Life, 1900-08-09 · page 12 of 20
Life — August 9, 1900 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Life" Magazine Satirical Page Analysis This page contains a critical poem titled "A Letter to Arlo" attacking poet Arlo Bates's verse "England's Triumph." The writer mocks Bates's work as overly sentimental and criticizes his pro-British stance, suggesting he should have sided with America instead. References to "John Chuuck" (likely John Bull, representing Britain) and "Chicago lads" with "cross of red" (possibly Irish-American Civil War soldiers) indicate tensions over American identity and loyalty during the period. The right side features "Clippings from the North Smithfield 'Clarion'"—humorous cartoon vignettes depicting absurd local scenarios (church mishaps, party disasters, automobile incidents), typical of early-1900s satirical magazine humor mocking small-town life and emerging technologies. At bottom, a political question asks readers to predict America's future under either Republican or Democratic leadership.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
112 ‘LIFE: “W Ear requested by a gentleman in Toronto to publish the fol- | lowing verses : | A LETTER TO ARLO. [Areply to Mr. Ario Bates’s verses, “ England's Triumph,” copted from New York Livg in Saturday Night of June 24.) , We've read your “poem,” Arlo Dear, We do not like it much ; The metre is fantastical, The'sentiments are Dutch. You've got a dire disease, my boy You're captured by a germ; Its name is Anglophobia, It makes its victims squirm. If thus you hate the Britisher, And thus the Boer adore, Why weren't you with the happy band ; That left Chicago's shore? They left the pork metropolis, Beneath the Red Cross sign, They sneaked behind those sacred folds, To join the Kruger line. Our John Canuck respects the Boers, ; ‘Their fighting’s simply fine; But at such stuff as Yankee cranks He begs to draw the line. As for the brave Chicago lads Who wore the cross of red— They fell, with bullets in the spine, wa. axornte i corso 0 rue err FoMOEROW ro Marten And tumbled as they fled. = t Your place was with them, Arlo Dear, } Please go and die, out there ; | And leave this noble continent, | To breathe a purer air. | Erin Graham, | We think Mr. Bates may decline the i . invitation extended in the final verse. Going to South Africa and dying—in that particular cause—does not appeal to all of us. HAT will be the future condition of the United Statesof America in its governmental, social, political, domestic, artistic, literary, sporting, religious or other aspects, as a result of the election of either Republican or Democratic candidate ? For the best reply to this ques- From Canada. Clippings from the North Smithfield “Clarion.” veevanpar. Ma. ErWRAnd ACEDAKER Ras CUT BEES OFVINO MIS FROST are 4 rasan cour oF PatvT. Mus puonss sovesst was cattas vrow 10 La rus cuate ar rae wowas's eewtso cic Last EvestsG, ene MAD waves yuieo 4 cuam