The Old Soak, and Hail And Farewell


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

Published in 1921 (Prohibition went into effect in January 1920), "Hail and Farewell" is a collection of poems in honour of alcohol, drunkenness, and all things related.

In "The Old Soak", an old codger grumbles and connives to get alcohol in the age of Prohibition. Part is narrative, and part is installments from The Old Soak's papers.
“I'm writing a diary. A diary of the past. A kind of gol-dinged autobiography of what me and Old King Booze done before he went into the grave and took one of my feet with him. In just a little while now there won't be any one in this here broad land of ours, speaking of it geographically, that knows what an old-fashioned barroom was like. They'll meet up with the word, future generations of posterity will, and wonder and wonder and wonder just what a saloon could have resembled, and they will cudgel their brains in vain, as the poet says."
“Have you got any of it written?” we asked him. “Here's the start of it,” said he.
We present it just as the Old Soak penned it. - Summary by TriciaG & from the text (2 hr 52 min)

Chapters

Introducing the Old Soak 4:27 Read by KevinS
Beginning the Old Soak's History of the Rum Demon 6:40 Read by Larry Wilson
Liquor and Hennery Simms 4:21 Read by donj31
The Old Soak's History—The Barroom as an Educative Influence 5:05 Read by John
Look Out For Crime Waves! 5:43 Read by Matthew D. Robinson
Continuing the Old Soak's History—The Barroom and the Arts 8:52 Read by donj31
An Argument With the Old Woman 2:58 Read by Larry Wilson
The Old Soak's History—More Evils of Prohibition 5:27 Read by KevinS
Preparing for Christmas 8:07 Read by Matthew D. Robinson
Continuing the History—the Old Soak Fears for the Growing Children 5:39 Read by John
Jabe Potter's Optimism 4:06 Read by John
More of the History—As It Used to Be of a Morning 6:21 Read by Matthew D. Robinson
Peace and Contentment 3:47 Read by John
Continuing the History of the Rum Demon—Unfermented Grape Juice 7:10 Read by Matthew D. Robinson
Political Talk 2:32 Read by John
The History Continued—Prohibition and Winter Weather 5:38 Read by April6090
The Old Soak Finds a Way 3:07 Read by Phil Chenevert
The History Continued—the Barroom's Good Influence 3:38 Read by Phil Chenevert
A House Divided 4:19 Read by Phil Chenevert
Continuing the History of the Rum Demon—the Barroom and Manners 3:24 Read by April6090
Sympathy Wanted 5:42 Read by Michele Fry
The History of the Rum Demon Concluded—Prohibition Is Making a Free Thinker of … 6:54 Read by Michele Fry
Hail and Farewell—A Last Drink 1:25 Read by Michele Fry
Hail and Farewell—In the Old Days 1:23 Read by Anita Sloma-Martinez
Hail and Farewell—A Dipsey Chantey 2:39 Read by Anita Sloma-Martinez
Hail and Farewell—A Certain Club 1:09 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—A Temperance Tract 3:49 Read by John
Hail and Farewell—A Vision in the Night 1:22 Read by John
Hail and Farewell—The Last Case of Gin 3:04 Read by John
Hail and Farewell—Crowned Singers 1:22 Read by John
Hail and Farewell—Down in a Wine Vault 3:33 Read by Anita Sloma-Martinez
Hail and Farewell—Anacreon 1:14 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—There Were Giants in the Old Days 1:34 Read by ChadH94
Hail and Farewell—In an Old-Time Tavern Booth 1:29 Read by Anita Sloma-Martinez
Hail and Farewell—The Old Brass Railing 2:58 Read by ChadH94
Hail and Farewell—Once Youth Was Mine 1:14 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—In a Tavern Booth 1:22 Read by oogiesragdoll
Hail and Farewell—An Engagement 1:14 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—The Battle of the Keyholes 2:45 Read by Anita Sloma-Martinez
Hail and Farewell—In a Tavern Booth 1:22 Read by oogiesragdoll
Hail and Farewell—Yearnings and Memories 1:09 Read by April6090
Hail and Farewell—Do You Remember? 1:22 Read by donj31
Hail and Farewell—And You may Kecall This 1:45 Read by donj31
Hail and Farewell—True, but What of It? 1:09 Read by April6090
Hail and Farewell—A Summer Day Dream 1:16 Read by April6090
Hail and Farewell—On Swearing Off Again 1:19 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—After Several Highballs 1:11 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—Chant Royal of the Dejected Dipsomaniac 4:05 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—Proverbs XXIII, 29 1:45 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—An Object Lesson 2:16 Read by Larry Wilson
Hail and Farewell—A Kansas Tragedy 6:47 Read by Larry Wilson