Life, 1899-02-09 · page 3 of 20
Life — February 9, 1899 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine (dated 1899, based on the Valentine's Day header) contains three distinct pieces: 1. **"A Book of Matthew Prior's"** — A romantic poem celebrating women from literary history, presented as a Valentine's gift. 2. **"Bravery"** — A brief satirical dialogue joking that a war hero's bravery consisted merely of eating everything available, mocking hollow war narratives. 3. **"When They Wrote on Stones"** — A humorous exchange between an "Egyptian Poet" and "Egyptian Editor" about manuscript rejection, using ancient Egypt as a stand-in to satirize contemporary publishing frustrations. The cartoon illustration depicts a woman disciplining misbehaving children, with a caption about inadequate seating for female skaters—likely satirizing Victorian-era public accommodations or gender-specific constraints. The page blends romance, wartime mockery, and publishing humor typical of *Life*'s satirical approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Infrequent. F the “Has Beens” there are many, Of the “ Ne’er Was” more by far, Tho “Going to Bo” aro legion, But how scarce aro those that “Are”! HE war censorship having been removed, Lire is at last able to divulge a very important piece of news. Mr. Alger of Michi- gan is still Secretary of War in President McKinley’s Cabine A Book of Matthew Prior's. (A VALENTINE ort.) ERE’S to Belinda’s shoe, Here's rhymes to Chloe's praiso, The loves that Venus knew In those old courtly days; One reads in silken phraso Euphelia still aspires Fond eyes to meet her gaze, Hero in this book of Prior’s! A patched and powdered Pruo Her carriago-chair delays To learn what then was new In those old courtly da; She chats about the plays, Tho songs of newest lyres, Upon the latest craze, Hero in this book of Prior's! Oh, scented bille! That fed Love And oft the candle’ In those old courtly days, No pen of mine conveys My own heart's ardent flres So well as do these lays Here in this book of Prior's! 1 ol, So, Prince of sweet affrays In those old courtly days, Let her read my desires Here in this book of Prior's! Harold MacGrath. Bravery. HE: You might have been a hero in the war if you had wanted to, He: I was. Late everything that was placed before me. When They Wrote on Stones. GYPTIAN POET (angrily): Then why don't you return my manuscript? T-NOTIS. YOU SEEM S'PRIZED, MISTER HENDERSO: a mentee ae “I NOTIS. YOU SERM S'PRIZED, s N, BUT DEY 18 MAKING FEMALE Eorrttan Eortor (coldly): You enclosed no SKATES SO POW'FUL SMALL DIS YEAU, DAT 1 HAD TER DOUBLE MA SUPPLY OR FOREGO ox-team. DE PLEASURE.” comicbooks.com