Life, 1909-05-06 · page 35 of 48
Life — May 6, 1909 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the popular song/play "Everybody Works but Father" by reimagining it in the pretentious style of poet Walt Whitman. The joke targets Whitman's grandiose free-verse poetry and his tendency to find profound meaning in everyday working-class life. The small cartoon shows a child telling his father he's determined to "call on my girl's father"—a mundane domestic situation rendered absurd through Whitman's verbose, self-important literary treatment. The text parodies Whitman's characteristic catalog technique and his rhapsodic elevation of common workers and simple moments. The satire mocks both Whitman's overwrought poetic style and the contrast between his democratic ideals and his actual separation from ordinary working experience. By applying his grandiose voice to a silly domestic complaint about fathers not working, Life magazine ridicules pretentious literary affectation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
As It Might Have Been Everybody Works but Father (if It Had Been Written by Mr. Walt Whitman Instead of by Mr. Jean C. Havez, of Dockstader’s Minstrel Company) —_ 1am one with the chill winds of the morning; chant tof the worker; y fingers, and I blow into them and the warmth of the soul of about the neck with the collar of Ihave no patience wi that shirk the tasks set for ther work of life incisea telling “ore! wiat a LOUD PATTERN!" “YES. 1'M GOING TO CALL ON MY S FATHER AXD I'M DPTERMINED HE SHALL HEAR MY SUIT.” 1 miss the street car and I dodge the milk wagon, I nod gayly at the housemaid as she sweeps off the steps: she Swede, Dane, German, Irish, Norwegian, Polak or Reub; it is tis she; I know that as men view their brethren they atc them and classify them by their and states and towns—unless they , then they try first to separate Teare not be in the belief, though, that one no more need be an icepick because he is born in Iceland, than a kitten need be a biscuit because it is born in an oven; INVESTMENT SECURITIES wew Bronx Bank and Trust || and High-Class Co. Stocks Industrials Q Complete, facilities | Q Werpecilie stocks for purchase and || “Hl depending entirely tuk of Stocks in Banks | Ga. pabbe decand for and TrustCompanieslo- || security and upon busi- cated anywhere nessoperationstorprofits, Ourcustomersmay invest in moderate amountsand payin convenient install- ments. The largest in- vestment business of this character in the world— re over thirty thousand jank Stocks || discriminatingcustomers. as an lovestment," and Writefor our descriptive st, |) booklet No. 110. snasual opportunitiestor investment in new banks in growing towns as well @ in established dend-paying banks. west prices. Writefor klet, STERLING DEBENTURE CORPORATION SRUNSWICK BUILDING MADISON SQUARE oe NEW YORK PLA Ever since its introduction in 1895, the ANGELUS—the pioneer piano-player— has made steady progress toward the goal of perfection, and thus, by keeping in advance of its imitators, has maintained its superiority. US BR-PIANO Now comes The New 88 Note Instrument Heretofore, whether in cabinet form, or installed within the case of a piano, the ANCELUS has been made with a range of 65 notes—in this respect like other piano players—but now we are building it so it will play 88 notes, the entire keyboard of the piano. The new ANGELUS gives to its user, the same playing compass as that of the concert pianist, for it is thus possible to play every note, from the lowest in the bass to the highest in the treble. The patented and exclusive features of the ANGELUS instruments, include the Phrasing Lever, MELODANT, the Diaphragm Pneumatics, the Melody Buttons, the ARTISTYLE music rolls, and the Duplex Spool. The KNABE-ANGELUS, the EMERSON-ANGELUS, the ANGELUS-PIANO in the United States; the GOURLAY-ANGELUS and the ANGELUS-PIANO in Canada. THE WILCOX & WHITE CO. Regent House 1 am a brother to all; all are akin to ane; work for all! why don’t the rest hustle a bit? think of the comfortable living-room at home. fain would be reading the new divorce case and waiting for dinner time to come along. I make this chant for the voices of the chorus: am envious of the cinch possessed by father; sing the toil of everybody with his exception; would sit all day as he does in confident com- fort; would ‘smoke Sailor's Dream in a clay pipe, als .too, would gladden my feet before the fire— am a child of fire, even as ye all. I am a brother of the fire, likewise; I am alive with it, I rejoice in its upleapings and its downsweepin, Basiness Established in 1877 Regent Street MERIDEN, CONN. see in it the terror and the rapture of the ages have knowledge of the sayings of the crackle of the sparks; sense the song of the hissing sap; learn of it, I live of it, I—but hold! To my chant again: note that mother receives washing to do, observe that Ann docs also—How old is she? Guess again. sing that everybody except father works at our house. wish that I, with pipe and slippers and the 8 p. m. extra that is handed in at 9 a. m, were the Old Man! sing it. I have said. Saturday Evening Post. comicbooks.com