[Magdalen] Nature goes tee hee

[Don Boyd]

Our Listbrother James has opined "This thread is gone to hades in a 
handbasket, so...."  and I wonder about the origin of this saying.  Is 
"handbasket" somehow significant (I've never heard the word except in this 
'gone to' context)?  Or has it survived because of the /h/-/h/ alliteration? 
There are times, this morning being one, when I enjoy contemplating such 
trivialities as this.

Don in Austin