"Close, but no cigar."

[victor steinbok]

http://goo.gl/wliZD
Daniel Deronda. Volume 3. By George Elliot. 1876
p. 38
> "You had better take my arm," he said, in his low tone of command; and she took it.
> "It's a great bore being dragged about in this way, and no cigar," said Grandcourt.
> "I thought you would like it."

This has a dual exception of being earlier than Coney Island carnivals
and being English. Of course, there could be a perfectly innocuous
explanation for this. But "carnival prize" ain't it.

VS-)

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