[Ads-l] Another "bull shit" sneaks in (1916)

Bill Mullins amcombill at HOTMAIL.COM
Fri Dec 18 02:20:18 UTC 2020


Some more shit.  The first one is a typo on the part of the typesetter (possibly intentional?), as the story
can be found in other newspapers with "horses shot under him".  But once found, it was too good to
omit.

The Buffalo American (Buffalo, New York)13 Oct 1921, ThuPage 3
1921 _Buffalo [NY] American_ 13 Oct 3/5

"A small boy taking an examination in American history handed in the following composition:

'General Braddock was killed in the Revolutionary War.  He had three horses shit under him, and
a fourth went through his clothes.' "

https://www.newspapers.com/image/255006375/?terms=%22horse%2Bshit%2Bunder%22

1924 Olean NY _Times Herald_ 15 Mar 5/3

"wv4zS horse shit horse shit horsesh" [filler text at end of a column]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/35398355/?terms=%22horse%2Bshit%22

Burlington Weekly Free Press (Burlington, Vermont)20 Dec 1906, ThuPage 13

1906  _ Burlington [Vt] Weekly Free Press_ 20 Dec 13/5
[sub headline]
"State Grange Poured Hot Shit into
Ranks of Lawmakers by 
Resolution."

https://www.newspapers.com/image/145359460/?terms=%22hot%2Bshit%22








> ________________________________________
> Ben Zimmer has written about early and odd appearances in American
> newspapers of "bull shit" (and similar):
> https://stronglang.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/when-shit-hits-the-
> newspapers/
> 
> Here's another example of a mischievous typesetter sneaking it in. (I'm sorry,
> but I just love stuff like this.)
> 
> >From a short notice about SUCCESSFUL FARMING, "the Best Agricultural
> Magazine in the World," here's a message from its publisher. (This appeared
> in The World-Wide War, Pawhuska, OK, 4 March 1916, p. 4.)
> 
> --------------------
> 
> It is our desire to serve you    As a subscriber I want you to have the
> benefit of any information, advice or assistance I or any one connected with
> Successful Farming can give you, or suggestions as to ways in which our
> organization can and will gladly assist you. Our editors are practical farmers
> and they are in close touch with the greatest American agricultural
> authorities. Bull shit.
> 
> I hope you will keep these things in mind as you read Successful Farming
> from month to month, and know we are at your service at all times. If any
> copy of your magazine should fail to reach you, let us know.
> 
> Again thanking you for your subscription, wishing you every success, and
> hoping to hear from you from time to time, I remain,
> 
> Sincerely yours,
> SUCCESSFUL FARMING.
> E.T. Meredith, Publisher.
> 
> (https://www.newspapers.com/image/585033322/?terms=%22bull%20shit%
> 22&match=1
> )
> 
> --------------------
> 
> What's also comical about this is that the editor of The World-Wide War then
> goes on to write about Successful Farming in glowing terms.
> 
> (Some years ago I tweeted about an appearance of "bull shit in the hole" in a
> 17 December 1922 description of a polite Christmas reception, of all things,
> https://twitter.com/btaylorblake/status/882690499995422721?s=20.
> Happy holidays to all.)
> 
> -- Bonnie
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org/

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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