I treated you white + idioms or slang

Posted by Bruce Kahl on November 21, 2004

In Reply to: I treated you white + idioms or slang posted by Junius on November 21, 2004

: I treated you white.

: I am considering these options:

: 1) treated you whith white gloves (kindness)
: 2) gave you many attentions
: 3) treated you properly, generously

: I guess is an archaism or slang but I really cannot find anything on this, so I wonder if it is an obsolete expression because it does not appear in any dictionary.

: mercibus muchibus!

It seems to mean "treated you properly, generously".

Google brought me to Ulysses episode 15:

(Mary Driscoll, a slipshod servant girl, approaches. She has a bucket on the crook of her arm and a scouringbrush in her hand.)

SECOND WATCH Another! Are you of the unfortunate class?

MARY DRISCOLL (Indignantly.) I'm not a bad one. I bear a respectable character and was four months in my last place. I was in a situation, six pounds a year and my chances with Fridays out, and I had to leave owing to his carryings on.

FIRST WATCH What do you tax him with?

MARY DRISCOLL He made a certain suggestion but I thought more of myself as poor as I am.

BLOOM (In housejacket of ripplecloth, flannel trousers, heelless slippers, unshaven, his hair rumpled softly.) I treated you white. I gave you mementoes, smart emerald garters far above your station. Incautiously I took your part when you were accused of pilfering. There's a medium in all things. Play cricket.