J is a consonant in English, but some nations use it as a vowel-- than which nothing could be more absurd. Its original form, which has been but slightly modified, was that of the tail of a subdued dog, and it was not a letter but a character, standing for a Latin verb, jacere, "to throw," because when a stone is thrown at a dog the dog's tail assumes that shape. This is the origin of the letter, as expounded by the renowned Dr. Jocolpus Bumer, of the University of Belgrade, who established his conclusions on the subject in a work of three quarto volumes and committed suicide on being reminded that the j in the Roman alphabet had originally no curl.
JEALOUS, adj.
Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost
only if not worth keeping.
JESTER, n.
An officer formerly attached to a king's household, whose
business it was to amuse the court by ludicrous actions and
utterances, the absurdity being attested by his motley costume.
The king himself being attired with dignity, it took the world
some centuries to discover that his own conduct and decrees were
sufficiently ridiculous for the amusement not only of his court
but of all mankind. The jester was commonly called a fool, but
the poets and romancers have ever delighted to represent him as a
singularly wise and witty person. In the circus of to- day the
melancholy ghost of the court fool effects the dejection of
humbler audiences with the same jests wherewith in life he
gloomed the marble hall, panged the patrician sense of humor and
tapped the tank of royal tears.
JEWS- HARP, n.
An unmusical instrument, played by holding it fast with the
teeth and trying to brush it away with the finger.
JOSS- STICKS, n.
Small sticks burned by the Chinese in their pagan tomfoolery, in
imitation of certain sacred rites of our holy religion.
JUSTICE, n.
A commodity which in a more or less adulterated condition the
State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes
and personal service.