1840 Ohio Democrat 7 Aug. 2/2: Mr Snapper, are you in favor iof Abolition? ‘Head in,’ cries his committee, ’close your shell and keep dark’.at close your shell! (excl.) under close, v.
1842 Ohio Democrat 27 Jan. 2/5: Work for a Dead Horse — There is a man [...] who has worked on average sixteen hours per diem for the last twenty years to pay notes which he had endorsed, and for which he had never received the value of one farthing.at dead horse, n.1