Life, 1901-05-16 · page 9 of 22
Life — May 16, 1901 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 413 This page contains two distinct satirical pieces: **Upper cartoon**: "Her Auto-graph" depicts an early automobile with two men confronting what appears to be a street inspector or official. The accompanying verse mocks inspectors' power, depicting them as predatory officials who strip citizens of possessions under the guise of authority. The poem celebrates an inspector's "happy" life of intimidation and extortion. **Lower section**: "Eminence" is a brief joke about a poet who married successfully—his household name is apparently worth nearly three hundred dollars annually (likely mocking both poets' poverty and the commercialization of fame). Both pieces reflect early 20th-century American skepticism toward government officials and satirize social pretensions. The automobile reference dates this to the automobile era's early decades.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
We're waiting kere to make it hot for them! Hot for them! ‘We will throw them down and strip’em of their clothing, Of their clothing, While the politicians lgugh to see such fan, See such fun, And we'll never mind our victims and their loathing, And their loathing, An inspector's life is such a happy one! Happy one! The reverve that Uncle Sam's a-making, Sam's a-making, Is quite inconsequential, as you know, As you know. ‘nfant” trade must be a-slaking, Be a-slaking, Its thirst for ‘‘rake-off" profits as they grow! Butevery As they grow! So we'll {usy about the passengers incoming, ’Gers incoming, With a prying zeal that's never, never done! er done! And we'll strip ’em and insult 'em while we're humming, While we're hamming, “ An inspector's life is such a happy one!” Happy one! MER AUTOGRAPH. The “Penumbria” new arrices at the wharf.and the innocent passengers freelu vent thelr joyousness, until their eforts to land are frustrated, and they see their wives, husbands, relatives and friends beckon to them tn cain from the shore, They are Rept back, however, while the inspectors proceed to “do the act™ and make it as uncomfortalie for thern as possible. This goes on for several hours, until finally the passergera, mere dead than alire, are allowed to march out, or what ix left of them, Although feetke, they contrive to carry Mr. Wet Blanket, who te now the hero of the hour, on their shoulders, chanting as they 90. FINAL CHORUS OF DEPARTING PASSENGERS Alas! How unexpected Your greeting, Uncle Sam ! Your tradesmen you've protected ! O, hollow, hollow sham! The Jew you have appointed To play this vulgar game, And him you have anointed To strip us in our shame. sir! , Unele Sam! or your own Yankee folk, sir, You do not give a d—r rucl, such a jol on ye Home, Home, sweet Hon 0, land that’s not so fr We much prefer to We've had enough CURTAIN. Tom Masson, Eminence. “(QHE married a poet, didn’t she? And is he successful?” “Oh, yes; remarkably so. Why, his name is a household word on two continents, and last year his income ly three hundred dollars.” comicbooks.com