Wit and Humor of America, The Vol 08

<h2><SPAN name="THE_V-A-S-E" id="THE_V-A-S-E"></SPAN>THE V-A-S-E</h2> <h3>BY JAMES JEFFREY ROCHE</h3> <p><span style="margin-left: 1em;">From the madding crowd they stand apart,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">The maidens four and the Work of Art;</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And none might tell from sight alone</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">In which had Culture ripest grown&mdash;</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Gotham Million fair to see,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Philadelphia Pedigree,</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Boston Mind of azure hue,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or the soulful Soul from Kalamazoo&mdash;</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">For all loved Art in a seemly way,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">With an earnest soul and a capital A.</span><br/> <br/></p> <hr style='width: 45%;' /> <p><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long they worshipped; but no one broke</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">The sacred stillness, until upspoke</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Western one from the nameless place,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who, blushing, said: "What a lovely vase!"</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Over three faces a sad smile flew,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And they edged away from Kalamazoo.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">But Gotham's haughty soul was stirred</span><br/> <span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_1604" id="Page_1604"></SPAN></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">To crush the stranger with one small word.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Deftly hiding reproof in praise,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">She cries: "'T is, indeed, a lovely vaze!"</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">But brief her unworthy triumph when</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">The lofty one from the house of Penn,</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">With the consciousness of two grandpapas,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Exclaims: "It is quite a lovely vahs!"</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And glances round with an anxious thrill,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Awaiting the word of Beacon Hill.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the Boston maid smiles courteouslee</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And gently murmurs: "Oh, pardon me!</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I did not catch your remark, because</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">I was so entranced with that charming vaws!"</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 3.5em;"><i>Dies erit pr&oelig;gelida</i></span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 3.5em;"><i>Sinistra quum Bostonia.</i></span><br/> <span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_1605" id="Page_1605"></SPAN></span></p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />