February, 1930
PRESTO-TIMES
YEARS AGO IN THE PRESTO
COMSTOCK, CHENEY & CO.
While others cut ice, you cut ivory nice;
And make keys, hammers, actions and brackets;
You are men tried and true, so, some coupons beside,
May you cut and put in your jackets.
* * *
LUCIEN WULSIN.
All prizes given at World's Expositions
Still fail to curb his greater ambitions.
* * *
E. J. RADLE.
They tell us, "Gene," you'll ride the goat."
And take your "Third" this very night,
Become a Master Mason, well,
Good luck, old man, you're doing right,
But bear in mind that goats have spines
Resembling those of porcupines,
So pad your trousers good and well.
Did you say "where?" We dare not tell!
Perhaps you'll learn from Joe P. Bell.
* * *
GEORGE G. FOSTER.
First in the names of the "Big Four" roster
Is the well-known name of George G. Foster.
Twenty-seven Years Ago
(From the Presto, February 12, 1903.)
OUR VALENTINES.
A little nonsense, now and then,
Is relished by the best of men.
So runs the old familiar exercise for lapsing into a
vein of levity. But why should not we smile occa-
sionally? Why should we always be ponderous and
wise and heavy and logy? To laugh is to grow fat.
To laugh is to have a better digestion.
It is. better than drug tonics, better than whiskey,
better than bitters and takes the place of those little
tablets that aid digestion. If the hard, stoical busi-
ness man would take four hearty laughs a day—one
after each meal and one before retiring—the world
would be happier, healthier, wiser and better. Next
Friday is Valentine's Day. If the energy put forth by
the muses for that day was stored and compressed
in metal drums it would furnish sufficient power to
run Kimball's factory. Believing, as we do, that a
little levity is a good thing—though it does not follow
that a lot of it is better—we publish this week, with-
out apology, some jingles, rhymes, verses and valen-
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tines. We have not room for all our poets prepared
W. S. BOND.
this week, but if we survive we will finish the list
The girl of today we're bound to believe her,
in next issue.
When she says she likes to play on a Weaver.
ERNEST AND WILLIAM KNABE.
* * *
Makers altruistic
THE
CABLE CO.
Of pianos artistic,
Here's to the Conover, Kingsbury and Cable,
And gentlemen down to the core;
Made by a house that's both trusty and able.
Men whose ancestor
* * *
Was the real nestor
SOHMER & CO.
Of that business in old Baltimore.
In the good old Sohmer time,
* * *
In the good old Sohmer time,
WILLIAM M. BAUER.
Strolling with your lady-love
In Chicago the name of Bauer—
In the bright Mondschein,
Is one of prominence and power.
Sweet music falls upon your ear,
* * *
'
And that's a very good sign
MELVILLE CLARK
That you'll buy her a Sohmer
Devices tuneful helped him to make his mark;
If she'll be your valentine.
The muses' favorite son is Melville Clark.
* * *
;
* * *
STEINWAY & SONS.
W. L. BUSH.
When jolly fellows wish to spend
A Bush not green in trade, I ween,
An evening in a fine way,
But always seen in polished sheen.
Down where Wurzburger flows they go,
* * *
And drink it in a "stein way."
E. H. STORY.
But where sweet music reigns supreme,
I love to hear the Story
"
You'll hear in a divine way
So often told to me,
That
king of all pianos made—
Of a piano's glory,
7
The
great and glorious Steinway.
When my artist friends I see.
"7
* *
*
* * *
HADDORFF
PIANO
CO.
DAVID H. SCHMIDT.
Hats off to the Haddorff people, one and all,
Oh, David H. Schmidt,
May their business never grow weak or small.
You are certainly "It."
''
* * *
* # *
W. N. VAN MATRE.
HOWARD B. MORENUS.
His Schumann factory grew apace
When we know that he has seen us,
Till Barnes & Son it did embrace.
We doff our tall tile to Morenus.
* * *
* * *
GEORGE W. ARMSTRONG, JR.
HERMAN LEONARD.
Suave he walks, a king in the trade,
A round, blonde, bouncing ball of jollity;
Serene as the best Grand Baldwin made.
Gentleman, scholar and judge of quality.
* * *
* * *
W.
W.
KIMBALL.
PACKARD
At home or abroad, on land or at sea,
Backward and forward—forward and backward—
The stories he tells provoke us to glee.
Go shopping around and then choose a Packard.
His name and his goods from lands of bright sun
* * *
To cold arctic regions high praises have won.
KRAKAUER BROS.
* * *
An honored name which stands for power,
HENRY
SCHAAF.
And ever shall, is this—Krakauer.
A man who will not accept dictation
* * *
*!
From any labor union in creation.
JAMES W. VOSE.
;
* * *
Lively octogenarian,
HENRY DETMER.
Nestor of the trade,
The maiden muses on marrying
Though not an agrarian,
As she hears her stalwart lover sing
Your men are well paid.
And the tones of the Detmer ring.
* * *
LOUIS F. DEDERICK.
The Weber man in the mighty West;
J. F. BOYER.
Many an artist has been his guest.
•
The order of the day by Boyer sent,
Is to Conn-quer the making of each instrument.
* * *
* * *
P. S. WICK CO.
Select good organs, take your pick,
JULIUS BRECKWOLDT.
A first-class line is made by Wick.
Sounding boards of sound wood,
The best for Breckwoldt's none too good.
JAMES F. BRODERICK.
* * *
Rich in fame was ancient Roderic;
A greater name is James F. Broderick.
J. HERRBURGER.
* :|= *
In search of good actions there is no need to wander
P. J. HEALY.
When once you have tested the world-famous
Not as warm as a Byrne, he hates the breezes,
Schwander.
And with Post goes South to get rid of the sneezes.
* * *
* * *
BEHR BROS. & CO.
C. G. CONN.
A synonym for fair and square
Editor, statesman, inventor, employer—
Is that which you so proudly Behr.
At home in a yacht, an office or foyer.
^
^
*
*
5j«
*
•
PEASE PIANO CO.
Live like a prince, quite at your ease,
If you represent the popular Pease.
* * *
ESTEY PIANO CO.
No one grows cross and testy
Who plays the toneful Estey.
+
*
*
|
CHRISTMAN & SON.
To think of what you've missed, man,
If you haven't got a Christman.
* * *
BOARDMAN & GRAY.
"Made upon honor," all say,
So honor the Boardman & Gray.
* * *
STRICH & ZEIDLER.
No living man has ever erred
Who made your name a household word.
* * *
HEPPE PIANO CO.
Hippy, hurrah, Heppe,
Over there in "Philly."
Your pianos sell, my boy,
Making music, giving joy
To Thomas, John and Willie,
Mollie, Tess and Tillie.
I
* * *
OTTO SCHULZ.
Afar his instruments sound the praises.
Of the factory that doesn't yield to blazes.
* * *
KOHLER & CAMPBELL.
"The Campbells are coming, hooray! hooray!"
Just list to the bagpipes and drum,
While the Campbells were coming and on their way,
Why, the Kohler & Campbell had come!
* * *
JAMES & HOLMSTROM.
The James & Holmstrom baby grand is one of the
rarest beauty,
Unless you've examined it, you haven't done your
duty.
THE ANGELUS.
No wonder such a lot of fuss
Is made about the Angelus.
* * *
MILTON PIANO CO.
The name you bear you never have profaned;
And Paradise, once lost, you have regained.
* * *
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
Your honored name has really made quite flowery
That street of somewhat doubtful fame—the Bowery.
* * *
WOOD & BROOKS.
By brooks in a wood of tropical trees
The elephant raises his tusks for keys.
* * *
HENRY HOLTZMAN & SONS.
A Holtzman stool is made so stout
That a husky mule can't knock it out.
* * *
WESER BROS.
"Hamelin town is in Brunswick,
'
Near famous Hanover City;
The River Weser, deep and wide,
Washes its wall on the southern side."
But Weser Brothers still reside
In Gotham! That's no pity!
* * *
WEICKERT FELT.
"Felt for all purposes,"
Felt for all time,
Felt that is felt everywhere,
Felt for all instruments,
Felt that is prime,
All, of your felt, have a share.
* * *
'
WM. TONK & BRO.
The instruments of your devising
Are noted, which is not surprising.
* * *
JACOB BROS.
Many who seek for fame grow sad and sadder
Because they cannot climb up Jacob's ladder.
MATHUSHEK & SON.
"Brek-ek-ek-ek!"
The students sang.
"Brek-ek-ek-ek" and "Mathushek!"
And the welkin rang.
* * *
I. N. RICE.
Across the rockies see him pass
Heading east to see the Mardi Gras.
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