Like that great Irishman, Tim Finnegan ... "to rise in the world he carried a hod." On Fri, Mar 5, 2021 at 7:39 AM Harris, Susan Kumin <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Yup. I think so, too. --susan > > > Susan K. Harris > > > ________________________________ > From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Bird, John C. < > [log in to unmask]> > Sent: Friday, March 5, 2021 9:26 AM > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Hod-carriers and Presidents > > I responded to Clay individually instead of to the list. I think Twain is > referring to Irishmen. Any other thoughts? > > John > > > > Sent from my Galaxy Tab® A > > > -------- Original message -------- > From: Clay Shannon <[log in to unmask]> > Date: 3/5/21 10:05 AM (GMT-05:00) > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [EXTERNAL] Hod-carriers and Presidents > > In "THE TREATY WITH CHINA: ITS PROVISIONS EXPLAINED" ( > https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gutenberg.org%2Ffiles%2F33077%2F33077-h%2F33077-h.htm&data=04%7C01%7Cskh5%40KU.EDU%7C1723341f56374eec183008d8dfebaf35%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C637505550639912152%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=D%2Fiq%2B2Pm30cvEcCb7fQBW2hAvYqcUzFw%2F62sf%2FjGhDc%3D&reserved=0), > Twain wrote this: > I have seen dogs almost tear helpless Chinamen to pieces in broad daylight > in San Francisco, and I have seen hod-carriers who help to make Presidents > stand around and enjoy the sport. > Was there some special reason Twain connected hod carriers with the making > of presidents? He meant electing them, I assume, but why them more than > anyone else? Was there a common phrase at the time that mentioned hod > carriers and presidents? > > - B. Clay Shannon > > CAUTION: This message originated from an external source > -- Benjamin Griffin Associate Editor, Mark Twain Project The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000 (510) 664-4238
