The Old Soak, and Hail And Farewell
The author thanks the Publishers of the New York Sun, in which the following sketches and verses originally appeared, for permission to reissue them in book form.
CONTENTS
OUR friend, the Old Soak, came in from his home in Flatbush to see us not long ago, in anything but a jovial mood.
“I see that some persons think there is still hope for a liberal interpretation of the law so that beer and light wines may be sold,” said we.
“Hope,” said he, moodily, “is a fine thing, but it don't gurgle none when you pour it out of a bottle. Hope is all right, and so is Faith... but what I would like to see is a little Charity.
“As far as Hope is concerned, I'd rather have Despair combined with a case of Bourbon liquor than all the Hope in the world by itself.
“Hope is what these here fellows has got that is tryin' to make their own with a tea-kettle and a piece of hose. That's awful stuff, that is. There's a friend of mine made some of that stuff and he was scared of it, and he thinks before he drinks any he will try some of it onto a dumb beast.
Don Marquis
THE OLD SOAK, and HAIL AND FAREWELL
Line Drawings By Sterling Patterson
1921
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
OLD SOAK
CHAPTER ONE—Introducing the Old Soak
CHAPTER TWO—Beginning the Old Soak's History of the Rum Demon
CHAPTER THREE—Liquor and Hennery Simms
CHAPTER FIVE—Look Out For Crime Waves!
CHAPTER SEVEN—An Argument With the Old Woman
CHAPTER EIGHT—The Old Soak's History—More Evils of Prohibition
CHAPTER NINE—Preparing for Christmas
CHAPTER ELEVEN—Jabe Potter's Optimism
CHAPTER THIRTEEN—Peace and Contentment
CHAPTER FIFTEEN—Political Talk
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN—The Old Soak Finds a Way
CHAPTER NINETEEN—A House Divided
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE—Sympathy Wanted
HAIL AND FAREWELL
I—A LAST DRINK
II—IN THE OLD DAYS
III—A DIPSEY CHANTEY
IV—A CERTAIN CLUB
V—A TEMPERANCE TRACT
VI—A VISION IN THE NIGHT
VII—THE LAST CASE OF GIN
VIII—CROWNED SINGERS
To Charley Bayne
IX—DOWN IN A WINE VAULT
X—ANACREON
XI—THERE WERE GIANTS IN THE OLD DAYS
XII—IN AN OLD-TIME TAVERN BOOTH
XIII—THE OLD BRASS RAILING
XIV—ONCE YOUTH WAS MINE
XV—IN A TAVERN BOOTH
XVI—AN ENGAGEMENT
XVII—THE BATTLE OF THE KEYHOLES
XVIII—IN A TAVERN BOOTH
XIX—YEARNINGS AND MEMORIES
XX—DO YOU REMEMBER?
XXI—AND YOU MAY KECALL THIS
XXII—TRUE, BUT WHAT OF IT?
XXIII—A SUMMER DAY DREAM
XXIV—ON SWEARING OFF AGAIN
XXV—AFTER SEVERAL HIGHBALLS
XXVI—CHANT ROYAL OF THE DEJECTED DIPSOMANIAC
XXVII—PROVERBS XXIII, 29
XXVIII—AN OBJECT LESSON
XXIX—A KANSAS TRAGEDY
THE END
