Q: [Ho?]ly {T?]umpin[s?]

[Jonathan Lighter]

"Holy jumpin' ----" appears in various American exclamatory oaths.  Maybe
"The Holy Jumpin'" is a humorous allusion to God.

JL

On Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 11:51 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Q:  [Ho?]ly {T?]umpin[s?]
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> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In an EAN article with rude type, I read,as best I can make out, in a
> description of Christmas/New Year's celebrations:
>
> "... The stuck up folks who tried to break up the custom of visiting
> ... hauled in their horns this year, and were glad enough to do as
> other folks, and as you see they kept themselves out of hot water[.]
> I guess they'd have got a serrynadin from the [Ho?]ly {T?]umpin[s?]
> if they had not conformed to the order of day. One feller told me
> he['] got a tom cat in trainin on purpose; and he could make
> caterwaul a tune like a pianer forty."
>
>  From the Republican Star and General Advertiser [Easton, Maryland],
> 1832 Jan. 31, 4/1.  [EAN]
>
> What is [Ho?]ly {T?]umpin[s?] ?
>
> Thanks, all,
> Joel
>
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