THE HUMORSOME PRINTER.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 26, 23 September 1893, Page 4

THE HUMORSOME PRINTER.

A writer in the Australian Star contributes the following list of droll mistakes that have appeared in print from time to time In the accounts of a battle between strikers the reporter wrote “ The men at last succeeded in throwing up some earth works,” but fancy the reporter’s chargm when he read in the paper that the men had been throwing up “earthquakes.” Poor misguided Henry George did not escape an insult i\om one of his fellow-

to Ilia ' >us book “ Progress of Poverty '* toe comp, changed the title to “ Proof Poultry.” “Volcanoes of 1 ‘ er descended upon the decks ’’ was til.; way the comp, set up “ Volumes oi water, &c.” One of the Queensland fanny papers published an advertisement intimating that a certain company would pay the “potato ceraedy, rio and so.” It should have been “petite comedy.” A gentleman in Sydney was being’ presented with an address of condolence on losing bis—(hair, I think it was), and in the report of the speech the comp, made the ecipient say that he would hand it (the address, not the hair) —down to “ prosperity.” One Sydney journal has made some of the most awful mistakes. “ A horse for sale, side entrance, balcony back and front,” was one of that paper’s advertisements. “ Rupee paper is stationary,” at least the cables say so. Rather valuable stationery, -we should imagine. It is safe to attribute it to over-indulgence when a man makes “ alcoholic liquors” read “ Catholic liquors,” but the man that spelt “ breach of faith ” with two e’s was in his sober senses. A transposition of a comma made a ludicrous alteration of the sense of an advertisement. The copy read “ Wanted, —General servant, no shirts, used children. Apply, Ac.” That shoujd have enticed plenty of applicants; but how could a decent girl apply for a place that was advertised like this: “ Wanted.-—General servant, no shirts used; children.” A flower show was responsible for another funny error. “ Twenty-four camellias ” was one of the exhibits, but an old identity at the trade made it “ twenty tom-camellias (as distinguished from tabbies, presumably).