[Ads-l] Slight Antedating of 1848 Cite for "Tarheel"

[dave@wilton.net]

Some years ago, Bonnie Taylor-Blake posted a 10 February 1848 use of "Pompey Tarheel." Here is a slightly earlier version of that same newspaper piece, with minor changes in wording and punctuation:
 
“Whims and Oddities.” Neal’s Saturday Gazette and Lady’s Literary Museum (Philadelphia), 22 January 1848, 4/9. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.

"Mrs. Farthingale was the other day overlooking a lazy son of Guinea in her employ, as he was sweeping down the sanded floor of the kitchen, and remarking the queer figures the dark one drew with his broom, observed:

"'Well Caesar, you can *draw*, pretty well, can't you?'

"'Yah, yes, gorramighty Missus, I can draw fust rate; last Saturday I took a policy for Pompey Tarheel, and I drawed fifty *dollars*.'

"Mrs. F. drew herself up into one of her highly dignified attitudes, and—left the kitchen."
 
When Bonnie initially posted this there was some discussion about "tarheel" used as a name for an enslaved person. But I'm wondering, given the use of "policy," if "Pompey Tarheel" is not the name of a horse, one sense of  "policy" being a promissory note, payable if one loses a bet.
 
 

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