Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 1.pdf/96

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Cole's English Dictionary, whence AUTEM MORT, etc.

Autem-Bawler, subs. (old cant).—A parson. [From autem (q.v.), a church + bawler, a speaker.] For modern English and foreign synonyms, see Gospel shark. Other ancient expressions for a clergyman are autem-jet. AUTEM-CACKLER, and AUTEM-pricker; the last two named, however, apply, as a rule, only to Dissenters.

Autem-Cackler, subs. (old cant).—A Dissenter; sometimes specially applied to Dissenting ministers.

1876. Hindley. Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 260. 'On one occasion a Jew was selling cocoa-nut, when the autem-cackler, i.e.. Dissenting minister, came and wanted to impart to the Israelite the sin he committed in carrying on his vocation on such a day [Sunday]. The Jew half listened to what the other said, but kept on calling out "Cocoa-nut a half-penny a slice, a very nice cocoa-nut—cocoanut!"'

2. A married woman.—See Autem. In this sense it is used in a canting song in the New York Slang Dictionary, first published in 1881, and which, as a specimen of the verse affected by the light-fingered fraternity, it may not be out of place to give entire. It should be read in connection with the remarks On CANTING SONGS (q.v.).

'A HUNDRED STRETCHES (1) HENCE.' 'Oh! where will be the culls of the bing (2) A hundred stretches hence? The bene morts (3), who sweetly sing. A hundred stretches hence? The autumn-cacklers, autumn-coves (4). The jolly blade who wildly roves; And where the buffer (5), bruiser (6), blowen (7). And all the cops (8) and beaks (9) so knowin' A hundred stretches hence?

'And where the swag (10), so bleakly (11) pinched (12). A hundred stretches hence? The thimbles (13), slang (14), and danglers (15) filched. A hundred stretches hence? The chips (16), the fawneys (17), chatty-feeders (18). The bugs (19), the boungs (20), and well-filled readers (21); And where the fence (22) and snoozing-ken (23). With all the prigs (24) and lushing men (25). A hundred stretches hence?

'Played out they lay, it will be said A hundred stretches hence; With shovels they were put to bed (26) A hundred stretches since! Some rubbed to wit had napped a winder (27). And some were scragged (28) and took a blinder (29). Planted the swag and lost to sight. We'll bid them, one and all, good-night. A hundred stretches hence.'

1. Stretch, a year; 2, culls of the bing[**,] innkeepers, publicans; 3, bene morts, pretty girls or women; 4, autumn cove, married men; 5, buffer, smuggler, rogue, or cheat; 6, bruiser, prostitute's bully or prize-fighter; 7, blowen, a showy prostitute; 8, cop, policeman; 9, beak, a magistrate; 10, swag, plunder, proceeds of robbery; 11, bleakly, cleverly, also handsome; 12, pinched, stolen; 13, thimble, a watch; 14, slang, a watch chain; 15, danglers, a bunch of seals; 16, chips, money; 17, fawney, a ring; 18, chatty-feeder, a spoon; 19, bug, a breast pin; 20, boung, a purse; 21, reader, a pocket-book; 22, fence, a receiver of stolen goods; 23, snoozing-ken, a brothel; 24, prig, a thief; 25, lushing-men, drinking-men; 26, put to bed with a shovel, buried; 27, to nap a winder—to nap, to cheat, winder, a life sentence; 28, scragged, hanged; 29, to take a blinder, to drown oneself.

Autem Cackle Tub, subs. (old cant).—The meeting house of Dissenters of every description. Also a pulpit.

Autem-Cove, subs. (old cant).—A married man. [From autem (q.v.), a church + cove, a man.]