Life, 1900-03-15 · page 9 of 20
Life — March 15, 1900 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Historical Bits: General Gage and the Boston Boys" This satirical piece mocks British General Gage during the American Revolutionary period through a poem titled "Good Bye, My Heart!" The illustration shows colonial soldiers (the "Boston Boys") with military instruments confronting what appears to be a British officer in an interior setting. The poem uses mock-romantic language to parody Gage's relationship with Boston, treating his withdrawal or departure as a heartbroken lover's farewell. The satire criticizes Gage—likely for his perceived weakness or failure to control the colonists—by feminizing his emotional state and juxtaposing it against the martial resolve of the Boston resistance. A brief anecdote about Senator Plumtree and Senator Peacetree appears below, though its connection to the main illustration is unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Good Bye, My Heart! OOD BYE, my heart! Speed thou without regret Unto a doubtful fate, It must bo 80! Bho has not even asked for thee, and yet It is my lover's fate that thou shouldst go. Good bye, my heart! Itoss theo inher lap! Go, try thy luck ; no string is tied to thee, If there thou jostle other hearts, maybap A favorite of hers thou'lt prove to be. ¥ ig HISTORICAL BITS. xiv. GENERAL GAGE AND THR BOSTON BOYS. Good bye, my beart! No matter what botides Of unrequited love—go thou without demur, With stains and dents on thine embattled sides, Just as thou art, I'd have thee fly to her. Yot, if thou comest back to mo once more Shamefacedly, like one who, all In vain, Has sought with straining sail somo fleet- ing shoro— Some all unconquered, beauty - tinged’ main, Thou thing of woe,I shall not say thee nay, But, with stout courage, I'll bid thee unfurl A canvas of new hopo; I'll simply say: “Good bye, my heart! Go, seek some other girl!” Tom Masson, <¢]T is charged that Senator Check- book paid too much for his seat,” said Senator Plumtree to Senator Peachtree. “Yes, he might as well have bought a seat in the New York Stock Exchange while he was about it.”