Life, 1909-03-18 · page 30 of 32
Life — March 18, 1909 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical poem mocks historical debunkers and skeptics who questioned the authenticity of famous figures and events. The poet anticipates future critics will deny the existence or accomplishments of contemporary early-1900s personalities—including President Theodore Roosevelt (implied by "Teddy's message"), William Randolph Hearst, Andrew Carnegie, James J. Corbett (the boxer), and others. The humor lies in equating plausible historical myths (Paul Revere, Homer, the Trojan War) with absurd future denials of recently-lived public figures. The refrain "A hundred years from now!" emphasizes how ridiculous it would be to doubt the existence of people the magazine's readers knew personally. This reflects early-1900s anxiety about historical truth-seeking and academic skepticism—the concern that overzealous scholars might dismiss documented reality. It's essentially a defense of contemporary figures against future historical revisionism.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
gale laleelons z | The Iconoclasts Copyiht 1008 by Le Pod Ca “Paul Revere a myth!"—Daily Poper, y that Paul Revere’s a myth, . Shakespeare was Lord Bacon's name; 160 Pictures That good old Homer's name was Smith, And so deny the poet's fame. for 25 Cents They tell us that the Trojan fray a Was but a common vulgar row I wonder what the deuce they'll say A hundred years from now? No doubt theyll say that Tamm Was not the Sachem of New Y That Lyman Abbot, LL.D., Wrote Teddy's message on the S x They'll say that Lincoln Steffens wr = : O. Khayyam’s verses on “ The CULTIVATING THR WAIST PLACES And call Depew anecdote A bundred years from now! Phetogravure, VG ty 13% in. Some critic with an avid eye For dark and deep historic fake Corytehe WOT by Lite Ped Co Will rise and blatantly deny your home with cheer- That Haskell ever got the shake On receipt of twenty- il tell us Rockefeller had A F Red ringlets hanging from his brow; five cents we will send you our Due LAG Ge eas. little book of LIFES PRINTS A hundred years from now! containing 160 reproductions of " these most artistic and pleasure- Some Aleck smart of that far time : Will delve into our present day, giving pictures. . \ And say that Gompers was a rhyme, With it you will also receive A bit of bogie-roundelay the supplement of 47 additional That Cannon was a work of art Hand-painted on the gild Of Uncle Sammy's Tariff-Cai LIFE. PUBLISHING CO. A hundred years from nov 17 West 31st Street, New York They'll say that Hearst was but That Brisbane wrote Tom W t Fields and Weber were a team That preached the Gospel to our croo! And they'll deny that Charlie Mc Carnegie’s Book-Stalls did endow And claim Hughes was a Trotting-IT iskit for th I A hundred years from now! sable type pictures, Copyright 1907 by Life Pod Co. LOVE ME LITTLE, LOVE ME LONG . e 1 7 frual!of Heav'n help us when these Knockers knock! [Moi ikar notic Photogravure, 1385 by 16 in © record's safe when they hes They'll prove Bok was never | That Bryan was bereft of chin What use is Hohenzollern blood What use is effort, toil, and vow They'll prove the Kaiser’s name was M years from now! yle Smith in Harper Zangwill’s Name "We've got to fr Mr. Zangwill’s recent presence in { Hand-colored India Pri meliness to an appreciation of 1 $2.00 and * from the pen of Clar which appears in Putnam's and Mr. Rook retells the a acteristic anecdote of his reply to The prints described, whose prices are given, are PHOTO-GRAVURES asked his Christian’ name—kis ‘usual!’ » hi ible quality and finish.- Neither care nor expense has being I. 1, “I have no of the highest possible. qualti fi P he answered. “ My first name is Isr been spared to attain the very best artistic results, Scening Post. = With Apologies to T. R. “T ain't insultin’ of yer—I tell yer T . callin’ of yer a liar, an’ yer ARE one The Great Poe oe ss “The Charles Eliot Norton," said a Ros- * Sins If tonian, “used humorously to deplore th Jern BERMUDA ti : youth's preference of brawn to brain —_- 5 wr have “'He used to tell of a football game he once == aed HOTEL HAMILTON fi '«* witnessed. Princeton had a splendid player in ‘Bigs ( z = OW OPEN that Poe—you will remember little Poe? and Pro- P of Enlarged and Improved ; accommodates 419. 9 astanity, 1) fessor Norton, thinking of ‘The Raven’ and fos ‘ > Ba oe ie np erenterrig ops ny Pg on the . “Annabel Lee,’ said to the lad at his side: A el Street, New York. Phone 2006 Madison He pl well, that Poe. ff * Cis . WM. F. INGOLD, Me “* Doe: t 2’ c de joesn't he?’ the youth cried . : : FOR » MEN OF BRAINS “Is he,’ said Professor Norton, ‘any relation - = . - to the great Poe?’ “*Any relation?’ said the youth frowning, K \ ‘why, he is the great Poe.’ ''—Boston Herald. Miss Southsea: THE BOLD, BRAZEN HUSSY, DID YOU is Seu mates ose : Beara timeence vane memes | AL ADE AT KEY WEST comicbooks.com