"dude" on Lexicon Valley

[Ben Zimmer]

On the Lexicon Valley podcast, Mike Vuolo does an excellent job presenting
the research by Messrs. Popik, Cohen, and Clements on the origins of "dude":

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/lexicon_valley/2014/01/lexicon_valley_the_etymology_and_early_history_of_the_word_dude.html

Can anyone shed some light on the "nine on the side" line from the verse
discussed in the podcast ("Here is the Dude")?

http://books.google.com/books?id=6gwAAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA51

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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