Life, 1899-07-13 · page 7 of 20
Life — July 13, 1899 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page contains a poem titled "Stoopville on Manhattan" and accompanying editorial commentary about political resignations. The illustration shows an elephant carrying a howdah (decorative carriage) on a beach—a reference to the Republican Party mascot. The editorial discusses Mr. Alger of Michigan, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, and notes that Mr. McKinley's Cabinet members (including Governor Pingree) are conducting an educational campaign promoting Alger despite uncertainty about his qualifications. The commentary sarcastically suggests they're "carrying on an educational movement" to convince Michigan voters of Alger's merit. The poem humorously celebrates Stoopville in Manhattan as a summer refuge from urban heat—satirizing the wealthy aristocracy's escape to seaside leisure while the working poor endure the city. The final proverb contrasts men's and women's consciences, likely social commentary typical of the era's gender discourse.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Dr ae ” ~ — Stoopville on Manhattan. HEN Juno’s hot days remind you that the summer's come to stay, And your monoyed aristocracy makes hasto to Ret away, To swelter at the seaside in rich gowns of stuffy satin, Thon I rustieate at Stoopville in the Borough of Manhattan, ‘Tis thero I wond my weary way, when in tho Western sky A blood-red ball of flame forctells a fory-hot July; And, supper over, out I go, without a vost or bat on, To gathor all tho breeze that blows towards Stoopville on Manbattan, I watch the crouching cyclist as he flashes down tho street, Thoar tho children chatter as thoy play before my feet, And on thoso steps I dream and rest, a true aristocrat, In My summer homo at Stoopville in the Borough of Manbattan, “Monotony?" You're homesick In your plgeon- coop hotol. “The heat?” Some breezo will always moderate the warmest spell ; WAITING FOR GEORGE. And if theleast bit out of sort, as Horace did in Latin, Wo teach ourselves contentmont up atStoopville on Munbattan, i om wu S meena “THE APPAREL OFT PROCLAIMS THE MAN.” Whon weary of tho seaside and tho burning, seething sands, When woary of tho mountain and the flowery meadow lands, If it’s Just a change you're looking for, I'll guar- anteo you that in My country seat at Stoopville in the Borough of Manhattan, M. H.C. IFE hastens to allay the fears of such of its readers as may have been terrified with the belief that, because Mr. Alger of Michigan is a candidate for a Senatorship, he wasabout to resign from Mr, McKinley's Cabi- net. Such is distinctly not the case. Mr. Alger and Governor Pingree are simply carrying on an educational movement which will teach the people of Michigan that Mr. Alger docsn’t even know what a trust is, and that every dol- lar he has was gained by the toil of his hands and the sweat of his brow. He has never even seen an octopus. and he proposes to hang on to his present job until he gets a better one, Mr, Alger has not resigned from Mr. McKinley's Cabinet, and is not going to resign. MAN'S conscience is short and rigid; a woman's, long and elastic.