Life, 1904-09-01 · page 25 of 38
Life — September 1, 1904 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page contains three distinct pieces of satire: **"A Love Game"** (left): A romantic poem using tennis metaphors to describe courtship, where the female player consistently outmaneuvers her male opponent. The joke inverts traditional gender dynamics—she dominates the "game" effortlessly while he fumbles. **"Milton"** (center): Satirizes English cultural anxiety about America's rising influence. The piece mocks the concern that John Milton's *Paradise Lost* manuscript has been sold to America, arguing that Milton's Puritan philosophy actually *belongs* in America, where such ideas took root more successfully than in England. It's a backhanded insult to both nations. **"Some New Games"** (right): Three satirical "games" mocking American politics and religion: "Campaign" ridicules electoral contests where voters/spectators always "pay"; "Custom-House Tag" attacks bureaucratic corruption; "The Claim Game" parodies evangelical tent revivals as money-making schemes. These are thinly veiled critiques of institutional dishonesty. The right illustration appears to be dreamlike surrealism unrelated to the text.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Love Game. NNIS has come back, 1 ween, Into popularity;— Hear her mocking “ Love thirteen |” Such a stroke’s a rarity | Now a clever back-hand drive Down the line to left of me ; Hers again, as I'm alive! 'Twasn't very deft of me! Shall I “ lob" or try to pass ? Doubtful possibility With so dexterous a lass Waiting in tranquillity | Pshaw ! the plaguy ball is out"; “Net” the next experiment ; “Love game!” now I hark her shout Ina burst of merriment. As in tennis, so in love, She's the victor easily ; Always stands aloof, above, Smiling at you breezily. Were but just one love game mine— Hearts—(she has the best of them !) I'd be willing, I opine, She should win the rest of them! Sennett Stephens. Milton. HE manuscript of ‘Paradise Lost’ has gone to America, as many of us feared. —The London Globe. Wherefore not ? Milton's politics, Milton’s theology, Milton's philosophy had their brief day in England, and passed, and left no trace. In America they took root deeply, and grew and bore fruit, and are still bearing. Over there the Puritan seed fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. Here they fell on good ground, and brought forth, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold and some thirtyfold. The relics of the great Roundhead belong in America. Even his bones, it were fitter that they rested among the rocks of Saybrook or of Plymouth, in some quiet church- yard, than that they have their sepulture in yonder Abbey, where every day is chanted the liturgy he detested. Some New Games. CAMPAIGN. THs is played by four principals, Alton, Teddy, Henry and Charles. Alton and Teddy lead off and Henry and Charles follow. All the implements required are two platforms, as many barrels as you can get, and a set of votes. Alton and Teddy each stand on a barrel with a platform back of them. Henryand Charles help hold up the barrels. The idea is to fire as many votes as possible at Alton and Teddy, and the one securing the greater number is It. It's a nice game, because, whichever wins, the spectators pay the freight. CUSTOM-HOUSE TAG, All that is needed is an American Custom House, a set of officials and a lot of incoming passengers. The officials THE DREAM OF THE MAN WHO FELL ASLEEP OVER HIS COMIC SUPPLEMENT, chase the passengers around and around and make it as hot for them as possible, The official who succeeds in ill- treating the greatest number of passengers in a given time gets the blue ribbon. THE CLAIM GAME. This is played with a mother, a sacred book and a set of followe! The idea is to build a complete church and make as much money out of it for mother as possible. To do this, the fol- lowers read the book aloud for a small stake, and whoever recovers becomes an adherent. There are quite a number of hazards, such as police court absent treatment, State charities, etc., but on the whole, this is one of the most suc- cessful games played.