THE ORIGIN OF ENGLISH, ACCORDING TO THE BOERS.
THE South African Boers have their own ideas as to the origin of the English language. According to the Westminster Gazette, they say that when Dame Nature was employed in giving tongues to the various nations she stood at a large table on which lay a piece of meat. She had a knife in her hand, and a pair of scissors lay on the table. With the one she cut the tongue out of the meat, and with the scissors she gave to each tongue its peculiarities. To her came all the nations. "De Fransman," "de Duitcher," and even "de Boesman," were provided for, but "de Engelsman" was not there. He had turned into a canteen on the roadside, it seems, for a drink, and when he arrived the meat was done. "Never mind," said Dame Nature, "there are plenty of snips on the floor; take half a dozen of these, join them together, and make a tongue for yourself."—Selected.