вЂњI hear America singing, the varied carols I hear вЂ¦вЂќД¬harivariВ вЂ“ (Commonly pronounced shevaree.) вЂ“ A custom of serenading the newly married with noise, including tin horns, bells, pans, kettles, etc. When a person attempts to effect a particular object, in which he fails, we say, вЂњHe canвЂ™t do it by a long chalk.вЂќ вЂњThe Courthouse is catty-cornered from the drugstore.вЂќД¬avortВ вЂ“ To frolic or prance about, to be lively, having fun.Д¬at WagonВ вЂ“ A wagon that carried prostitutes along cattle trailsД¬auseyВ вЂ“ A causeway, or way raised above the natural levelД¬avallardВ вЂ“ Caravans crossing the prairies.Д¬elestialВ вЂ“ A term used in the West to refer to people of Chinese descent the word derives from an old name for China, the вЂњCelestial Empire.вЂќД¬halkВ вЂ“ Not by a long chalk. To be made a tool or instrument to accomplish the purpose of another.Д¬atstickВ вЂ“ A bat used by boys in a game at ballД¬atty-CorneredВ вЂ“ Diagonally across. вЂњYou canвЂ™t sneak up on that dude any sooner than you can catch a weasel asleep.вЂќД¬attle BaronВ вЂ“ A cattle owner with numerous herds of stock, welding power and influence in an area.Д¬ats-PawВ вЂ“ To be made a cats-paw of. Also вЂњcatawamptiously.вЂќД¬atawamptiously Chawed UpВ вЂ“ Completely demolished, utterly defeated.Д¬atch A TartarВ вЂ“ To attack one of superior strength or abilities.Д¬atch a Weasel AsleepВ вЂ“ Referring to something impossible or unlikely, usually used in regard to someone who is always alert and seldom or never caught off guard. вЂњYou canвЂ™t come it over me so.вЂќД¬aporalВ вЂ“ The ranch foreman or roundup boss.Д¬ap the ClimaxВ вЂ“ To beat all, surpass everything.Д¬ardinalВ вЂ“ The name of a womanвЂ™s cloak, from the red or scarlet habit worn by cardinals.Д¬arryallВ вЂ“ A four-wheeled pleasure carriage, capable of holding several persons.Д¬atawampousВ вЂ“ Fiercely, eagerly, awry, cockeyed, crooked, skewed. The dance will start at early candle-light.Д¬anвЂ™t Come ItВ вЂ“ Cannot do it. (From when pioneer men went West, leaving their wives to follow later.)Д¬alkВ вЂ“ Sharp points of iron on horse or ox shoes to prevent their slipping on ice.Д¬andle-lightВ вЂ“ Dusk. вЂњThose to are in cahoots together.вЂќД¬alamity JaneВ вЂ“ Obviously the hard-cussing, heavy-drinking frontier woman, but is also a gambling term for the Queen of Spades.Д¬alashВ вЂ“ A covering for the head, usually worn by ladies to protect their head-dresses when going to evening parties, the theatre, etc.Д¬alf SlobbersВ вЂ“ Meringue on the top of pie.Д¬alifornia Prayer BookВ вЂ“ Gambling term for a deck of cards.Д¬alifornia WidowВ вЂ“ A woman separated from her husband, but not divorced. Also called вЂњkit and caboodle.вЂќД¬abooseВ вЂ“ A shipвЂ™s cooking-range or kitchen.Д¬ahootsВ вЂ“ Partnership, company or band. Wonder if we could understand what these California men were saying back in 1894?Photo by B.W.

Kit and caboodle origin