Old West Words and Phrases

[Russ T Chambers]

Gaboon = Sand or sawdust filled box in a saloon for ya'll ta spit in.  Kind' like a litter box for chew'n cowboys.   

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

Bullseye!!!

Saloon owners liked 'em 'cause they were much cheaper than brass spittoons or cuspidors, and the hep liked 'em 'cause they could be throwed away when full, 'stead of havin' ta empty an' clean the rascals.

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

Movin' these two up, since they are from a previous page, and still unanswered:

Horseback Billiards

Sink Tallow Whiskey

The next one is all new.

cowboy change

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Cowboy change=  Something we all fear?? :oSeriously, these are above me at the moment, I'm just along for the ride......Buck

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Cowboy change: Could that be pocket lint, an indicator of how poor cowboys were?




AnnieLee

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

Cowboy change: Could that be pocket lint, an indicator of how poor cowboys were?




AnnieLee

Hadn't thought of that, but should have expected some lint pickin' from the fairer side of the aisle .  What we're lookin' for is something a bit more substntial than lint, and something with some monetary value that most every cowboy carried on his person and used occasionally.

[Russ T Chambers]

Cowboy change  =  using cartridges as change for smaller dominations of coins.  Much under a 50-cent piece wasn't readily available.  Not sure what the rate of exchange was, but I would say it took about six .38's to make up a good .45!

Horseback Billiards   =  Would have said polo or Argentine croquet, but could it have anything to do with which pocket your livelihood ended up in while riding on a particularly rough horse?   

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

Cowboy change  =  using cartridges as change for smaller dominations of coins.  Much under a 50-cent piece wasn't readily available.  Not sure what the rate of exchange was, but I would say it took about six .38's to make up a good .45!

Horseback Billiards   =  Would have said polo or Argentine croquet, but could it have anything to do with which pocket your livelihood ended up in while riding on a particularly rough horse?   

You got the Cowboy change right , Russ T.  Don't know what value was placed on each, but I think most of the cowboys carried them in a back pocket, and that's where the term "Get the lead outta yore (rear end)" originated .

Gonna go ahead and give ya'll Horsebck Billiards.  It was actually played on horseback in a saloon that had a billiard table, like most other such activities, for money.  Each shot had to be made from the saddle, and the table was at normal height, so it had to be pretty hard to line up a shot, and each player had to be pretty limber.   I also imagine a steady horse would be an asset.  Building had to have a pretty substantial floor, also.  I seem to vaguely member a western movie in which something similar transpired, and possibly a Remington or Russell painting, but not for sure.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Cowboy change: Could that be pocket lint, an indicator of how poor cowboys were?




AnnieLee

Hadn't thought of that, but should have expected some lint pickin' from the fairer side of the aisle .  What we're lookin' for is something a bit more substntial than lint, and something with some monetary value that most every cowboy carried on his person and used occasionally.

Ammunition?

<Takikng one more stab at it>

AnnieLee

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

Cowboy change: Could that be pocket lint, an indicator of how poor cowboys were?




AnnieLee

Hadn't thought of that, but should have expected some lint pickin' from the fairer side of the aisle .  What we're lookin' for is something a bit more substntial than lint, and something with some monetary value that most every cowboy carried on his person and used occasionally.

Ammunition?

<Takikng one more stab at it>

AnnieLee

Sure, enough, Annie, but Russ T beat you to it.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Cowboy change: Could that be pocket lint, an indicator of how poor cowboys were?




AnnieLee

Hadn't thought of that, but should have expected some lint pickin' from the fairer side of the aisle .  What we're lookin' for is something a bit more substntial than lint, and something with some monetary value that most every cowboy carried on his person and used occasionally.

Ammunition?

<Takikng one more stab at it>

AnnieLee

Sure, enough, Annie, but Russ T beat you to it.

Dagnabbit, those replies weren't there when I posted!

< Sniffles >



Finally got another one right and got beat by a four year old!



AnnieLee

[Griff]

Horseback Billiards dagnabit ; shoulda guessed that one.  LOLAL!!!   The one thing I always wanted to do was to ride my CMSA horse inta the saloon where my son was bartending; but the owner of said establishment tole me that no matter that I was a deputy, he drawed the line at wearing spurs and horseback riding in his establishment!

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Who would've thought that it was actually Literal! Ain't the English language wonderful?............Buck

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

Everybody skeerd a Sink Tallow Whiskey?

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Doesn't sound very appetizing there, Cap............Buck

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

Sink Tallow Whiskey - the good stuff.   Reputable saloons didn't water down their whiskey, and kept some tallow available to prove it.  Drop a small ball of tallow in watered down whiskey, and it'll float.  Dropped in "good stuff",  it'll sink.

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

If a hog farm was where they raised hogs, what was a hog ranch?

[Russ T Chambers]

If a hog farm was where they raised hogs, what was a hog ranch?

'Twas a drinkin' establishment located near a military post, after the sale of booze was banned on post.

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

If a hog farm was where they raised hogs, what was a hog ranch?

'Twas a drinkin' establishment located near a military post, after the sale of booze was banned on post.

Correct, and most likely had a couple of dance partners of the more feminine persuasion ready an' willin' to stir up the sawdust with them soldier boys.

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

blue stocking - has nothing to do with horses