Life, 1885-06-11 · page 4 of 16
Life — June 11, 1885 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 326 **"A Land-Lubber's Lay"** (left column): A narrative poem satirizing the captain of the ship *Berlin*, who remained composed ("cool") during a maritime disaster—the vessel sank after colliding with another ship, losing cargo and passengers. The satire mocks the captain's unflappable demeanor as he receives commendation, suggesting ironic commentary on misplaced heroism during negligence or failure. **Right column items**: Brief satirical notes on contemporary issues—a proposed verb "Odium" referencing Brooklyn Bridge suicides; criticism of Mr. Lamar's office bathroom; and complaints about proposed elevated transit and Air Line balloons. The final item mocks a senator demanding payment for legislative votes, characterizing New York politicians as corrupt. The page exemplifies *Life*'s role as a social and political satirist of early 20th-century America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A LAND-LUBBER'S LAY. TE HE good ship Berlin left the dock To plough the broad Atlantic ; Some passengers on leaving land Began to get quite frantic, For fear their baggage had been left In dreary Liverpool ; But spite their wailings and their tears, The Captain, he was cool ! She bore her way thro’ latitudes With danger greatly fraught ; But all the perils of the sea Were really not the sort To frighten one out of his wits, Unless perchance a fool — Particularly when he saw The Captain, he was cool! The vessel ran an iceberg down, And sank a sailing craft ; She drowned some twenty fishermen, And drove ten sailors daft ; She broke her bowsprit, smashed her stern, And lost her steering tool ; And even when her boiler burst, The Captain, he was cool ! Now when the Berlin reached New York The passengers did sign A testimonial, saying that When on the foaming brine, In spite of mishaps every day Sufficient to befool The ship and crew and passengers, The Captain, he was cool/ And though his ship had wrecked a bark And drowned some twenty-five, And burnt the baggage in the hold, And never did arrive Until some three weeks after time, Upon the whole his rule Deserved a purse and golden watch, Because he was so cool ! So, Captains, heed this moral here, No matter what may be ; Be sure to have an accident When sailing o’er the sea, For if you do n't no chance you ‘Il have To win the little pool Which always does accrue to him Who happens to be cool. Etimoiocists are considering the advisability of adding a new verb to our language: TO ODLUM, meaning the act of jumping from the Brooklyn Bridge. Thus, instead of saying: He jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge, we shall say: He Od/umed, and instead of remarking that-a man is capable of such a foolhardy undertaking as jumping from the Brooklyn Bridge, we shall simply say: He ts a Hoodlum. It will be seen that this will be a great saving of valuable time. ° . * PICTORIAL SHAKESPEARE. A NIPPING AND A NIGGER HEIR. . . * HE Tribune criticises Mr. Lamar for having a bath- room adjoining his office. . This seems unjust in the 7rzbune, as that paper slings so much mud at the whole administration that our only wonder is that all cabinet officers do not follow Mr. Lamar’s example. e * * R. JAKE SHARP has at last fastened his fangs on the surface of Broadway, and is laying his track at a furious rate of speed. The surface gone, the Arcade Underground Road is being agitated, while the possibility of an elevated road looms up. All that is wanted now to take a man from the Park to the Battery is an Air Line, running balloons every five minutes, and we hope that this crying want will not be allowed to go unfulfilled. ‘ . . R. GUNN is very indignant because a Senator offered to give him his vote on a certain bill before the legis- lature for $1,000. We are not surprised. To charge $1,000 for such a cheap affair as a New York State Legislator is downright swindling.