Life — September 5, 1889 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Page Analysis This page from *Life* magazine features a romantic illustration by Albert E. Sterner (signed lower left) depicting a scenic landscape with water and vegetation. The accompanying poem is attributed to William Clyde Fitch, a prominent American playwright of the late 19th/early 20th century. The text is sentimental rather than satirical—it contemplates aging love and shared mortality ("When you are old, / And love is old, / And we are old together, / Will hearts be cold"). This represents *Life*'s lighter content, mixing literary excerpts with artwork. Rather than political commentary, this page demonstrates the magazine's broader editorial scope beyond satire, appealing to readers' romantic and literary sensibilities. The mood is melancholic and introspective rather than humorous.