Life, 1901-01-31 · page 8 of 20
Life — January 31, 1901 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 88 - "Life's Correspondent Abroad" This is a satirical piece dated January 12, 1901, from Marseilles, France. The main cartoon depicts European political instability, illustrated by a demonic figure labeled "Wisdom and Foolishness" surrounded by chaos—representing revolutionary upheaval and political turmoil threatening Europe. The accompanying text describes a correspondent's travels through European political/diplomatic circles, mentioning specific figures and incidents (including references to the Dreyfus Affair context and colonial conflicts). The satirical angle critiques both European political dysfunction and English attitudes toward continental problems. The right-side sketch shows figures in conversation, likely satirizing diplomatic encounters or political discussions of the period. Overall, the page uses humor to comment on European instability and Anglo-European relations circa 1900-1901.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN OLD MAID, nOD-HOD." Life’s Correspondent Abroad. (Special Correspondence to Lave.) Mansei.ies, France, Jan. 12, 1901. T was necessary to save Europe from convulsion ; it essential to know Kriiger’s aims to allay fears of revolution; it was desirable that his itinerary should be learned that excursions might be ran to view him at different points. Although it was known that seven corre- spondents of the Hearse-Palwhisker Syndicate had been thrown overboard the Gelderland in the Suez Canal, I went after the old man in deference to the pleadings of the cabinets of Europe and the Cook Excursion Company. I met the Gelderland off Corsica and sent up my card. The exiled President met me on the poop deck in his pajamas and embraced me. He rallied me on my jaded looks, and I tactfully gave him the latest variant from Weber and Fields on breezes and whiskers. He was convulsed and called me a mad, merry wag, and then we retired to his boudoir for T. D. Chiboques and Jameson's whiskey. Paul Kriger looks fresh despite atouch of salt rheam. He came to Enrope to take the baths before Croker takes them—to New York, and has no designs on the German Empire. Incidentally he said, “It is a grave mistake to blame England for the Raid; that wasan American outrage. The Bryan Silver Party did that to destroy the gold mines and raise the price of silver, I have never revealed this dark secret before, Squeelman.’’ ‘Are you sure of this?’ I gasped, a flood of light rushing on me. at WISDOM AND FOOLISHNESS. THIS TINE MR, WISE WAS PULL, AND THE FOOL WAS LIKE WISE. a SS ae “LADY, COULD YER HELP A POOR GUY WOTS GOT CANCER UV DE STOMACH, CHRIRROSI# UV DELIVER, ATROPHY UV DE SPLEEN, INFLAMMATION UY DE APPENDIX, CURVATURE UV DE SPINE AND PARALYSIS UV DE List! “WHY, YES. COME RIGHT IN. MY SON JOHN 18 JUST HOME ON A VACATION FROM THE YALE MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND WILL BE GLAD TO OPERATE UPON YOU FOR NOTHING AT ALL.” AND THEN— “ Sure of it?’ answered the stern old man. ‘ Absolutely ! I have it over Joe Chamberlain’s signature, and he has Hanna's affidavit for it. I bave not lost faith in human integrity and disinterested patriotism,and if we cannot believe Chamberlain and Hanna,whom can we believe?” I was still unconvinced. ‘* Why, then, do you hate Englishmen ?’’ Lasked. “TI am not devoid of humor?’ he said questioningly. I shook my head, as I knew his passion for blood: purifiers. I said he had humor, “But I do not like English humor; the Anglo-Saxon pun irritates me. Iwas suffering from eczema in ’89 and was engaged in curing it and stocking a gold mine, designed for circulation in Eng- land. My doctor was a Briton, and I tried to work him for a thousand shares. He said to me, with British insolence, ‘I'd rather comicbooks.com