be Betsy Ross in Minna Irving's "Betsy's Battle Flag"?

"The simple stone of Betsy Ross
Is covered now with mold and moss,
But still her deathless banner flies,
And keeps the color of the skies.
A nation thrills, a nation bleeds,
A nation follows where it leads,
And every man is proud to yield
His life upon a crimson field
     For Betsy's battle flag!"

I found the poem in Burton Stevenson's Book of quotations, but unfortunately without date or title of Irving's book, if any. (Irving, Minna, Mrs. Harry Michiner, 1857 - 1940, American verse-writer)

Jan Ivarsson, Sweden

----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Shapiro" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: den 1 november 2000 13:40
Subject: Re: Heavens to...


> On Tue, 31 Oct 2000, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>
> > "Heavens to Betsy" is apparently entirely mysterious in its origin. It is
> > discussed at the M-W Web site and at Quinion's site. There is a book by
> > this title by Charles Earle Funk (1955, now available in paperback), in
> > which Dr. Funk reports his failure to establish an 'etymology'.
>
> The OED's first use for "heavens to Betsy/Betsey" is dated 1892.  Making
> of America yields the following earlier example:
>
> 1878 _Harper's New Monthly Mag._ Sept. 582  "Heavens-to-Betsy!  You don't
> think I ever see a copper o' her cash, do ye?
>
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>
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