tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post2018987452386156760..comments2024-03-28T05:15:00.483-07:00Comments on Buddies in the Saddle: Old West glossary, no. 32Ron Scheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-79223552354455246552012-07-14T12:59:24.265-07:002012-07-14T12:59:24.265-07:00Marsha, thanks for the comment. What you say makes...Marsha, thanks for the comment. What you say makes sense, and you're not the first reader to bring it up. The 19th century usage did, in fact, refer to the hole in the sock (maybe the potato shape of the hole and the dirty foot showing from inside) and not something like a darning egg.Ron Scheerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-13505177783461621502012-07-14T00:09:42.903-07:002012-07-14T00:09:42.903-07:00The 'potato' being a hole in a sock surpri...The 'potato' being a hole in a sock surprises me. I would think it more likely to be some round or oblong object, maybe even a real potato, that would hold the stocking open so the mender (darner, if you will) would not accidentally catch the other side of the sock on the needle and sew the sock closed. Have you heard of a 'darning egg'? It was an egg-shaped object made of glass or other hard material, which was inserted into a sock so darning could be accomplished. Lacking a darning egg, a housewife or cowboy might use a potato to serve the same purpose.Marsha Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15389060049107102815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-11617843420299384772012-05-28T08:27:40.067-07:002012-05-28T08:27:40.067-07:00Muskeg. I remember that one. And Flannel-mouthed.Muskeg. I remember that one. And Flannel-mouthed.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-22932056365810747232012-05-28T08:16:39.119-07:002012-05-28T08:16:39.119-07:00I'll have to get a slant on others by using so...I'll have to get a slant on others by using some of these terms first.Oscar Casehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10328166606910469945noreply@blogger.com