Life, 1899-02-16 · page 5 of 20
Life — February 16, 1899 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 125 This page contains a humorous dialogue titled "Through Shell Phone" where a War Department official is being called by someone named "Life." The conversation satirizes bureaucratic attitudes toward wartime service—the caller complains about poor treatment, papers being lost, and low regard from army officers and the public. The chess term illustration at bottom ("Knight Takes Bishop") provides visual wordplay commentary. The large photograph shows what appears to be a domestic scene with a suitor being interrogated by a father figure about his intentions toward a young woman—captioned as commentary on engagement propriety. Together, these pieces satirize institutional indifference (military bureaucracy) and social conventions (courtship), reflecting post-WWI American anxieties about duty, respect, and proper conduct.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
$25 Ho is only obeying his natural instincts, The Major i ine H LLO! War Department?’ =H “_ “Alger in?” “This you, most noble Secretary? “Lire.” ot at all. Tho sentiment is mutual, I can assure you.” Not treated you well? Who bas? Tho pers haven't.” “No, northe public neither, Even tho—" y even the army officers v1 are protty low down,” “Yes, And the intelligent and liberal- t the bot- tom of a good deal of the—hello!” minded Republicans say you are “Tsay dirty work.” “ Of course it’s hard, you should treat all this’ Do you know how “Why, Good- “H LLO! Yos, this is Lire.” Oh, how are you, General Miles?" with resignation, of course. Her Father: CHESS TERM. (KNIGHT TAKES BISHOP.” The Budding Manny HER — YOU, WHAT DO TOU WANT TO SEE ME AB uppointed him, and the Major is responsible.” “Ofcourse, But the Sceretary’s sense of honor is like the beef some of the soldiers got—it’s embalmed.” an got excited, that's all.” m to be sore all around. havo been in the navy. Never mind." You ought to Hello!” “Hello! [say nover mind, You can still write for the magazines, Good-by.” AN UP.TO-DATE SUITOR. IP YOU ANE ALREADY ENGAGED AND MATTERS HAVE BEEN SETTLED BETWEEN Tt Financier : 1 WOULD LIKE TO KNOW PROM YOU WNETHER 17's ADVISABLE TO comicbooks.com