Life, 1901-06-20 · page 8 of 20
Life — June 20, 1901 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 526 This page presents a fictional narrative titled "Among the Roses" paired with an illustration labeled "Not Canals: The Changing Lines on Mars Explained. A Review on the Elysian Battle-Fields." The text describes someone's scheme to impress a woman by cutting thorns from roses in her garden—an elaborate, somewhat ridiculous plan the narrator describes as involving "inarticular idiocy." The illustration appears to be satirical commentary on contemporary astronomical debates, specifically referencing Percival Lowell's controversial claims about canals on Mars (prominent scientific discussion of the era). The image shows what appears to be a fantastical Martian landscape with battle scenes, likely mocking the tendency to imagine elaborate, romantic scenarios based on limited astronomical observations—mirroring the narrator's own elaborate romantic delusions in the accompanying story.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
526 Among the Roses. THE roses all seemed to me to nod and wink encouragement to me in my desperate en- terprise as we stepped into the garden, whither I had persuaded her to take me, ostensibly out of a desire to see her roses, but really with a far dearer and momen- tous purpose—a purpose which set my pulses throbbing rapturously and my nerves tingling deliciously whenever I pictured it to myself as in process of accomplish- ment, and which, when- ever I actually tried to execute it, involved me in inarticulate idiocy. “If you will lend me your knife to cut the thorns off, I will get you a rose for your button- * she offered, gen- erously. It was my opportunity, the chance which I had pictured myself as im- proving with graceful and winning ease more Tins rms 1b Lost mv una | ANOTHER HOARY: UEADED IMPosTOR, NOT CANALS. THE CHANGING LINES ON MARS EXPLAINED. than a million times, and the clammy chills at once began to creep and crinkle up and down my spine with horrific intensity. Ihad a hazy inspiration that now was the time to say, with thrilling meaning in my gaze, something about devoting the rest of my life to removing the thorns from hers. This, I felt dimly, would be A REVIEW ON THE ELYSIAN BATTLE-PIELDS. a grand introduction for the eloquent avowal I was determined to make then and there. “Oh, of course — most happy — with the greatest pleasure,”’ I gasped wildly, fumbling for my knife and words with which to utilize the inspiration. ‘“I—I'd be the—the happiest * man—the happiest man alive if —if—the comicbooks.com