AN OLD SAW THAT IS SENSELESS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 1, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 31.

AN OLD SAW THAT IS SENSELESS.

IN olden times when a person died it was customary to toll the church bell a certain number of times to indicate whether it was a man, woman, or child. For a woman it was tolled three times and for a man thrice three times. The stroke of a bell was called a “teller,” and hence it was nine tellers for a man; or, as folks said in those days, “Nine tellers mark a man.” This saying, which was continued long after the tolling custom was abolished, finally became converted into the present saying, “Nine tailors make a man,” which is devoid of both sense and reason.—Ladies’ Home Journal.