THE ^OQIKL RUBAIYAT OF A BUD BV M¥ AMBROSE MADISON PS 3545 .1563 S6 1913 Copy 1 F%:' WZ7/7/7/^/7/7JU2^2J^7y7y^j^/r^jr?yr7/7JW. v^jju. , zsju.yuu.c\ ■' ft.^ -^?^- .-'' " ^^ ■ (^'^ ^' A .v' ■'.' ■*■- At J,, ^ i\ ..'■> * 4 ► < 4 4 4 ► ► 4 i- ► 4 ► It. THE SOCIAL. RUBAIYAT OF A BUD BY MRS. AMBROSE MADISON WILLIS ILLUSTRATED AND DECORATED BY ELSIE A. HARRISON PAUL ELDER (^ COMPANY PUBLISHERS • SAN FRANCISCO • ► 4 P 4 4 4 ■ 4 'm \ T /■: % i ^ ^ ■a c"^-* aHanaijeu^ n^ Copyright, 1913 Paul Elder and Company ©CI.A350528 DEDICATED TO C. G. N. ACKNO^A^LEDGEMENT GREAT OMAR! ONE THERE IS AMONG THE THRONG, TO WHOM MELODIC GIFT DOTH NOT BELONG; FORGIVE THE MEMORY OF THAT INSOLENCE, WHICH STEALS THY REPUTATION FOR HER SONG. |k FOR, IF INDEED, ONE HATH THE MOOD TO SING, BUT, MARR'D IN MAKING, LACKS THE RYTHMIC RING, m THE BUNGLING POTTER, BY THE SIGN REVEALED, DOTH GIVE THEE, OMAR, CHANCE FOR ONE MORE FLING. 4 > i ^ < ¥ ► 4 ]% A ' ▼ T T ^'T V' T ' ■%.' ^ W •%{ ik A A A PREFACE I ADOWN THE AGES RINGS THE VOCAL DIN OP TEDIOUS TEXTS ON MAN AND ^ WOMAN'S SIN, ^ BUT, CHIEFLY, THAT ON WHICH THE PREACHER POUNDS, IS WOMAN'S LOVE OF GOLD, WITH MAN THROWN IN. 11 THE ROW GOES ON-WE'RE BORED BY PRIGS AND SAGES, AS EACH HIS TURN IN WORDY ONSLAUGHT RAGES, NOR ALTERS ONE THE WOMAN'S PAT POSITION— HER HEART'S HER ASSET VERSUS ► MAN-AND WAGES. ► ^ 'TIS NOT FOR ME TO RUSH A REV- , I OLUTION, ^ I OR CROWD THE PACE OF MORAL ^ I EVOLUTION- WHAT IS, IS SO, BY MARCH OF CAUSAL PROCESS- NOR MORE, NOR LESS, THE SOCIAL INSTITUTION. ^ h i ^ ^ ► i 4 V ▼ V ▼ li ▲ A r «f w wf W A A A. / A A p f ^ ^ W W W "V W t|H Sk M St M M Jk Jk M ^ PREFACE # IV P IN ETHNOLOGIC LORE, 'TIS NO- WHERE WRITTEN THAT PRIMAL MAN LET ON, WHEN "^ . HE WAS SMITTEN, '. THAT HEART FOR HEART WAS BASIS #K, FOR THE BUSINESS; 4| NO CHOICE NOR CHANCE HAD SHE TO GIVE THE MITTEN. THROUGH CRUCIAL YEARS OF FEAR 4 AND TRIBULATION, (l^ SHE LEARNED TO HOLD HER 4 HEART AT VALUATION, TO W^HEEDLE BEAD OR ANKLET FOR HER FAVOR, 4 "^ 'TIL BARTERING GREW TO BE P HER OCCUPATION. <^ THE DREAMER'S SAINTLY SLOGAN- jjk "HEART FOR HEART, ^ 4 WITH MAN AND WOMAN EQUAL FROM THE START"— A GOODLY PLAY TO GRACE THE ^ MUNDANE STAGE- » ^ FINDS YET THE MAN NEEDS ^ ^ COACHING FOR HIS PART. ^ 4 ' W "^ w w ' ^ nr v •?'*^ tr r w w '^ T ,^ (A; -^'- :■■ iK-... 41, .i.>^, 4i, i^s .ft. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ¥ ■ 4 4 <4 PREFACE VII THEN, SINCE THE WORLD MUST TOIL ALONG APACE, ERE COMES THIS CONSUMMATION TO THE RACE: THE GIRL WILL RAISE THE CASH THE USUAL WAY— FOR BILLS, ALAS, WILL STAND JUST SO MUCH GRACE. VIII IT COSTS A PILE TO SPORT HER STYLE -YOU KNOW IT, SHE COMPROMISES NOT WITH AUGHT BELOW IT, TO MEET THE PRICE — 'TWERE SURELY SIMPLE LOGIC TO SELL AN ASSET-GET THE GOLD AND BLOW IT. IX HER SCHEME OF WAYS AND MEANS I'M NOT IMPEACHING, A SISTER'S PROVINCE THAT WERE OVER-REACHING; I MERELY WRITE OF LIFE AS I HAVE SEEN IT, THE PREACHER'S STILL ON HAND- HE'LL DO THE PREACHING. THE SOCIAL RUBA'IYAT OF A BUD I' i V :i| < 4 4 4 4 4 4 "AKEl For Electric 'fc Lights have taken I flight, B And, crouching at \r J the Feet of Day, lies Night; The Post a dozen Invitations brought ; Arise, the Social Season's at itsV Height 1 II As Reveille, by Drum-beat loudly V led, This Voice broke Matin Dream, me- thought it said— "When all the World is Up and on the Go, Why nods the drowsy Devotee in Bed?" ^ 4 ► i ► ' W T WWW' A. A dk Jk Jk Jk Srjf&i 4 III ^ASTE not your V 1 Hours in definite V ,^ Pursuit "^ Of anything but \r rj Pleasure. Up and ■ ■■■■HBiid Scoot! The Bird of Time is on the Wing, let not, Forsooth, Tomorrow this day's Pace confute. IV Each Day crowds faster than the V Day before. Each Mom brings Crazes, Stunts and Fads galore; You know how little while they have to stay, And, once departed, will return no more. L A A A ,f W-" 'v-^'^w-' .y^^ •^ $&► 1^ 4 r w v , 41. .^ ^{ ^ V ir w ^ A 4\ *^. "*■• A .■ ^ 4 ii. mi-n iipHE Bud of Yester- Jj day — this Season's Rose — Her sallow cheek in- / V h camadines, and V -UTJTTJTJH knows The worth of smartly dotted Veil, through which One may not see how quite passee She grows. VI Oh, not your spangle of Existence \r spend Upon what Secret her Good Looks depend — A Hairpin but connects the False ^ and True, And the Beauty Doctor is her con- stant Friend. JL A Ah A, A A «4 A. ' A S. i ' w w w^ VII g H a af^aa a wg O^ some we loved, V a the loveliest and the I Best, I Through all last \r ^ Season with engage- Lj J u J j'jfj Mh ments prest, Have danced their Turn a Round or two before. And one by one crept to their Social Rest. VIII And Those, who now make merry in the Room They left, must take advantage of V" the Boom And hustle, lest a Slump in Beauty Shares O'er Hymeneal Market cast a V Gloom. ^ k ►I v w ▼. ir V ▼ . ▲ A A A ▲ The Bud of Yesterday— this Season's Rose— Her sallow cheek incarnadines, and knows The worth of smartly dotted Veil, through which One may not see how quite passee She grows. i k i i k i r v V ^ ' ' A' lA ^ JL w w w ^ ^ ▲ ▲ ▲ V m IX jJOU'VEaU been duly f Coached and Ad- V vertised — Finished — Brought Out — Censored and ■ ■■■■■■■hi Supervised; The Social Factory's Stamp asserts your Class — And Some have had their Pedigrees revised! 4' 4 4 i Ah, Make the Most of what you V have to Spend, In Looks or Cash, lest, at the Season's End You still be You — Yes, and be You unto The bitter End; Oh, watch yourV Points, My Friend ! Jk dfb A a'^^'A ,f W V w w m ^ ^ A. Jk •■ ^ XI yuL aw B WH WjBOW, the New Year I awak'ning fresh V ■ Desires, s The thoughtful V I Soul to Solitude re- ■ ■DisiSBiBH tires, To plan Five dollars into Twenty- Five, And, so, put up the Front the Pace requires. XII Yet Ah, that Youth should spend so much on Clothes ! Last Winter's Garment in the Rag- Bag goes; This Season's Robe of Honour? — bill unpaid — Ah, when or how obliterate, who knows? W' '^r ^ ^ A A Jk ^ « k i 4 XIII u uuu u uuLJ u t ai^DEED, the Idols I •J have loved so W ■i a long ■ Have done my cred- J it with the Trade V ■fuT-ru-L-v\--uT--ii much Wrong; Dressmakers' Bills, and Milliners' as well, With Dues and Duns make up a mad'ning Throng. XIV Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft be-^ fore I swore — but I was dreaming when I swore, For, then, came Auction Bridge, and down in Luck, My month's Allowance went to meet the Score. Iw ▼ ▼ m m w w w k ▲ Jk. M A A Jk MM •■m mf iv #- .>% ,»% Jk XV H« « Hy i igH, well, why Fret ? W^hat boots it to re- peat a How Yesterday at Bridge I met de-V b feat? I'll spend the Cash on Hand, and V charge the Rest — Tomorrow's Score the Deficit may meet. XVI How Sweet is Social Sovranty, think some — With plethoric Purse and Gold in V Hand, they come To buy what's in the Social Mart for Sale To any One who cares to pay the Slim. ■^ > 'W W W W W W W WWW' Indeed the Idols I have loved so long liave done my credit with the Trade much Wrong ; Dressmakers' Bills, and Milliners' as well, ^A^ith Dues and Duns make up a mad'ning Throng. \ f V r " Sk ^ ^ ▼ ▼ V ▼ I tmk 'flBi 4n> ^ ^ 4 XVII LL Sorts and Kinds are drawn to give the Price, As Moth, the Lure of Candle doth en- tice. And many, Singed or Burnt will find their Hell Where They had hoped to gain a Paradise. XVIII The Ball much question makes of Ayes and Noes — The Moving Finger writes — Who's bid ? — W^ho goes ? Ah, but the Fate of Triumph or De- spair That hangs upon a Postage Stamp — Who knows ? w ▲ A A A ▲ ' ▼ V V fr I A Jk dk A ^\ F V V 'T ^^, .••#, 6^ 4 IT 1»^ ▼ ▼ ▼ ^1 x4 4b A 4k ^ >% I XIX |R yet, some oscillat- ing Fate wereV V hung Upon a Nod — v V the Guerdon lightly rrwww^nj^ flung Or toss'd, by Queen of Cornered So- cial Stock — And Lo, the Climber tallies — "one more Rung 1" XX Still others, aimless as a moving V Row Of Sheep, just willy-nilly, come and go As some Bell- Wether leads, nor query where, If but the Leader Social Prestige V show. ^ ¥ < ► ■ aa e i aaj pHEY gad and gos- sip, gush, and rush "to meet"— "To greet"— "to v dine" — and then V with tireless Feet They Rag-Time through the Night. Some Wine of Life They surely drink that has the Cock- tail beat ! XXII The Lab'rer's paltry Eight-Hour V stunt does rob But part of Day, yet Climber, Bore and Snob Alike, Day's Exit but Night's En- V trance find — What wonder if One sometimes shirk the Job, i w. ^ w ^ %" W W "^ ■ , ^ jL A Jk d '4 '■M 'AM A'< w V «^ ir f^ "ti k A ▲ A A ▲ I i I' XXIII M-fc-J-^^*-i-i^ND, under Yoke of ^ scarce-permitted V u Pleasure — Si To aid some Cause ^ that pleads its Lack j-L~L"V^-ui*-wii of Treasure, Throw Cloak of Charity o'er Dan- cer's Skirt — Before the Footlights trip a lively Measure ? XXIV Or, yet in Tableau, Play or Masquer- ade Neat-handed Phyllis, or some sweet Milkmaid, Appeals to those who, tired of V Decollete, May show the Foot and Ankle un- afraid. ^ i V W V V^- ^ IT ^ A Jk Jk A A 4 May Those who, tired of Decollete, show the Foot and Ankle unafraid. ^ T w w y Mk Mk Jk M XXV - JS, under Cover of V returning V ^ Day- Home from the Ball : done, jaded — far V rtrre-y-y-L-infll from Gay — I stood before my Looking-Glass V alone, Again I heard a Voice, w^hich seemed to say:. XXVI " Now Face to Face, and of all Pre- tense shed, And Heart to Heart — or better, Head to Head — Let's sift this Social Madness through, and take Full Stock of it before you go to V Bed." i i i 1 ▼ ▼ ▼ li ▲ ▲ ^ .-AAA , A ^ A ^ 1 4 iSv !► "T W W "^ . ▲ A ^ 4 XXVII j . ijy uya a^HEN down I threw PNi 4 me in some comfy Chair, d To treat this Matter iJ on the deadly V V Lhj-tnjTj-u-y-CTy-E Square, And, dreaming in the gray and earfy Dawn, Gave these Reflections to the chilly Air: XXVIII Life's but a Chequer-Board of Nights and Days, Where Maid the Game with Men for Pieces plays. To win the Castle she must mate the Knight— The Bishop gets the Cheque, and V Blessing lays. Il a W V' ^ 1^ i i 1 4 4 4 ▲ ▲ ▲ W I ^ Jk M ► 4 ▼ 'T T V V 11 XXIX UITE Obsolete have grown the Bow and !Dart, ' J And, not unfortified, 5 the Modem \r V n n n n n nTTn h Heart Unlocks at will, but — with an Aure- ate Key, While Cupid weeps to play so lame a Part. XXX But yet I think I never blushed so red When some young Millionaire an "Extra" plead, And while we danced said Spooney Things that stopt Upon the Verge of asking me to ▼ Wed; p i ^ ' "W w w w w -^^ Jl^ A A A A Jl ^ Ml ,^ A M. k 4 XXXI -^S when some impe- cunious Youth, \r whose Purse I The Cost of Honey- moon could scarce i+rTTrTTTTTTrrrrb disburse, Looked Things for which he didn't have the Price — And left my Heart considerably the the W^orse. XXXII Ah, Love! Couldst Thou a Bank Ac- count acquire, We'd Shake this sorry Scheme of V Things entire, We'd have a Record-Breaking Wed- ding, then — To start for Europe on an Ocean V Flyer 1 1^ ^ A rustic Settle underneath the Bough, A faultless Gown, becoming Hat, and Thou, A Millionaire on Marriage bent beside— Ah, Paradise were at a Discount, now ! ^ I XXXIII RUSTIC Settle un- derneath the V V |j Bough, ^ jj AfaultlessGown,be- coming Hat, and V (■'■vviiiiili Thou, A Millionaire on Marriage bent be- side — Ah, Paradise were at a Discount, V nowl XXXIV Curst Gold, that can with Logic ab- solute The Pleading of my inmost Soul \r refute. Wilt half repay me for the Heart, which, stol'n By One, still yet Another buys, to boot? ^ ^ ^ > 4 I >- -^ V ."T k ▲ j4 4ik . V ▼ v ▼' ir WW WW w w ir' ▼ ▼ V ' ■ A. A. Jt^ ^ A. Jk- JL A A A. -^ ^ 4 XXXV tJUUIUUIJLRJlJ JH, but to Live and A ■ Love ! No Lamp V I doth give ^^ \ On this its Light, V JL ^ J however Fugi- V ■ ■■■■■■■■ tive, For would I Live — it's Odds I can- not Love ; And do I Love ? — it cost too much to Live ! XXXVI The Poor young: Man with manners extra nice, But fills a vacant Dance, or hands an Ice; Utility Actor on the Social Stage, Forgotten as the Scene shifts — in a Thrice. I' V ^y V V \ Jk Jl ^ Jk i i i XXXVII ji) ta E Fi B iLRJBuB^UT Stay! Perhaps V some Daughter of the House Of new-made Croe- sus, lacking yet a V ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■ Spouse — Of Beauty, bankrupt too — may buy his style; Oh well ! The Bargain's fair, the V World avows. XXXVIII Then leave the Wise to wrangle and to prate Of Nuptial Knot, the Master-Knot of Fate, This much I know — by whom or V how it's tied. Who finds it quite Succcssftil up to Date? i k ▲ ▼ ▼ V ▼ ▼ ▼ ir A .^. * A Jb^ i ► XXXIX lARBY and Joan V once, in the Long V Ago, Set us a Standard, but too deadly V slow The Pace for Latter Days, nor yet, indeed, Was Reno even on the Map, you V know. XL Nor yet had Woman to Herselfgot on, 'Twas in her Evolution's early V Dawn, Ere She had found that Marriage and the Man Were Side-Shows in the Plan that She had drawn. vv otI^ ''^k J^ffp <9^k mKk Jk A ▲ 1 XLI gmaaaaiiigYSELF, when V younger, heard great * Argument J About Love in a V MMiiv Cottage, but my V dTJT-TLn-rwwvC bent Is rather for the Golf-Stick than the Broom; Oh, the Sad Grind of a Domestic Saint! XLII! The Revelations from the Married Fold, Of Those who dare to speak, like V Prophets bold Lay bare this Fiction of the Simple Life— A Fairy-Tale which Story-Books V have told. . A ■ 4k A -X A A A A i ' ▼ ▼ ▼ ' 'A ' A A. A S. yr ▼ A T ■ ▼ XLIII JJ^^j]^2iiiA^O^ ^^ ^ small Apart- ^ • ^>\^ "> ment cooped with n Love — ■^ And fumes of Beef- ^ steak, fried upon gas n nnnnnncnb Stove, The End were what all Things must end in — Death, Yes, Death to Love — Divorce! V Who'll disapprove? XLIV I sent my Soul through the Invisi- ble, Some Inkling of that Married Life to tell, And soon my Soul returning said to me: "You'd better cut it out; 'twere worse than Hell!'* ^Jk^. A'A ^ A A M A ^ ► 4 ^ ► XLV ► BJMLW JtJWLg ELL, if, indeed, My- .< ^ "^^ fi self am Heav'n or ^ ;: Heu, t, ^ \ ' \ / ^ AsPriestandProph- ^ 5 y Y L et, Saint and Sinner ^^ rJ rr r r r rge h tell, ^ Why make a Hell ? A Chance in V < what I hope ^ Were Heaven, if lost outright, were ^ just as well. ^ XL VI ^ Into this Universe of Things Mun- . ^ dane, 4 I came attuned to that luxuriant V ► Plane w ^ Where Freedom from the sordidCom- 4 monplace ► The unhampered Spirit of Desire lets ^ reign. ^ ► i/ ir w w w w V V ▼ V 'P ^ Jk J^ Jk^ ^ ■ "^ ^ 4 ^ XLVII n Fj ti n^r T i c r £| ND what if Love V should play the In- Dfidel And rob me of my Birthright- who can tell What restless sighing I must ever quell — Nor grasp the Roses I may only V smell ? XL VIII Forsooth, a Bracer stronger far than Tea Must drown the Thought of such V Vulgarity ; Martini's old Familiar Juice will V do— And then no more, I pray of Love and Me! V ' < ^ Jk j6i Ik ▲ J^ Jk ^ At Jk AAA I^' w '^ M. w-- ijjr ^ fjr ir A A M A. 4 LIII aj^LULLLyLQR in Truth's Man- - uscript immut- V J able, g Their Debt is writ; • and This, of You, as innrinrmnrC well, That what You strain and strive to buy is not One-half so Precious as the Thing You sell." LIV His Aura of irradiating Gold The Snare of Hope suggests, that one may mould The rich young Sinner into Saint V complete. And, wedded, lead Him back into the Fold. -vv, V jr w "T w WWW' V A A A Jk A A A A A A i Ah, Ere then, to You who'll catch the Bride's Bouquet, I in Automobile speed away— Jk JL Jt, A at: Jk wi^ > LV J LCLfir. n nn^ rpHIS Missionary V Spirit's quite in V Line B With Purple and \ fine Linen, I V u L L L cBuiC Opine. For Him a Halo — and 'twere fair Exchange, That on Her Head a Diamond Tiara shine. LVI And if — from passive Lips — the Kiss he'll take, A Mortgage carries for Another's Sake 'Tis but Existence closing its Ac- count On Basis of a Million PoUar Stake. ► ¥ *, ^ i A^ A, Jk A Jk Jk ▲ ■ Jk- LVII r ^r rr r r r/ gHIS Scheme of Fate j^c is Mine, I'm. in it — of it, E But yet some spark of Soul that soars LiLLLLi-LLLk; above it Invalidates my Computations, and At once I hate, deplore — but dearly love it. LVIII Ah, then, to You who'll catch the V Bride's Bouquet, Ere I in Automobile speed away — Cash Value, rendered af the Market Price — Should You in pensive Aftermath es- say :> ^ a Ir w W A ^ I* ^' ^ 4 < •I ''i 4 UX ^i^OME Sermon on the ways of the Smart Set- Record that Fate V 2 but played a Mari- ri u J J J J J J J G onette, Predestined for its Plot of Soul and Gold— And lose the Tangle in a Cigarette. Salaam Here ends the Social Ruba'iyat of a Bud, a plain, unvarnished tale, unfolded by Mrs. Ambrose Madi' son Willis, and brought to publication by those not unworthy craftsmen, Paul Elder Cgl. Company, in the City of San Francisco, in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Thir- teen. And this book was imprinted under the skillful direction of John Bernhardt Swart. And the pictures therein and the embellishments there- of are the handiwork of Elsie A. Harrison, of the City of London, which is in England. Wherefore be it modestly hoped that the couplet of the satir- ical poet may be amended to read : " 'Tis pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print. Their book's O. K. Hast read ? If not, begin't." i : :ife'l" ■' l.w Aril'' «■- ov« '•'•' ^