Life, 1900-10-18 · page 7 of 22
Life — October 18, 1900 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 307 This page contains two distinct pieces: **"The Charge of the 300,000"** — A poem (attributed to G. H. Bacon) with accompanying illustration depicting a woman in a corridor. The text references a military charge of "three hundred—thousand" and mentions "Boers," "Highlands," and "Horse Guard." This appears to satirize the Second Boer War (1899-1902), likely mocking either British military strategy or recruitment efforts. The repeated phrase "three hundred—thousand" suggests absurdity about troop numbers. **"His Idea"** — A brief dialogue section below discussing monopolies, trusts, and fighting "the octopus" from inside. This appears to be social/political commentary on corporate power during the Progressive Era, though the specific context is unclear without more background. The magazine's satirical intent targets both military matters and economic power structures of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Tv “MWRAVENS! YOU SAID YOU WERE A PAPER-HANGER.” “DON'T BE ALARMED, MISS, THIS 18 ONLY THE FIRST ULL STICK THE SECOND ONE ON CROSSWISE, AND THAT'LL COVER UP ALL THE BARE SPOTS.” ¢ AMMA: Ethel, I must really forbid you touch- ing that lobster—you know it does not agree with you. ETHEL (resignedly): Very well, mamma, but it does seem as if everything in this world that is nice is either wicked or indigestible. JS the Almighty displeased with Ger- many? . ‘A good chance for an argument for those who belleve 10 special dispensa- tions of Providence, ts afforded by the fact that throughout the German Empire during the last ten years, thunder storms are becoming more ‘prevalent and disastrous. From 1877 to 1809 the number of butld- ings struck by lightning tu the centrat part of the Empire was over double that of the previous decade. In 1809 over thirteen hundred persons were injured or killed by igbtning. A marked tn- crease over previous years. ‘There is only one conclusion that can be entertained—Emperor William has been getting too brash. His recent utterances on the Chinese question are enough tn themselves. If he wishes to take a slice of the Orient, let him doit quietly and peaceably, or else stand from under. , Boers to right of ‘em, © Halt!" (Of course they were undismayed !) 307 The Charge of the 300,000. ALFA MILE, half a mile, Half a mile onward— Just about one mile per day Rode the three hundred—thousand. Boers to left of 'em, Millions of Boers! Volleyed and thundered ; No one can ever tell Where they all came from), well, Anyway, on-they went, Noble three hundred—thousand. Flashed all their knee-pans bare, Flashed us they turned in air, Shocking the Boer girls. —Shooting, they wondered : Then the Highlanders broke Back through the Lyddite smoke, Horse Guard and Coldstreams _ Reeled from their ‘‘ Back, you bloke!” Shattered and sundered. ‘Thus they came back, but not— Not the three hundred—thousand. And the Big Brigade Sat in Tugela’s shade, While everyone blundered. Theirs not to get to White, Theirs but to sit there tight, And wait for three hundred—thousand. Boers to right of ’em, Boers to left of 'em, Dozens of Boers! Volley and thunder. ‘There they are, fighting well, (So all their papers tell! ) Right in the jaws of Death. —Oh, how those jaws must swell To hold 'en—three hundred—thousand. When will their glory fade? Never, while men are made Stupid as thunder. Ha! ha! The fight they've made! Ho! ho! The Big Brigade! Noble three hundred—thousand ! @. R. Bacon, LOR DATE: Reading maketh an empty man. His Idea. RIEND: How does it come, Push- ington, that you, who have so frenziedly denounced monopolies and combinations, have sold your factory to the Trust? Manuracturer: Well, I—ah!—dis- covered that the best place to fight the octopus is from the inside.