Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Thanking the Saints in the Times-Picyaune

The old Times-Picyaune had a delightful quirk that definitely made it part of the scene in Old and Present-Day New Orleans: thanking the saints in the personals section of the classified ads in the T-P. 

No, not the New Orleans Saints football team; the heavenly saintly numbers like in "When the Saints Come Marching In!"

Yes, in the personals you can see the usual:

I am applying for clemency.

I am responsible for no other debts than my own.

I am applying for a license as notary public.

In other words, the usual sort of business that personals ads carry.

But, for many years, the  old Times-Picyaune would also have these peculiar saints ads:

Thanks to the Little Flower for hearing my prayers.

Thanks to St. Jude for favor granted.

Thanks to St. Aloysius for the Saints winning.

Thanks to St. Anthony for answering my prayers.

St. Expedité answered my prayers. Thank you!

Apparently, whatever be the questionable merits of the New York Times or the Washington Post, apparently the Times-Picyaune was celestially home-delivered and had a saintly following.


4 comments:

Mike said...

What is Saint Evil Pop Tart's specialty?

John A Hill said...

My memory of the Times-Picayune:

After I dropped out of Tulane (1979), I stayed in New Orleans for the summer and fall. I lived in an apartment building in Jefferson Parish. On Sunday mornings I'd visit with an older woman that was a widow. I'd drink her chicory coffee and take the Sunday Times-Picayune with me.
She'd say, "Now John, if you're going to sit here and drink my coffee you have to talk to me. If you want to read the paper, you can take it with you when you leave. Just bring it back when you're finished."

eViL pOp TaRt said...

Mike -- I'm no saint.

John A. Hill -- Thanks for your story!

Bonjour, you all!

Grand Crapaud said...

Has anyone done a survey of favorite saints, as indicated by thank you messages?