Life, 1898-04-07 · page 3 of 20
Life — April 7, 1898 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Time Flies No More" by Wallace Dunbar Vincent This page features a poem illustrated with an allegorical engraving showing Father Time (an elderly bearded figure with a scythe and hourglass) meeting Miss Ninety Eight (representing the year 1898). The humor derives from personifying years as characters and depicting Time as "tired" or reluctant to continue his duties. The poem's joke suggests that years have become increasingly "wayward"—some gay, others sad—but notably, no year has ever been "wout" (without fault). Time expresses exhaustion, advising Ninety Eight to exercise patience and "mount a wheel" since "Time is money." The satire gently mocks both the fatigue of aging and the era's obsession with time management and productivity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
295 Time Flies No More. Ww" ‘ Father Time’ was totroduced, To that y arless maid, Miss Ninety With come embarrassment he bowed his head, And then, with unconcealed amazement, said: “Excuse ine, and the words that I em- ploy, : But why the mischief are you not a boy ¥ I've met the Years as they have come along ’ Since stars began their first celestial song; Some have becn gay, and others sadly staid, But not one Year bas ever been a maid!” Sweet Ninety Eight looked up with merry eyes, To see the old man’s timorous surprise, And answered: “Though a paradox it be, That you're behind the times I plainly see. Hereafter, feel uo wonder At finding womankiud in wir Recall the wars and cri Seven— Enough to fill the space ‘twixt Earth and Heaven— Then wonder, if you can, that kindly Fate Should choose a maiden to be Ninety Fight! “And now, though you will never wait for man, Just exercise your patience, if you can, While in your toga I a stitch do take, To save the nine necessity would make. There—now, before I go, take my advice, And get your hair and beard cut in a trice; Accept my watch, and throw your glass away; And don’t go flying on through night and day, But mount a wheel, and then, as Time is money, The Earth will quicker flow with imilk and honey.” . ° * Old Father Time took heed of what she sald, And now, when all the old folks are in bed, And lovers say good-by on stoops aud porches, They whisper in despair, “Oh, how Time scorches!” Wallace Dunbar Vincent, comicbooks.com