Dixie, I am not sure I have figured out the context of all this, but I interpret "gemmans cup" as a sloppy (or perhaps dialect or--more likely-- pseudodialect?) form of "gentleman's cup." As for "sasser drap," it means "saucer drop." "I heerd a sasser drap" means "I heard a saucer drop." The pronunciation "drap" occurred in various dialects in the past; a few of the older people in the Laurel/Knox County area pronounced it that way when I was a child. Vietta, as I remember, posted a message several months ago about the pronunciation of "saucer" as "sasser." Glenn From: Dixie Ricker <dixie@locktrack.com> Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 10:37:15 -0700 Subject: [SASSER-L] "Sasser reference" - Excerpts To: SASSER-L@rootsweb.com Reply-to: SASSER-L@rootsweb.com Below are three articles I have come across. The first on is a directory of Washington DC. Which is pretty clear. However, the text from the last two leave some questions which you all might be able to help with. That is what is a " gemmans cup and sasser" and what is a "sasser drap"? I believe that the gemmans cup and sasser may be reference to whiskey or liquor of some kind. But the sasser drap has me baffled. Any ideas? 1. . Title: Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) -- Directories. Publication Date:1853 page 87 Abbreviations.-All points start from the Capitol; s south, n north, e east, w west, btw between, cor corner, (col) colored, av avenue, h house. TEXT: SASSCER, J., grocer, n side 8 e, btw I and K s. SASSER, Wm., clerk, s side H n, btw 4 and 5 w. 2. Title of Book: The South since the war, as shown by fourteen weeks of travel and observation in Georgia and the Carolinas. Publication Date:1866 Page 18 Text: During meals she stands at the head of the table and serves out the allowance of tea or coffee and sugar and milk, with unending string of suck talk as this: "Robert, tend the hominy", "Gal, get the gemman's cup and sasser" 3. Title: Afterwhiles Publication Date:1892 Page 144 Feelin'," I says, "this feast is Thine- This New Year's feast"-An' rap-rap-rap! Went Marg'et's case-knife on her plate- An' nest, I heerd a sasser drap,- Then I looked up, an' strange to state, There S'repty set in Tomps's lap - Title: A Mule-Skinner's Coincidence page 467 He'd take a new pint tin cup, fust place, to hand out the liquor in; an' then he'd whirl it around an' stamp on it like a buffalo-bull till it was flatter'n a smoothin'-iron an' wouldn't hold no more'n a half a sasser-full. An' meanwhile we'd dilute the stuff from that pure mountain crick till it was as flat as the cup an' more harmless than a dead mule. Dixie Ricker Evans & Ricker, Inc 7405 SW Tech Center Drive Portland, OR 97223 Phone: 503-639-9296 Fax: 503-684-1411 e-mail: dixie@locktrack.com website: www.locktrack.com ==== SASSER Mailing List ==== William Pickney Sasser: b. Dec 8th, 1811 d. Jan 11th 1858 may be seen at http://www.hom.net/~rsasser/ ***************************************** Glenn E. Perry Department of Political Science Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN 47809 USA E-Mail: psperrg@scifac.indstate.edu (812)237-2505 (office) (812)234-5661 (home) ****************************************