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Canhy's Story
ON March 14, 1870, William J. Canby arose before the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and related an anecdote concerning his grandmother who had died thirty-five years before.
It was a remarkable story that Canby told. The next day, the Philadelphia Press printed the story — the first time it had ever been publicly recorded.
The tale quickly captured the public's fancy; it was repeated and embellished and soon became tradition.
In the early 1880's, the story, accepted as true, began to appear in school books. School children were given a heroine to look up to, one they had never heard of before. Thus, almost one hundred years after the incident supposedly occurred, William J. Canby originated the legend of his grandmother — Betsy Ross, and the first Flag of the United States.
It's quite true that the "Widow Ross" did, along with her daughters, make many flags for the United States Government; but the legend that she made the first flag is based entirely on Canby's story in 1870.
—Roy R. Muller
Hoagy Carmichael tells the story about old Chep Elevens, a southern Indiana character who was given to boasting of his prowess with firearms.
On one occasion, when he was hunting with a few cronies, Chep's dog stirred up a single quail. Waving to his associates to lay off, old Chep took aim and fired. The bird sailed calmly on toward the distant horizon. For a few moments Chep stood with his mouth agape. Then he threw down his gun in disgust and stormed:
"Fly on, you blankety-blank bird! Fly on with your gol-durned heart shot out!"
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"It's becoming increasingly difficult to reach the downtrodden masses in America," a comrade wrote to his superior. "In the spring they're forever polishing their cars. In the summer they take vacations. In the fall they go to the world scries and football games. And in the winter you can't get them away from their television sets. Please give me suggestions on how to let them know how oppressed they are."
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Irked by the time wasted by visitors, a businessman cut one-half inch off the front legs of the chair in which callers sit. As of last week, his appointments were running 60% shorter — no one has as yet realized why he gets so tired just sitting there talking.
A
"It's the ideal cereal; box top for Junic paper dolli for Sis, silverware coupon f Mom, and lott of rougbagt inside for Dad