Life, 1909-01-07 · page 17 of 60
Life — January 7, 1909 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces mocking early 20th-century American trends. **"Getting Even"** (top cartoon): An motorist stuck in snow pays a boy to deliver a message to a farmer. The farmer, delighted that automobiles are stranded, gleefully refuses help—suggesting rural resentment toward wealthy urban drivers and their newfangled vehicles. **"We Are Seven"** (text piece): A parody of Wordsworth's poem, this satirizes Americans' obsession with trendy movements. A village girl claims seven siblings, but they're scattered among fads: Christian Science, Yoga, "New Thought," psychology, and the "Emmanuel movement" (a faith-healing sect). The joke: Americans blindly follow whatever intellectual/spiritual fashion is current, rather than maintaining stable beliefs. **"Make a Submarine of Her"**: A brief quip about the USS *Yankee*, which sank twice, sarcastically suggesting it should be converted to a submarine since it's so good at sinking. The page ridicules American superficiality and class tensions during the Progressive Era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Whi Hu) whl My GETTING EVEN Autoiss (who has paid boy to bring assistance): pip YoU Give THE FARMER MY MESSA Boy: ver; 1 TOLD WIM THER’ WUZ FOUR AUTOMOBEELERS STUCK IN A DRIFF! AN’ CUDDENT GIT OUT, “WHAT DID HE say?"? “HE SAID ‘HOORAY,’ AN’ GIMME ANOTHER QUAKTER. “We Are Seven” “And yet you say seven? ”* “That's quite correct. 1 shall main- tain it, in spite of everything.”’ “But, nay, nay,’* I protested, “if, as you I these things have happened, surely, you are not as you have stated.”* But the little maid was firm. “It isn't their fault," she whispered. “Being Americans, they must follow dutifully in the lead of the latest fool fad. So, I still say, with all the em- may be allowed to ask, where are the Phasis due from my rural position, that others?" WE ARE SEVEN,’” She waved her band in the distance. And that was all I could get out of the course of our morning stroll, we met the customary village m: “Good morning, dearie,"” we said, with studied politeness, “ Tell us, if you please —are you the only one in your family.”’ She smiled the usual village maiden smile. Oh, dear, no!’ she exclaimed. “Don’t you know, it is a matter of his- tory that we are seven? ”” “ Sol’? we exclaimed. “And if we “One of them,’ she explained, “is a her. Christian Scientist—my eldest _ sister. Two have taken up the Yogi cult, and Make a Submarine of Her are practicing rhythmic breathing all over the country. Two are in New Thought, T cruiser Yankee, which has sunk one is a psychologist, and my little twice within three months, has suf- brother has just been converted to the ficiently disclosed that her talent is for Emmanuel movement.” submarine navigation. STARTING IN ON A SMA comicbooks.com