Life, 1907-08-15 · page 12 of 28
Life — August 15, 1907 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two unrelated sections. The top left features "The Sting of Death," a satirical article by Agnes Repplier criticizing spiritualism and mediums. It mocks the "puerility" of séances, where participants waste time seeking communication from deceased relatives or pets through spiritualists like "Dr. Hodgson" and "Mrs. Piper." The author suggests such activities are intellectually dishonest and degrading. The bottom right announces a contest: "Who Would Make the Worst President—and Why?" offering $50 cash for the best 200-word answer. This appears to be a humorous reader-participation feature typical of Life's satirical approach to politics, inviting readers to satirically nominate unsuitable presidential candidates. The exact historical context and intended targets remain unclear without additional dating information.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Sting of Death RS. LEONORA PIPER having returned to the United States and settled down to the society of the living, we are anxiously awaiting the results of her English trip and of her prolonged association with the dead. There never was a better chance for ghosts of mettle to show the stuff they are made of. The discouraging thing about Spiritualism has always been the amazing puerility of the spirits. With the great universe around them for inspiration, they can think of nothing but the pet name of a guinea-pig or the where- abouts of a lost jack-knife. They spend all their precious mo- ments in offering proofs of identity, and when they are identi- fied have no further word to Dr. Hodgson, to communicate with whose spirit Mrs. Piper crossed the sea, was a keen and earnest seeker after Surely laboriously those mysteries which most of us are glad to let alone. he and his medium between them will do something for the cause, something to show rational purpose and intelligence, somethin rant an expensive ocean voyage and the al- leged undermining of Mrs. Piper’s health. If the revelati it experiment which we are promised as the result of this gre at all resemble the many revelations we have had as the result of similar experiments, they would hardly be worth a trip to Coney Island. What Spiritualism has so far accomplished has been toadd a frest horror to death. Many horrors have been added to death by devout believers in immortal gloom ; but neither Dante nor Calvin conceived of anything so degrading as a medium’s parlor. The appalling thought that we ourselves may some night be dodging around a darkened room talking twaddle and ions on a slate, is too painful to be en- after all, a private affair, and even a disem- answe dured. bodied spirit has rights one should respect Agnes Repplier. THE CRUSH ON THE BRIDGE Who Would Make the Worst President— and Why ? $50 in Cash Will Be Given for the Cleverest Answer to the Above Question O ANSWER should exceed 200 words. Each contestant may send in as many answers as he or she desires. Lire will publish, as soon as possible, after they are received, those answers which, in the opinion of the editors, are worthy of publication. All answers must be received on or before September 16th, 1907: the answer which, in the judgment of the editors, is the best will be awarded the prize All manuscripts must be typewritten on one side of paper. ‘The contestant’s name and address should be plainly written on cach manuscript. All manuscripts should be addressed to the Contest Editor of Li, 17 West 31st Street, New York. Manuscripts should be accompanied by a stamped and ad- dressed envelope, in case the author desires their return. comicbooks.com