Life, 1908-08-20 · page 3 of 22
Life — August 20, 1908 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces: **"John o'Dreams" poem** by Theodisia Garrison: A nostalgic verse about lost youth and wonder, unrelated to current events. **"Africa" section**: A satirical commentary on Africa's role in solving various Western problems. The text humorously suggests Africa supplies circuses with exotic animals, provides stories for boys' magazines, and references historical conflicts (Boer War, black eye references). It concludes by noting Mr. Roosevelt will "fetch it back" and install a Sphinx at Oyster Bay—an apparent jab at President Theodore Roosevelt's enthusiasm for African big-game hunting and collecting. **"Mr. Bug" cartoon**: Shows a subway accident with anthropomorphic insects, captioned as a transportation disaster heard "the last half hour"—likely satirizing contemporary urban transportation mishaps. The page reflects early 1900s American attitudes toward Africa as an exotic resource for Western entertainment and presidential ambition.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copyright 1008 Vy Lite Pusitshing Company John o'Dreams HAT a world that’ was you planned us— ade of Summer and the sea, Where the very wind that fanned us Drifted down from Arcad There where never Fate might sunder Rose your castle’s shining beams. Are you there to-day, I wonder, John o’ Dreams? That was but a trick Life played you When this planet knew your birth, When she trapped your soul and made you One of us on dreary earth. ce for you what fancies crossed it, Lures of alien stars and streams; Have you found the path or lost it, John o’ Dreams? Just a little day in May-time Once I took the road with you; Just a boy and girl in play-time With a vision to pursue. I but glimpsed the glow around it Ere I turned, and yet it seems Sometimes that you surely found it, Jobn o’Dreams. . Theodosia Garrison. cowarps !! Africa I' Africa has furnished us with a negro problem, it has also solved that other one as to what to do with our ex-Presidents. So it is about an even thing. Africa supplies us with lions and ele- phants for our circuses, porters for our Pullman cars and diamonds to wear at our breakfast tables. It also keeps us furnished with boys’ stories and maga- zine articles. If there had been no Africa there would have been no Boer War, and England might have saved herself a black eye. Africa has a Desert of Sahara, which equals in popular interest a National Prohibition Convention, and a River Nile, which enables travelers to. spend their money freely as far as the Second Cataract. Africa also has a Sphinx, but it is now understood that Mr. Roosevelt will fetch it back with him and install it in Oyster Bay, where it will be a warning to all future generations. ad IOW does Peterby get along with his wife? ’’ “How should I know? Why, I would just as soon ask him how he got along with his creator.’’ Gee! THERE MUST BE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN THE SUBWAY VVE HEARD THIS SHOUTING FOR THE LAST HALP HOUR. comicbooks.com