PTOMAINE STREET

THE TALE OF WARBLE PETTICOAT

THIRD IMPRESSION PTOMAINE STREET

THE TALE OF WARBLE PETTICOAT

BY

CAROLYN WELLS [BLANK PAGE] TO ROBERTA WOLF BUEHLER MY BELOVED FRIEND
FOREWORD TO A FOOLISH BOOK

A certain Poet once opined
That life is earnest, life is real;
But some are of a different mind,
And turn to hear the Cap-bells peal.
Oft in this Vale of Smiles I've found
Foolishness makes the world go round.

Ecclesiastes, Solomon,
And lots of those who've passed before us,
Denounced all foolishness and fun,
Not so the gay and blithesome Horace;
And Shakespeare's Jaques, somewhat hotly,
Declared the only wear is Motley!

We mortals, fools are said to be;
And doesn't this seem rather nice?
I learn, on good authority,