Month: April 2014

by

The Soft Side of Don Marquis

Mother's Out of Jail

’Twas on the Eve of Christmas
A face against the pane
Peered in at the firelight;
’Twas worn with vice, and plain;
But all the children shouted:
“Mother’s home again!”

Mother’s out of jail, Dad!
Let us ask her in!
Make her Christmas merry,
With food and fire and gin!
Mother’s out of jail, Dad,
Let us ask her in!

She’s watching through the window
Her babes in happy play;
Do not call a copper
To club the Jane away—
Remember, ere you strike her,
That once her hair was gray!

Soon at some new night-club
She’ll be pinched again,
For Mother is so popular
With all the dancing men—
Invite her in to visit,
Mother’s home again!

She’s staring through the window
At the Yuletide glow!
Oh, do not throw the old wife
Back into the snow!
She bore you all your children,
And oft has told you so.

Mother’s in the street, Dad!
She is out of jail!
Put morphine in the needles,
And some ether in the ale,
Mother’s home for Christmas,
Mother’s out of jail!

From the 1928 Christmas issue of The New Yorker, written by the brilliant Don Marquis, shown below in 1903.

don marquis 1903

by

Buffalo Chop Tea

Tea Buffalo Chop

“Look at this picture of a Tea Field and note its beauty. How fresh and fair and sweet it is. The tea you steep for yourself, or your friends, madam, came from such a scene. Our house serves you with knowledge. We know the sections on which the tea we sell you grows, who selects the tender leaves, who cures them, who packs and ships to our house in Boston. Buy teas imported by us. Our TRADE MARK on FORMOSA OOLOONGS is the picture of a Buffalo — on other teas it is C &. S — and as you see these marks, you can, in fancy, see the far away plantation where it grew for you and know that from that distant spot it has come directly to your hand.” — Chase & Sanborn brochure, 1889