MA'S GONE OUT TO PRAY.
One night while waiting in the street, I met a boy I knew,
A handsome fellow ten years old, but looking rather blue,
I asked him, "How's your pa and ma?" and he replied this way:
"My pa's all right, but ma's gone mad, since she's gone out to pray.
She caught the rage from that old Doctor Dio,
Who wont drink whiskey, tea, or even Rio;
And with a lot of ladies from Ohio,
She goes around to beer saloons to pray.
"She leaves me home to mind the 'kids,' and oh, they act so queer;
And Sammy, he fell over the stove, and burnt off all his ear.
Johnny, he fell out of bed, and the devil is to pay;
For he sprained his toes and broke his nose, while ma's gone out to pray.
And to find my mother, all the day I'm trying,
For with hunger we are very nearly dying,
And the babies are a squalling and a crying,
While she goes round to beer saloons to pray.
"My pa went to all the saloons, and couldn't get a drink,
But he brought a great big bottle home; 'twas whiskey, too, I think.
He's staving blind drunk, and smashing up things, and I think I heard him say,
He'd get chock full every afternoon that ma goes out to pray.
Aud the nurse will pinch the baby, just to tease it,
And there's something wrong and everybody sees it;
I wonder if my mother'll ever cheese it,
And not go round to beer saloons to pray."
I left him there and walked along, and as I walked I thought,
And wondered if the ladies think much good by this is wrought;
For the men drink twice as much since they have to get it some sly way,
And there's many a husband drunk at home while his wife goes out to pray.
So my advice to all the charming ladies
Is to throw old Dio Lewis to the shades,
And stay at home and mind the little babies,
And not go ronud [sic] to beer saloons to pray.
EDWARD RANKLE & CO,
NEWS DEALERS, STATIONERS and SONG PUBLISHERS,
No. 2 N. Greene St., Baltimore.
