Life, 1903-03-05 · page 13 of 22
Life — March 5, 1903 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces: **"A Fragment from the Oxyrhynchous Papyri"** is a mock-biblical text (styled like ancient Egyptian papyrus discoveries) that allegorizes a coal strike and profiteering crisis. It depicts a wealthy man who exploits a fuel shortage, charging exorbitant prices to rich and poor alike while accumulating vast wealth. The satire lies in portraying his greed as divinely sanctioned—he builds monuments to learning while the people suffer, then hypocritically thanks God for "mercy." This appears to critique wartime or postwar profiteering by industrialists during a genuine crisis. **The cartoon below** shows Miss Jones commenting to Mr. Brown (who has outlived three wives) that heaven must be "mixed up" with multiple Mrs. Browns. Brown's response—that they're "all different shades of brown"—is a crude racial joke, appearing to suggest his wives differed by race or complexion. This reflects the casual, offensive racial humor common in early-20th-century American publications. Both pieces satirize exploitation and social inequality of their era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Jr. Brown A Fragment from the Oxyrhynchous Papyri. ND the Lord hardened their hearts so that they hark- ened not unto the plaints of their servants. And be- hold, because of the intolerable burdens which were laid upon them, the servants rebelled against their masters, and there was a coal famine in the land. In all the length and breadth of the land not a pick was raised ; nota man lifted his hand to draw the treasures of the mines from the bowels of the earth. And great was the woe ; but the end was not yet. For still the Lord hardened their hearts. And He caused a bitter wind to blow, and the snow to fall from out the heavens, and a wailing arose in all the houses of the land. Yea, there was not a house where wailing was not heard. And behold there dwelt a mighty man in the land. His coffers were bursting with gold. Day and night his wells gushed forth oil, yea, with a great flood of oil gushed they forth. And the man cried, Behold as of old, Daniel the prophet read the writing on the wall, so do I now plainly read the work of the Lord in this. Even as the Philistines were delivered into the hands of Saul, so are these people delivered into my hands. And when they came to him, the rich and the poor, the Vloun Penee. Vern. Miss Jones (to Mr. Brown, who has survived three wives): THEY MUST GET KIND OP MIXED UP IN HEAVEN WITH 80 MANY MRS. BROWNS anovT. OU, NO, E CALCULATE NoT. YOU SEE, NOW THEY'RE ALL DIPPERENT SHADES OF BROWN. widows and the fatherless, beseeching oil, because of the coal famine, he showed no mercy. All alike received no oil but at great price. Yea more, much more, than had been exacted in the time of plenty exacted he of them. From the rich and the poor, from the widows and the fatherless, exacted he alike, even to the uttermost farth- ing. And they that had no money went away empty-handed. And the riches of the man waxed more and more, his coffers were heaped high, yea, as high as the mountains. And because the hand of the Lord was plain, out of his great abundance the man builded halls and seats of learn. ing. And the fame of his name went forth into all the quarters of the earth. And daily in the temple he gave thanks to the Lord for His great mercy. s HAT are you people in New York going todo about your inadequate transit system? Are you getting ready to migrate?” “« Migrate ? No, dear man ! There are three kinds of people in New York : Those who have lived in better pla hose who have lived in worse places, and those who have never lived anywhere else. The first can’t get back; the second won't go back, and the third don’t know where to go, They will all hang by a strap and grin and bear it.”” comicbooks.com