Holy Cow! (1920)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

The Chicago Tribune digitization is now at 1950. I just though I'd check
Proquest for "Holy Cow." The HDAS has "holy cow" from 1934.

"Holy Cow" comes not from India but from--Hawaii? Who knew about this
etymology?


SIDE-LINE FANCIES.
ARTHUR L. MacKAYE.. The Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Nov 5, 1920.
p. II4 (1 page)

SIDE-LINE FANCIES.

BY ARTHUR L. MacKAYE.

"O Holy Cow!" Over in the Territory of Hawaii "bone-dry" prohibition went
into effect long before the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment, yet this
mid-Pacific island Territory of the United States is probably the only place in the
world today where one can accumulate a retroactive "jag" at a comparatively
reasonable price. This is accomplished through the medium of a native drink
distilled from the root of the ti plant, which grows in the mountain valleys and is
known as okolehao, but which the thousands of soldiers and sailors at
Schofield Barracks, Fort Shafter and other military posts and at Pearl Harbor call "o
holy cow," or just plain "holy cow" for short."

"Holy cow" has a most unholy kick, and the beauty of it, according to the
initiated, is that the imbiber can get drunker on this concoction for less money
and in quicker time than with the help of almost any other known intoxicant in
the world. Since the strict enforcement of prohibition in the islands scores
of stills have sprung up in the hidden valleys of the mountains back of
Honolulu, as well as on other islands of the group, where this okolehao is
distilled, mostly by Japanese, and commands a price of from $5 to $19 a gallon,
according to circumstances and thirst.

One of the peculiar effects of the drinking of okolehao is the retroactive
qualities of the drink. If a thirsty law-breaker proceeds to get drunk on
distilled ti-root in the evening it is possible for him to wake up in the morning
perfectly sober. But let him beware! If he drinks even so much as a glass of
water before breakfast he immediately becomes drunk again. Sometimes three or
four perfectly good jags will follow one original souse.

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COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC

WHERE DID BARRY POPIK GO FOR DINNER TODAY?--John's Pizza on East 64th Street,
off First Avenue. The Bleecker Street restaurant has been around since 1929.
The famous pizza is just OK here in the uptown version.

WHERE DID BARRY POPIK GO FOR DINNER LAST NIGHT?--Wok 'n Roll on First Avenue
and East 68th Street. I had just added a Cantonese food post to my web site
and needed some old time Wok 'n Roll (the kind of food that just soothes the
soul, to reminisce about the days of old). Bleh!