Brown Betty (1840, or Yale 1864); Jelly Beans (1903)

Bapopik at AOL.COM Bapopik at AOL.COM
Mon Nov 25 03:55:47 UTC 2002


BROWN BETTY

   DARE's first citation of "brown betty" is the YALE LITERARY MAGAZINE of 1864.
   (Hot dogs, brown betty--clearly, those Yale people are well fed.  Even today, according to that WALL STREET JOURNAL article.)
   Horseracing gave us several by the name of "Black Maria."  There was at least one "Brown Betty," but this cite appears to involve the British courses.
   From AMERICAN TURF REGISTER AND SPORTING MAGAZINE (American Periodicals Series online), July 1840, pg. 329:

   The particulars recorded of this trial establish its truth and authenticity: three horses came to the post, Childers carrying 9st. 2lbs., and Almanzor and Brown Betty carrying 8st. 2lb. each.

---------------------------------------------------------------
JELLY BEANS (continued)

   Another citation before OED's 1905 is this one, from the Gerritsen Collection Online.
   From "An Evening at Helen's" in THE YOUNG WOMAN'S MAGAZINE, August 1903, pg. 343:

   Helen: (...) Sandwiches!  Apples for sure this time.  (_Opens a smaller bag._)  Jelly beans!  Who thought of the candy?
   Winnie (_pompously_):  I had the great brain.
   Helen (_gratefully_):  Bless you, my child.  Why didn't you get chocolates?
   Winnie:  There's gratitude for you!  Simply because I wanted to see if you'd know beans.
   Helen:  They didn't have chocolates?
   Winnie:  Yes, they did.  I didn't have money.
   Helen:  How much did the jelly beans cost?
   Winnie:  Fifteen cents.  And you'd eat three times as many chocolates as jelly beans.  So I bought jelly beans.  (_Pats herself on the head._)  Great head!
   Gladys:  What a wife you'll make for some man!

(A WIFE WHO DOESN'T BRING CHOCOLATE??--ed.)



More information about the Ads-l mailing list