Life, 1907-04-25 · page 21 of 24
Life — April 25, 1907 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains humorous short pieces typical of early 20th-century satirical magazines: **"A Phony Tennyson"** parodies Tennyson's famous poem "Break, Break, Break" to mock chronic telephone service failures—a modern frustration of the era. The speaker rages at dropped calls and incompetent operators instead of romantic loss. **"Requiring Application"** offers brief comedic anecdotes about conversation and social awkwardness, including jokes about weather talk and financial anxiety ("bull or bear"—stock market terminology). **"Unjust"** presents a short comic scenario where a nephew points out his creditors have wronged his uncle, so disinheriting him seems unfair. **"The Bishop and the Robber"** tells an anecdotal story (attributed to Bishop Talbot) about a stagecoach robbery where the robber, learning his victim is an Episcopal clergyman, lets him pass—implying either shared faith or mockery of the church's reputation. The remaining content consists of advertisements for A.1. sauce and Cascade Whisky. The page reflects early 1900s concerns: telecommunications reliability, market speculation, and social propriety.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Many readers of The Silent War welcome it as a friendly warning. Others angrily denounce it. A PHONY TENNYSON Break, break, break My phone connections—see? And I would that my tongue could utter ‘The thoughts that arise in me O well for the telephone girl That she’s only in reach of my shout; O well for the manager, too, ‘That his lies cannot be found out And the damnable breaks go on. ‘To the ruin of business hopes; But O for a chance to revenge myfell On the telephone centeal dopes! Break, break, break, And T rave most bootlesslee! But the tender grace of a placid mind Will never come back to me New Vork Mail REQUIRING APPLICATION »ple talk about the weather because they don’t like to think,” remarked the man who makes a study of conversation Not in this climate,” answered the contradictory. person You've got to keep your mind on it here. ‘The w liable to change while you're talking about it.""—Washingtor Dows Throgmorton Street they walked side by side in eelancholy silence. Bull or bear?" whispered the sympathetic friend. Merely the ordinary ruddy ass, laddie,” returned the Blomy one, and passed on.—Sporting Times. LMU) be Compulewuiu tees lhe tharub utile and; Vth antl tinue a conblinil Lm ; WZ to lhe Mle: {Dh walle teat wand bl dongeot, Uti We Cheiyfisl. — UNJUST Uncte: If you go on like this, I shall disinherit you. Neruew: But, my dear uncle, my creditors have done you no harm.—Translated Jor Transatlantic Tales jrom Meggen dorjer Blaetter Iv a pinch, use Allen's Foot: Ease THE BISHOP AND THE ROBBER A host of admirable stories are told by Bishop Talbot in his delightful book of reminiscences, “My People of the Plains.” Here is one of them, told apropos of the frequency of stage robberies “1 never had Bishop Kemper's experience in the early days of Kansas. ‘The Bishop was the victim of a hold-up one night when he was the only passenger. ‘The driver told the road agent, who had covered him with a six-shooter, that his only passenger was a bishop. “*Well,’ said the robber, ‘wake up the old man. I want to go through his pockets." “When the Bishop was aroused from a sound slumber, and realized the situation, he gently remonstrated with the man be hind the gun. He said: “*Surely you would not rob a poor bishop. I have no money worth your while, and Iam engaged in the discharge of my 4 duties.’ you say you were a bishop?’ asked the road agent Ves; just a poor bishop.” What church ?* Phe Episcopal Church." The h—— you are! Why, that’s the church I belong to. Driver, you may pass on.""" AS SOME OF US KNOW Un A perfect old-fashioned sour mash, copper-distilled whisky. Mild and mellow. Aged by time alone. AT ALL rimsT CLASS MOTELS, GEO, A, DICKEL & CO., Distillers, Nashville, Tenn. CAFES AND BARS comicbooks.com